Las Vegas football contest rundown: Circa faces $8M overlay
With football season fast approaching, the clock is ticking again on Circa Sports to meet its unprecedented $14 million in guaranteed prize money for its two $1,000-entry NFL handicapping contests.
After Circa paid a total of $3.2 million the last two years to cover overlays — the amount of money it must add to the prize pool in addition to the entry fees — the downtown sportsbook is on the hook for another seven-figure payout.
Circa needs 8,000 entries in its Circa Survivor contest and 6,000 entries in its Circa Million V contest to meet its $14 million guarantee, up from $12 million last year.
Less than three weeks before the NFL season opener, the book had 3,856 entries in Survivor ($4.14 million overlay) on Monday and 2,190 in Million ($3.81 million overlay) for a combined $7.95 million overlay.
Last year, Circa drew 6,133 in Survivor — which has increased its prize money from $6 million to $8 million — and 4,691 entries in Million, which again features a $6 million prize pool.
“The Circa Survivor has really taken off. That’s why we bumped the guarantee to eight million, and we’re on a pretty good pace to surpass that,” Circa owner Derek Stevens said. “The higher it gets, the cooler it is. It’s the biggest football contest in U.S. history.
“The Circa Million, we’re pacing better than last year but there’s still a chance for an overlay. That’s where the value is.”
The Westgate SuperBook offers 12 ways to win in its $1,000-entry SuperContest, which will feature 11 in-season contests (six three-week, three six-week, two nine-week) with $810,000 in guaranteed prize money and crown the overall champion of the NFL handicapping contest that started in the 1980s.
William Hill’s College Pick’em contest won’t be back this year, leaving the Golden Nugget’s $1,000-entry Ultimate Football Challenge as the only high-end contest that includes college picks.
“We put every college football game that is on the rotation on the selection card,” Golden Nugget sportsbook director Tony Miller said. “Plus with a low contestant count, there are even more chances to finish in the money.”
Here is a rundown of the major handicapping contests offered in Las Vegas. Entry fees range from $5 to $5,000. Complete rules are available at the sportsbooks:
Circa Sports
— Contest: Circa Million V Pro Football Contest
— Entry fee: $1,000; limit five per person.
— Details: Select five NFL games ATS each week; $6 million guaranteed prize pool. The contest will pay out 100 percent of the entry fees. The top 100 places will be paid, with $1 million to the winner, $2.65 million to places two through 100 and $1.2 million in quarterly prizes, along with a $100,000 last-place booby prize and $50,000 for second-to-last.
— Properties: Circa, D Las Vegas, Tuscany, The Pass and Legends Bay.
— Contest: Circa Survivor Pro Football Contest
— Entry fee: $1,000; limit 10 per person.
— Details: Select a different NFL team with no point spreads each week, one loss or tie means elimination; winner takes prize pool with $8 million guaranteed. Each NFL team can be selected only once by each entry during the contest. Up to 20 picks: NFL Weeks 1 through 18, plus Thanksgiving/Black Friday and Christmas.
— Properties: Circa, D Las Vegas, Tuscany, The Pass and Legends Bay.
Golden Nugget
— Contest: Ultimate Football Challenge
— Entry fee: $1,000; limit three per person.
— Details: Select seven college and/or NFL sides ATS during the 18-week NFL season. The contest will pay out 100 percent of the entry fees to the top 20 finishers, with 40 percent to first place, 20 percent to second and 10 percent to third.
South Point
— Contest: Pro Football Kickoff Weekend Jackpot Parlay Card
— Entry fee: $5; no limit on number of cards played.
— Details: Select all 15 NFL games with no point spreads on Sunday and Monday in Week 1; contestant with the most correct selections wins the jackpot, with $25,000 guaranteed.
— Properties: South Point, Rampart Casino, CasaBlanca Resort, Virgin River.
Station Casinos
— Contest: Last Man Standing (Pro)
— Entry fee: $25; limit four with fifth free.
— Details: Select one NFL game ATS each week, one loss means elimination; winner takes prize pool with $150,000 minimum guaranteed.
— Contest: Last Man Standing (College)
— Entry fee: $25; limit four with fifth free.
— Details: Select one college game ATS each week, one loss means elimination; winner takes prize pool with $100,000 minimum guaranteed.
— Properties: All Station Casinos, Wildfire locations, Barley’s Casino and El Cortez.
Westgate SuperBook
— Contest: SuperContest
— Entry fee: $1,000; limit seven per person.
— Details: Select five NFL games ATS each week; $810,000 guaranteed for 11 in-season contests (six three-week, three six-week, two nine-week); the remaining entry fees will go to the season-long prize pool, with the top 20 places paid. The contest will pay out 100 percent of the entry fees.
— Contest: SuperContest Gold
— Entry fee: $5,000; limit one per person.
— Details: Select five NFL games ATS each week; winner take all.
— Contest: SuperContest Reboot
— Entry fee: $500; limit five per person.
— Details: Select five NFL games ATS each week in Weeks 10 to 18. The contest will pay out 100 percent of the entry fees, with the top 10 places paid.
— Contest: NFL Season Wins Challenge
— Entry fee: $200; limit three per person.
— Details: Select over or under regular-season win total for all 32 NFL teams. The top five places are paid, with first place winning 50 percent of pool.
William Hill
— Contest: Pro Pick’em
— Entry fee: $25; limit 15 per person; purchase four and get one free entry.
— Details: Select Sunday, Monday and select Saturday NFL games with no point spreads; $210,000 guaranteed prize pool; $10,000 weekly cash prize awarded to entry with the most winners; $20,000 grand prize for season. Also, there is a $1 million bonus prize for picking 215 winners or more in the 18-week season.
— Properties: All William Hill and Caesars Sportsbooks in Nevada.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.
