Today marked the deadline for entries into Circa Sports’ renowned NFL contests—Circa Millions and Survivor—and both competitions shattered previous records, amassing a combined total of $20.26 million in entries.
When Circa unveiled these contests for the 2024 season, they pledged $16 million in guaranteed payouts. However, that promise was exceeded by over 25%, with Circa Survivor alone attracting 14,266 entries, each at $1,000. This pushed the prize pool for the Survivor contest to an impressive $14.26 million. The previous year saw the two contests combining for $14 million in entries.
Circa Survivor’s prize pool will be awarded to the last individual or individuals remaining. This contest comprises up to 20 “legs” throughout the season—one for each week of the NFL season plus two special weeks. Participants must pick a winning team each week but cannot select the same team more than once throughout the season. Thanksgiving/Black Friday and Christmas Day are each designated as separate contest weeks.
Survivor has swiftly risen to become one of the most popular regulated NFL pool competitions nationwide. Its massive prize pool and the simplicity of not needing to pick against the spread appeal to both professional and recreational bettors.
However, Circa Survivor is far from easy. While participants only need to pick a single winner each week, they cannot choose the same team more than once over the entire season. For instance, if a contestant picked the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night or the Philadelphia Eagles last night, that entry remains active, but those teams cannot be selected again for the rest of the season.
Adding to the challenge is the separation of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day games into individual contest weeks. This year, there are three games on Thanksgiving Day, so participants will need to manage their picks carefully, ensuring that they do not use too many of those teams before the holiday. Christmas poses an even trickier scenario with just two games available, featuring the Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens—teams that participants might want to save for earlier in the season.
Meanwhile, the sixth edition of the Circa Million contest also saw robust participation, attracting 5,871 entries. This resulted in an overlay of $183,000. Unlike Survivor, this contest tests participants’ abilities to pick NFL games against the spread. Each player is required to make five picks against the spread each week, utilizing the Circa Sports Nevada mobile app, a Circa Sports kiosk, or over-the-counter at any of the six Circa Sports locations in Nevada. Players receive one point for each correct selection and half a point for each push.
The first-place winner of Circa Million will take home $1 million, but the contest offers 125 other opportunities to win throughout the season. This includes cash prizes for those finishing anywhere from second to 100th place and quarterly awards.
Both Circa Sports contests have not only captivated the betting community but also set new benchmarks, promising an exciting NFL season for all participants.
