On Friday nights in the fall for more than a decade, football bettors would crowd a small, smoky sportsbook on the Strip to see two handicappers go head to head in a $10,000 winner-take-all contest. The contestants’ names were lit up outside on the marquee, adding an element of prestige to being a part of the Stardust Invitational.
The contest concluded after the 2005 season -- the Stardust closed on Nov. 1, 2006 and its two hotel towers were imploded in March 2007 -- and it has been missed.
So it’s time to bring back memories of an old friend. In a tip of the cap to the Stardust Invitational, Circa owner Derek Stevens is putting up his money and putting his support behind a new VSIN-produced event, the Circa Friday Football Invitational.
The theme is the same, but the contest format is slightly different and improved. While there are still 16 handicappers in a bracket, all contestants are involved each week in a season-long competition, as opposed to the Stardust format that pitted only two handicappers a week in a head-to-head elimination duel. Stevens has boosted the prize money to $25,000.
The 16-handicapper field is officially set. Here are the contest details:
Sixteen handicappers compete -- with no entry fee required -- in a season-long contest with $25,000 in prizes awarded.
When: Friday, September 9 through Friday, January, 6, 2023 (18 weeks)
Where: VSIN studio at the Circa sportsbook
Contest plays: Five plays, college and NFL sides and totals (no props, team totals, first-half plays etc.) with one designated as the Best Bet (BB).
STANDINGS
GRADED WEEK 10 SELECTIONS
(Updated through Week 10, Nov. 14)
BOBBY “BUCKETS” BRUBECK
Louisville +6.5 L
UL Monroe-Georgia State Over 59 P
Texas State-South Alabama Under 46.5 L
North Texas +6 L
(BB) Browns +3.5 L
Record (points): 26-23-1 (26.5)
Best Bets: 4-6 (4)
CHUCK EDEL
Indiana-Ohio State Over 61 W
South Carolina-Florida Over 59.5 L
Vanderbilt-Kentucky Under 47 W
Arizona-UCLA Over 76 L
(BB) Louisiana Tech-UTSA Over 68 L
Record (points): 31-19 (31)
Best Bets: 4-6 (4)
BRIAN EDWARDS
Mississippi +12 W
Seahawks +2.5 L
Bears -3 L
Titans -3 W
(BB) Texas A&M-Auburn Over 48 L
Record (points): 23-27 (23)
Best Bets: 5-5 (5)
CHRIS “THE BEAR” FALLICA
Louisville +6.5 L
Arizona State +9 L
Arizona +20 W
Buccaneers -2.5 W
(BB) Texas Tech -4 W
Record (points): 29-21 (29)
Best Bets: 7-3 (7)
X-STEVE FEZZIK (second eliminated)
Vanderbilt-Kentucky Under 47.5 W
Louisiana Tech-UTSA Over 68 L
Jaguars-Chiefs Over 50.5 L
Texans-Giants Over 40.5 L
(BB) Southern Mississippi +5 W
Record (points): 21-28-1 (21.5)
Best Bets: 6-3-1 (6.5)
JOEY “TUNES” FORTUNA
Central Florida-Tulane Over 54 W
Washington State -8 W
Giants -4.5 W
Raiders -4.5 L
(BB) Army-Troy Over 46 L
Record (points): 25-25 (25)
Best Bets: 4-6 (4)
DOUG KEZIRIAN
Navy +16 W
Utah -24 W
Auburn -1.5 W
Steelers +1.5 W
(BB) Boston College-NC State Over 41 P
Record (points): 32-17-1 (32.5)
Best Bets: 6-3-1 (6.5)
MARC LAWRENCE
Louisville +6.5 L
Washington +13 W
Browns +3.5 L
Packers +4 W
(BB) Cardinals +3 W
Record (points): 25-23-2 (26)
Best Bets: 6-4 (6)
RANDY MCKAY
Central Florida-Tulane Over 54 W
Mississippi +12 W
New Mexico +21.5 L
Chargers +7 W
(BB) Seahawks-Buccaneers Under 44.5 W
Record (points): 26-22-2 (27)
Best Bets: 7-3 (7)
X-MIKE NORTH (first eliminated)
Record (points): 16-26-3 (17.5)
Best Bets: 3-6 (3)
ERIN RYNNING
Nebraska-Michigan Under 49.5 W
Arizona State-Washington State Over 59.5 L
Mississippi +12 W
Broncos +3 L
(BB) Cowboys-Packers Over 44 W
Record (points): 22-27-1 (22.5)
Best Bets: 3-6-1 (3.5)
DAN SALEY
North Carolina State -18 L
Tulane -1 L
Baylor -3 L
Hawaii +11.5 W
(BB) North Texas +6 L
Record (points): 22-26-2 (23)
Best Bets: 4-6 (4)
JAMES SALINAS
Connecticut +13.5 W
Army-Troy Under 46 W
Broncos +3 L
Colts-Raiders Under 41.5 L
(BB) Steelers +1.5 W
Record (points): 30-17-3 (31.5)
Best Bets: 5-5 (5)
PAUL STONE
West Virginia +8.5 W
South Carolina +8.5 L
Texas Christian +7.5 W
Army-Troy Under 46 W
(BB) Florida State-Syracuse Under 50.5 W
Record (points): 27-22-1 (27.5)
Best Bets: 4-6 (4)
JEFF WHITELAW
Tulane -1 L
Arizona State-Washington State Under 59.5 W
Steelers +1.5 W
Commanders +11 W
(BB) Browns +3.5 L
Record (points): 27-21-2 (28)
Best Bets: 6-3-1 (6.5)
CRIS ZENIUK
Hawaii +11.5 W
Browns +3.5 L
Bills -3 L
49ers -7 L
(BB) Cowboys -4 L
Record (points): 22-27-1 (22.5)
Best Bets: 3-7 (3)
———————
MIKE PALM
Illinois -6.5 L
Iowa State -1.5 L
Wisconsin pick L
Seahawks +2.5 L
(BB) Colts-Raiders Under 41.5 L
Record (points): 26-22-2 (27)
Best Bets: 6-4 (6)
MATT YOUMANS
Arizona +20 W
Auburn -1.5 W
Hawaii +11.5 W
Buccaneers -2.5 W
(BB) Steelers +1.5 W
Record (points): 28-21-1 (28.5)
Best Bets: 7-3 (7)