Football contests with substantial prizes have a long history in Las Vegas casinos. However, Circa Sports pushed this tradition to a new level when they awarded an unprecedented $11 million in prize money for the 2021-2022 NFL season.
Multiple participants ended the season winning a minimum of $1 million between the Circa Million III and Circa Survivor contests.
“Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens stated, “Within three years of operation, our team introduced some of the world’s most substantial football contests, and the payouts were phenomenal. We were incredibly excited to award seven-figure prizes to six individuals and even had the opportunity to celebrate with some of them during the 20th game at the world’s largest sportsbook, located in Circa Resort & Casino.”
Seeing the reactions of the Circa Sports contest participants as they secured a minimum of $1 million each was fantastic. Even as legal sports betting expands nationwide, witnessing the thrill of a sports bettor striking it big within a Las Vegas casino sportsbook remains unparalleled.
How it appears to win a minimum of $1 million in the @CircaSports Survivor competition. @CircaLasVegas @VSiNLive. @BillyChippas secures victory with a Chiefs win. @DerekJStevens is amidst the celebration. pic.twitter.com/NsGae0e9L6.
This was tweeted by Bill Adee (@Bill80) on January 9, 2022.
Circa Sports Million III Contest Winners
In June last year, Circa Sports unveiled a new prize structure for their no-rake pro football contests, ensuring a minimum of $10 million in prize money.
The Circa Sports Million III contest requires participants to pay a $1,000 entry fee and then select five games each week against a set point spread. The grand prize for this competition was a whopping $1 million. Not just the winner, but the top 50 contenders, as well as the contestant who came in last, received prizes ranging from $25,000 to $375,000.
This competition also awarded a minimum of $250,000 in prizes for quarterly contest leaders. In total, Circa Sports Million III distributed $4 million in prizes.
Tony Gordon emerged as the sole million-dollar winner in this competition. He won the Circa Sports Million III and walked away with the $1 million grand prize.
Circa Survivor Contest Winners
For the second consecutive year, several contestants in the Circa Survivor contest managed to go the distance. This year, despite the smaller number of winners, the prizes were substantial. Five participants each won over $1 million by lasting through the weekly survivor contest.
In contrast to the Circa Sports Million contest where participants choose a team to win each week without any point spreads, the Circa Survivor contest allows contestants to select a team only once.
The unconventional survivor-style contest, which included two additional “weeks” for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, led to the creation of a football survivor contest with 20 selections, compared to the usual 18 in a traditional contest.
Participants who made it to the final week without losing a game were given an extra incentive – an additional $1 million prize. These players were left with a tough choice for their final pick of the season, either the Kansas City Chiefs or Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Out of the five Circa Survivor contest winners, three were able to divide the extra 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 – $1.2 million
- Marc Perlman – $1.2 million
The prize pool for Circa Survivor saw a significant increase to $6 million from last year’s $2.39 million, which was divided among 35 players. The previous year, each of the 33 participants won $68,285.71. Additionally, two contestants, who had more than one entry, each bagged $136,571.43.
Las Vegas Contest, National Participation
Circa Sports football contests are fast becoming a mainstay in Las Vegas sports betting. Even though participants are required to register in person at a Circa Sports venue in Las Vegas, they can compete from any location by utilizing a proxy to submit their weekly picks.
Participating in the contests is now easier than ever as Circa Sports has expanded to five locations in Las Vegas.
- Resort & Casino Circa
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- Gate of Gold
- Tuscany
- The Pass is rewritten as The Passage.
The locations are scattered throughout Las Vegas. In downtown Las Vegas on Fremont Street, you will find Circa, The D, and Golden Gate.
The Tuscany Suites and Casino is located just east of the Vegas Strip, a short ride or a long walk away. The Pass is situated in Henderson, NV. Beer aficionados may find a visit to Pub 365 enjoyable after registering at Tuscany for next year’s contests.
This summer, Circa Sports will reveal details for the football contests for 2022-2023.
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