Circa NFL Contests Shatter Records with $20M Total Prize Pool

Posted on: September 7, 2024, 06:17h. 

Last updated on: September 7, 2024, 06:17h.

Todd Shriber @etfgodfather Read More
Expertise: Financial, Gaming Business, Mergers and Acquisitions.

Today was deadline day for entering Circa Sports’ famed NFL contests — Circa Millions and Survivor — and the two competitions toppled previous records with a combined $20.26 million in entries.

Deloitte sports betting study insights
Bettors watch an NFL game at Circa Sportsbook in downtown Las Vegas. The gaming company’s two NFL contests garnered more than $20 million in entries. (Image: Las Vegas Review-Journal)

When Circa announced the contests for the 2024 season, the sportsbook operator promised a record $16 million in guaranteed payouts, but that figure was topped by more than 25% as Circa Survivor alone netted 14,266 entries at $1,000 apiece, meaning the prize pool for that contest is $14.26 million. Last year, the two contests had $14 million in entries combined.

The prize pool for Circa Survivor will go to the last person (or people) standing. It will consist of up to 20 legs throughout the year, one for every week of the football season plus two special weeks,” according to a statement issued by the gaming company. “Each week, participants will choose a team to win straight up, but the player cannot pick the same team twice for the duration of the season. Thanksgiving/Black Friday and Christmas Day will each be considered their own contest weeks.”

In a short amount of time, Survivor has become one of the most popular regulated NFL pool competitions in the country. The massive prize pool coupled with not having to pick against the spread resonates with professional and recreational bettors alike.

Circa Survivor Isn’t Easy

Circa Survivor requires participants to pick a single NFL winner each, but not against the spread. To some novice participants, that task sounds easy, but it’s not.

Making the contest difficult to win is the point that participants can only select a team once over the course of the season. For example, a contestant that picked the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night or the Philadelphia Eagles last night sees that entry survive and advance, but they cannot use those teams again for the remainder of the 2024 season.

Additionally, the separation of the Thanksgiving and Christmas Day games is a curveball for Circa Survivor participants. This year, there are three games on Thanksgiving Day, meaning participants may want to be careful about using too many of those six teams prior to that holiday.

Christmas could be even trickier because there are just two games. One involves the Chiefs and the other features the Baltimore Ravens — teams many Survivor participants would be inclined to choose well before Dec. 25.

Circa Million in Strong Form, Too

The sixth edition of the Circa Million contest garnered 5,871 entries resulting in an overlay of $183,000. That contest tests participants’ ability to pick NFL games against the spread.

“Each player will make five picks against the spread each week via the Circa Sports Nevada mobile app, a Circa Sports kiosk or over the counter at any of the six Circa Sports locations in Nevada. One point will be awarded for each correct selection and one-half point for each push,” according to the statement.

First place takes home $1 million, but Circa Million offers 125 other ways to win over the course of the season, including cash for those that finish anywhere from second to 100 and quarterly prizes.