As football bettors tick off the days until the start of the NFL season, there’s another thing for them to look forward to — the Circa Million IV and Circa Survivor contests at the casino in downtown Las Vegas. And Circa has added a little sweetener this year, upping the prize pool to $12 million from $11 million last season. The casino also doesn’t take a rake on the contests, which cost $1,000 per entry.
“It gives us good publicity, is an awesome offering for our players, and is a labor of love,” Circa Sportsbook Operations Manager Jeff Benson said in January, when the payouts for last season’s events were announced. “It’s a loss leader. We don’t make anything — 100% of the prize pool goes to the players.”
In the Million, $1 million of the $6 million pool will be awarded to the winner. Contestants will make five NFL picks against the spread each week to earn points. Three entries are allowed per contestant.
In the Survivor, $6 million is also on the line, with a $1 million bonus available for any contestant who goes 20-0 — provided they don’t choose either of the teams from the 2022 Super Bowl among their 20 selections. Last season, the Survivor contest featured 20 legs, including all 18 weeks of the NFL season, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas.
Perks include a Simple Plan
For each leg last season, contestants picked one team to win straight up, but could not pick the same team for more than one leg. Win and you “survive” to the next leg. Lose in any leg and you’re out. Five entries are allowed per contestant.
Other perks of the contests are events during “Contest Weekends,” including VIP concert tickets (to Theory of a Deadman and Simple Plan) and cocktail parties. “Full house” entrants — those who play three entries in the Million and five entries in the Survivor — “will be treated to one full weekend of events of their choosing and a complimentary three-night stay at the D Las Vegas, with the option to upgrade to Circa Resort & Casino for an additional charge,” according to a press release.
