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.
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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
CIRCA FRIDAY FOOTBALL INVITATIONAL
(Updated through Week 14, Dec. 12)
X-BOBBY “BUCKETS” BRUBECK (fifth eliminated)
Record (points): 29-34-2 (30)
Best Bets: 4-9 (4)
CHUCK EDEL
Navy -3 L
Bills -10 L
Jaguars +3.5 W
Panthers +3.5 W
(BB) Dolphins-Chargers Over 52.5 L
Record (points): 41-29 (41)
Best Bets: 5-9 (5)
X-BRIAN EDWARDS (sixth eliminated)
Vikings-Lions Over 52 W
Steelers -2 L
Bengals -5.5 W
Titans -3.5 L
(BB) Lions -2 W
Record (points): 33-37 (33)
Best Bets: 7-7 (7)
CHRIS “THE BEAR” FALLICA
Jaguars +3.5 W
Dolphins -3.5 L
Panthers +3.5 W
Patriots -1.5 W
(BB) 49ers -3.5 W
Record (points): 42-28 (42)
Best Bets: 11-3 (11)
X-STEVE FEZZIK (second eliminated)
Record (points): 21-28-1 (21.5)
Best Bets: 6-3-1 (6.5)
JOEY “TUNES” FORTUNA
Browns +5.5 L
Texans +17.5 W
Buccaneers +3.5 L
Broncos +9 W
(BB) Chargers +3.5 W
Record (points): 40-30 (40)
Best Bets: 8-6 (8)
DOUG KEZIRIAN
Eagles -7 W
Browns-Bengals Under 46 W
Texans-Cowboys Over 44 W
Patriots-Cardinals Over 44 L
(BB) Titans -3.5 L
Record (points): 42-26-2 (43)
Best Bets: 7-5-2 (8)
MARC LAWRENCE
Army +3 W
Giants +7 L
Browns +5.5 L
Patriots -1.5 W
(BB) Buccaneers +3.5 L
Record (points): 35-33-2 (36)
Best Bets: 8-6 (8)
RANDY MCKAY
Holy Cross-South Dakota State Over 53.5 W
Jets +10 W
Jaguars +3.5 W
Broncos +9 W
(BB) Chiefs-Broncos Under 44 L
Record (points): 40-28-2 (41)
Best Bets: 8-6 (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
Army-Navy Over 32 W
Bills -10 L
Giants +7 L
Seahawks -3.5 L
(BB) Bengals -5.5 W
Record (points): 33-35-2 (34)
Best Bets: 6-8 (6)
JAMES SALINAS
Jets +10 W
Ravens +2 W
Bengals -5.5 W
Patriots-Cardinals Under 44 W
(BB) Chiefs-Broncos Under 44 L
Record (points): 39-28-3 (40.5)
Best Bets: 7-7 (7)
PAUL STONE
Army +3 W
Army-Navy Under 32 L
Vikings +2 L
Broncos +9 W
(BB) Texans +17.5 W
Record (points): 37-32-1 (37.5)
Best Bets: 6-8 (6)
JEFF WHITELAW
Navy -2.5 L
Browns-Bengals Under 46.5 W
Chargers +3.5 W
49ers -3.5 W
(BB) Titans -3.5 L
Record (points): 40-27-3 (41.5)
Best Bets: 8-4-2 (9)
X-CRIS ZENIUK (fourth eliminated)
Record (points): 26-32-2 (27)
Best Bets: 4-8 (4)
———————
MIKE PALM
Army-Navy Over 32 W
Eagles -7 W
Bengals -5.5 W
Buccaneers-49ers Under 37 L
(BB) Vikings-Lions Over 52 W
Record (points): 39-29-2 (40)
Best Bets: 9-5 (9)
MATT YOUMANS
Steelers -2 L
Texans +17.5 W
Chargers +3.5 W
Buccaneers +3.5 L
(BB) Patriots -1.5 W
Record (points): 35-34-1 (35.5)
Best Bets: 8-6 (8)
