Circa Sports Takes ‘All-In’ Approach to Generate Record $31.6M in NFL Contest Prize Money

NFL handicappers descended on Circa Sports in droves (or by proxy), generating a record $31.6 million in guaranteed prize money for a trio of contests at the market-making sportsbook in Las Vegas.

Heralded for its high limits and willingness to take sharp action, Circa’s staff continues to generate boffo numbers for its annual football contests. This year’s offerings include the Survivor, Million, and Grandissimo. Last year, Circa awarded a total of $20.2 million in prize money to Survivor and Million contestants, who both paid $1,000 entry fees.

Circa Sportsbook Operations Director Jeff Benson, coming off the high of another record-setting year, told CasinoBeats that owner Derek Stevens leads by example.

Benson said: “We raise the bar every year because our owner continues to [entice contestants] by raising the guarantees. Derek is all-in. He is passionate, involved, and overall just a great guy who loves to be on the floor with his staff and customers.”

Here’s the breakdown on Circa’s contest numbers:

There’s always room for improvement, as Circa missed its stated goal of 6,000 entries for The Million. The company offset that by paying in a $315K overlay to ensure its guaranteed prize pool for the contest.

Circa Survivor Sets New Standard for Richest Contest

Circa Survivor features a record $18.7 million prize, far surpassing its $15 million guarantee. That marks the largest payout ever for a legal sports betting contest. Last year, eight entries survived and split the $14,266,000 top prize (or $1,783,250 per person).

This year, Circa introduced The Grandissimo, a higher-stakes version of Survivor that attracted 69 contestants who paid $100,000 to enter. They’ll compete for $6.9 million in guaranteed prize money.

Both contests task entrants with picking one outright winner in the NFL over 20 weeks. The caveat, of course, is that you can only use a team once.

Overall, the massive increase in guaranteed prize money at Circa this year could portend even bigger things to come. Benson was asked if $40 million is within reach next season.

“If we continue to see the growth rates we have from the past couple of years, then yes, $40 million could be realistic.”

Circa, located in downtown Las Vegas, was among the operators that overcame the summer slump in Sin City by doing things differently and adopting a sports-oriented approach. That success has continued with another record year for its NFL contests.

Benson noted that other companies “are doing great things” during football season in Las Vegas.

He added: “We just keep trying to up the bar.”

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 NFL handicappers descended on Circa Sports in droves (or by proxy), generating a record $31.6 million in guaranteed prize money for a trio of contests at the market-making sportsbook in Las Vegas. Heralded for its high limits and willingness to take sharp action, Circa’s staff continues to generate boffo numbers for its annual football contests.
The post Circa Sports Takes ‘All-In’ Approach to Generate Record $31.6M in NFL Contest Prize Money appeared first on CasinoBeats.