Football contests with large prizes have a long history in Las Vegas casinos. However, when Circa Sports granted a record-breaking $11 million in prize money for the 2021-2022 NFL season, it elevated the prize standards to a new level.
Multiple participants ended the season with a minimum win of $1 million from both the Circa Million III and Circa Survivor contests.
Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens stated that within three years of operation, their team introduced some of the world’s largest football contests with exceptional payouts. He expressed excitement over awarding seven-figure prizes to six individuals and even had the opportunity to celebrate with a few of them during game 20 at the world’s largest sportsbook, located in Circa Resort & Casino.
Seeing the reactions of the participants in the Circa Sports contest as they secured a minimum of $1 million each was fantastic. Even though legal sports betting is becoming more widespread across the nation, witnessing the thrill of a sports bettor striking it big within a Las Vegas casino sportsbook is unparalleled.
How it appears to win a minimum of $1 million in the Survivor contest by @CircaSports. @CircaLasVegas @VSiNLive. @BillyChippas is victorious with a Chiefs win. @DerekJStevens is amidst the celebration. pic.twitter.com/NsGae0e9L6
Rewritten: This was tweeted by Bill Adee (@Bill80) on January 9, 2022.
Circa Sports Million III Contest Winners
In June last year, Circa Sports declared a new contest prize structure, ensuring a minimum of $10 million in prize money for the no-rake pro football competitions.
The Circa Sports Million III was a contest with a buy-in of $1,000 where participants had to pick five games weekly against a set point spread. The grand prize for the competition was a whopping $1 million. Those who finished among the top 50, as well as the contestant who finished last, were awarded prizes ranging from $25,000 to $375,000.
This competition also awarded a minimum of $250,000 in prizes to the leaders of the quarterly contest. In total, Circa Sports Million III distributed $4 million in prizes.
Tony Gordon emerged as the sole million-dollar winner in this contest. He clinically clinched the Circa Sports Million III and walked away with the grand prize of $1 million.
Circa Survivor Contest Winners
For the second consecutive year, multiple contestants in the Circa Survivor contest went the distance. Despite having fewer winners this year, the prizes were significantly larger. Five participants each walked away with over $1 million for going the distance in the weekly survivor contest.
In contrast to the Circa Sports Million contest, participants in the Circa Survivor competition choose one team to win outright each week, with no point spreads involved. However, each team can only be chosen once by the contestants.
This unconventional survivor-style contest had two additional “weeks” for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. This alteration resulted in a football survivor contest consisting of 20 selections, compared to the usual 18 in a conventional contest.
Participants who made it to the final week without losing a game had the chance to win an additional $1 million prize. This was the icing on the cake for them. They had to make their final pick of the season between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Three out of the five winners of the Circa Survivor contest managed to divide the additional money and add it to their $1.2 million prize winnings.
- Billy Chippas – $1,533,333.35
- Michael Sax – $1,533,333.35
- Survivor (alias) Return – $1,533,333.35
- Chris Piper – $1,200,000.00
- Marc Perlman – $1,200,000.00
The prize money for Circa Survivor significantly increased to $6 million from last year’s $2.39 million, which was shared among 35 players. Last year, 33 participants received $68,285.71 each, while two contestants with multiple entries each walked away with $136,571.43.
Las Vegas Contest, National Participation
The football contests hosted by Circa Sports are steadily becoming a mainstay in Las Vegas sports betting. Despite the requirement for participants to register in person at a Las Vegas Circa Sports location, the contests allow for participation from any location by utilizing a proxy to submit weekly picks.
Participating in contests is now easier than ever with Circa Sports, as it now has five locations in Las Vegas.
- Circa Resort & Casino
- The D
- Golden Gate
- Tuscany
- The Pass
Circa, The D and Golden Gate are located on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, with other locations dispersed throughout the city.
You’ll find Tuscany Suites and Casino a short ride or a bit of a walk east from the Vegas Strip. The Pass is located in Henderson, NV. If you’re a beer enthusiast, you may want to visit Pub 365 after registering at Tuscany for next year’s contests.
This summer, Circa Sports will reveal the details for the football contests for 2022-2023.
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