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).
CIRCA FRIDAY FOOTBALL INVITATIONAL
GRADED WEEK 16 SELECTIONS
X-BOBBY “BUCKETS” BRUBECK (fifth eliminated)
Record (points): 29-34-2 (30)
Best Bets: 4-9 (4)
CHUCK EDEL
San Diego State -6 L
Georgia Southern-Buffalo Over 67.5 L
East Carolina-Coastal Carolina Over 63.5 W
Florida State -9 L
(BB) North Carolina-Oregon Over 73 L
Record (points): 45-35 (45)
Best Bets: 6-10 (6)
X-BRIAN EDWARDS (sixth eliminated)
Record (points): 33-37 (33)
Best Bets: 7-7 (7)
CHRIS “THE BEAR” FALLICA
Panthers +2.5 W
Chiefs -10 W
Georgia Southern -3.5 L
Kansas +3 W
(BB) Saints +3 W
Record (points): 49-31 (49)
Best Bets: 12-4 (12)
X-STEVE FEZZIK (second eliminated)
Record (points): 21-28-1 (21.5)
Best Bets: 6-3-1 (6.5)
JOEY “TUNES” FORTUNA
Bills-Bears Under 40.5 L
Raiders +2.5 L
Cardinals +7.5 W
Colts +4.5 L
(BB) Titans -3 L
Record (points): 45-34-1 (45.5)
Best Bets: 9-7 (9)
DOUG KEZIRIAN
East Carolina-Coastal Carolina Over 63.5 W
Browns -3 L
Steelers -2 W
Broncos -3 L
(BB) Central Florida-Duke Over 62.5 L
Record (points): 46-32-2 (47)
Best Bets: 7-7-2 (8)
MARC LAWRENCE (eighth eliminated)
Patriots +3 L
Eagles +4.5 L
Packers +3.5 W
Coastal Carolina +7 L
(BB) Steelers -2.5 W
Record (points): 40-38-2 (41)
Best Bets: 10-6 (10)
RANDY MCKAY
Bears +8 L
Titans -3 L
Raiders +2.5 L
Chargers-Colts Under 45.5 W
(BB) Eagles +4.5 L
Record (points): 44-34-2 (45)
Best Bets: 8-8 (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)
X-DAN SALEY (seventh eliminated)
Record (points): 36-37-2 (37)
Best Bets: 7-8 (7)
JAMES SALINAS
Bengals -3 W
Bears +8 L
Eagles +4.5 L
Broncos -3 L
(BB) Steelers -2.5 W
Record (points): 44-33-3 (45.5)
Best Bets: 8-8 (8)
PAUL STONE
Middle Tennessee-San Diego State Under 49 W
Oklahoma State-Wisconsin Under 43 W
Kansas-Arkansas Over 68.5 W
Washington +3.5 W
(BB) Washington-Texas Under 67.5 W
Record (points): 45-34-1 (45.5)
Best Bets: 6-9 (6)
JEFF WHITELAW
Dolphins -3.5 L
Packers-Dolphins Over 50 L
Broncos-Rams Under 37 L
Buccaneers-Cardinals Over 40.5 L
(BB) Titans -3 L
Record (points): 40-37-3 (41.5)
Best Bets: 8-6-2 (9)
X-CRIS ZENIUK (fourth eliminated)
Record (points): 26-32-2 (27)
Best Bets: 4-8 (4)
———————
MIKE PALM
Browns -3 L
Bengals -3 W
Texans-Titans Under 35.5 W
Eagles +4.5 L
(BB) Lions -2.5 L
Record (points): 43-34-3 (44.5)
Best Bets: 9-6-1 (9.5)
MATT YOUMANS
Patriots +3 L
Middle Tennessee +6.5 W
Colts +4.5 L
Washington +3.5 W
(BB) Eagles +4.5 L
Record (points): 41-38-1 (41.5)
Best Bets: 9-7 (9)