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
WEEK 13 SELECTIONS
(Updated through Week 13, Dec. 5)
X-BOBBY “BUCKETS” BRUBECK (fifth eliminated)
Ohio +3 L
Jets +3 L
Jaguars -1 L
Raiders -1 W
(BB) Titans +4.5 L
Record (points): 29-34-2 (30)
Best Bets: 4-9 (4)
CHUCK EDEL
Kansas State +2 W
Kansas State-TCU Under 61.5 W
Toledo -3 W
Coastal Carolina +8.5 L
(BB) Fresno State-Boise State Over 54.5 L
Record (points): 39-26 (39)
Best Bets: 5-8 (5)
BRIAN EDWARDS
Fresno State +3 W
LSU +17.5 L
Vikings -3 W
Lions +1 W
(BB) TCU -2 L
Record (points): 30-35 (30)
Best Bets: 6-7 (6)
CHRIS “THE BEAR” FALLICA
Fresno State +3 W
Jets +3 L
Jaguars -1 L
49ers -4 W
(BB) Georgia -17.5 W
Record (points): 38-27 (38)
Best Bets: 10-3 (10)
X-STEVE FEZZIK (second eliminated)
Record (points): 21-28-1 (21.5)
Best Bets: 6-3-1 (6.5)
JOEY “TUNES” FORTUNA
Kansas State +2 W
LSU-Georgia Over 51.5 W
Purdue-Michigan Over 52 W
Rams +7 W
(BB) Browns -7 W
Record (points): 37-28 (37)
Best Bets: 7-6 (7)
DOUG KEZIRIAN
Toledo -3 W
LSU +17.5 L
Purdue +17 L
Packers-Bears Over 44.5 W
(BB) Browns-Texans Under 47 W
Record (points): 39-24-2 (40)
Best Bets: 7-4-2 (8)
MARC LAWRENCE
LSU +17.5 L
Purdue +17 L
Titans +4.5 L
Giants +2 W
(BB) Kansas State +2 W
Record (points): 33-30-2 (34)
Best Bets: 8-5 (8)
RANDY MCKAY
Kansas State-TCU Under 62 W
Purdue +17 L
Montana State -5 W
Jets-Vikings Over 44.5 W
(BB) Richmond +17 W
Record (points): 36-27-2 (37)
Best Bets: 8-5 (8)
X-MIKE NORTH (first eliminated)
Record (points): 16-26-3 (17.5)
Best Bets: 3-6 (3)
X-ERIN RYNNING (third eliminated)
Record (points): 24-30-1 (24.5)
Best Bets: 3-7-1 (3.5)
DAN SALEY
Ohio +3 L
Fresno State +3 W
Purdue +17 L
Titans +4.5 L
(BB) Central Florida +4 L
Record (points): 31-32-2 (32)
Best Bets: 5-8 (5)
JAMES SALINAS
LSU +17.5 L
North Carolina +7.5 L
Jets +3 L
Dolphins +4 L
(BB) Lions +1 W
Record (points): 35-27-3 (36.5)
Best Bets: 7-6 (7)
PAUL STONE
Fresno State +3 W
LSU +17.5 L
North Carolina +7.5 L
Purdue +17 L
(BB) TCU -2 L
Record (points): 34-30-1 (34.5)
Best Bets: 5-8 (5)
JEFF WHITELAW
LSU-Georgia Over 51.5 W
Bears +3.5 L
Packers-Bears Over 44.5 W
Colts +10.5 L
(BB) 49ers -4 W
Record (points): 37-25-3 (38.5)
Best Bets: 8-3-2 (9)
X-CRIS ZENIUK (fourth eliminated)
Record (points): 26-32-2 (27)
Best Bets: 4-8 (4)
———————
MIKE PALM
Kansas State-TCU Over 61.5 L
Purdue +17 L
Lions -1 W
Saints +3.5 W
(BB) Jets +3 L
Record (points): 35-28-2 (36)
Best Bets: 8-5 (8)
MATT YOUMANS
LSU +17.5 L
North Carolina +7.5 L
Steelers pick W
Titans +4.5 L
(BB) Purdue +17 L
Record (points): 32-32-1 (32.5)
Best Bets: 7-6 (7)