Circa Sports announced Thursday it will be making $14 million in guaranteed payouts to the winners of its fifth annual Million and Survivor pools for the upcoming NFL season.
The payouts, which carry no rake, represent the highest purse prize for this type of sports wagering contest and $2 million more than last year. Circa on Thursday opened the sign-up period, which runs until Sept. 9.
“We always want to keep raising the stakes for our football contests and knew we had to go big for the fifth year,” said Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens in a statement. “Last year, we gave away $12 million in prizes so to up the pool by $2 million is an exciting feeling for our team. We can’t wait to get the season started this September.”
Circa’s contest is part of a robust football wagering scene in Nevada, and the NFL is the primary driver of handle when in season. Nevada sportsbooks accepted nearly $2.1 billion worth of football wagers from September through December last year.
A refresher on the Circa Million
It’s almost that time of year! Listen in…….Live tomorrow 9AM Eastern on @VSiNLive #FollowTheMoney@MikePalmCirca & I will announce the 2023 @CircaSports details for #CircaMillion and #CircaSurvivor w @MitchMossRadio @paulyhoward https://t.co/Dwm1taUGWp
— Derek Stevens (@DerekJStevens) May 25, 2023
This year’s contest, Circa Million V, will have a guaranteed payout of $6 million in total prizes. The winner will receive $1 million and the Circa Sports blue jacket presented to the top bettor. Because there is no rake, any fees received over the $6 million will be put into quarter and full-season prize pools.
The contest will pay out $3.65 million of the prize money to those who finish between second and 100th. There are also $300,000 quarterly prizes to be awarded during the season and a $100,000 booby prize for the last-place finisher, plus one of $50,000 for the bettor who is second-to-last.
The Circa Million V requires bettors to pick against the spread in five NFL games weekly, with each correct pick counting as one point and a push counting as one-half point. Entries cost $1,000, and bettors are limited to five entries. This year’s guaranteed payouts are a four-fold increase from the $1.5 million paid out in the first Circa Million in 2019.
A refresher on Circa Survivor
The winner of the Circa Survivor pool is guaranteed to walk away with at least $8 million in the winner-take-all format. That prize money could grow larger if the number of $1,000 entries exceeds the $8 million level, since there is also no rake for this contest.
Participants are required to pick one team to win straight up each week, and no team can be selected more than once throughout the season. The four games being played Thanksgiving and Black Friday as well as the three Christmas Day games will each be considered their own contest weeks. Contestants are eliminated if the team they pick either loses or ties.
There is a maximum of 10 $1,000 entries per participant. If entrants opt to pick in the Thursday Night season opener between the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs and lose, they will be allowed to purchase up to 10 additional entries. The guaranteed payout of the survivor pool is up $2 million from last year and in its fourth year of existence.
Sign-ups can be made in-person at any of Circa Sports’ five locations in Nevada.
