Area sports bar managers are in a dilemma.

They’re rooting for the Cincinnati Reds to continue their postseason run, but if the Reds are going to beat the San Francisco Giants in the National League Division Series, they hope the series goes more than the minimum three games.

The Reds, up 2-0 in the best-of-5 series, are going for the sweep tonight at Great American Ball Park, and the next two games, if necessary, are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday in Cincinnati.

The more games the Reds play this postseason, the more fans who watch on TV, and the more sales for local bars and restaurants.

Rick McGuire, owner of RJ’s Sports Pub on Cincinnati Dayton Road, said as a Reds fan, he wants this series over as soon as possible, but as a businessman, he’d love another game or two.

He expects sales tonight at the bar to be 20 percent to 30 percent higher than a typical Tuesday. He said the bar is offering drink and food specials during the playoffs.

Mallory Lucci, manager of the Holy Grail at the Banks, a bar located across the street from GABP, understands what additional playoff games could mean to the bottom line.

“Business is business,” she said.

Then she quickly added: “We’re all Reds fans and we just want them to win.”

On Saturday and Sunday, when the Reds won the first two games in San Francisco, Lucci described business as “very out of control and slammed wall-to-wall.”

She expects tonight’s atmosphere to rival an Opening Day crowd.

“It’s crazy around here,” she said Monday afternoon as the staff prepared for Tuesday. “We should have another awesome day.”

Ray Boling, bar manager at Buffalo Wild Wings at Bridgewater Falls, said the Reds’ success “definitely helps” sales. Since BW3s has a wing special every Tuesday, Boling said having the Reds on TV will certainly increase the crowd.

“The Reds sell,” he said. “They draw them in.”

That’s true at Fricker’s in Middletown, too. Lori Baney, a manager, expects sales to increase by 20 percent tonight, versus a normal Tuesday night. She said Reds typically bring in “a full house.”

For the first two games of the playoffs, the atmosphere was “fantastic” at Fricker’s, she said.

“We are going great and everyone is cheering them on,” she said.

Mike Garner, of Middletown, was at Fricker’s for Saturday night’s opening playoff win. He said it was “packed and stacked” in the bar during the Reds 5-2 victory. He said sitting at the bar cheering on the Reds with your friends “makes the games more enjoyable.”

Rick’s Tavern and Grille in Fairfield is offering a red-colored draft beer for $2 in honor of the Reds during the playoffs, according to owner Steve Minnielli.

As for whether he’s rooting for the Reds to lose tonight, and force a Game 4, Minnielli said he can’t lie.

“Another game would be more profitable in our pockets,” he said.

He said fans throughout the area seem to be more excited about the 2012 Reds than two years ago when they made the playoffs.

“Everybody likes a winner,” he said.