While only one big game remains in the football season, more than 1,000 games are yet to be played in the college basketball season, so it’s time for another VSiN contest.
For the second straight year, the Circa College Hoops Challenge will be featured on the network on Friday nights. Ten handicappers compete for seven weeks, beginning Feb. 2 and extending through early April and the NCAA championship game.
>>Check here for Circa College Hoops Challenge picks and standings
VSiN contributor Will Hill won the inaugural basketball contest.
The same sponsors behind the Circa Friday Football Invitational are putting up prizes for the hoops invitational. Circa owner Derek Stevens is awarding a Stadium Swim cabana with a $1,000 credit to the contest winner, who also gets a trophy and a $100 gift card to Brooklyn’s Best Pizza & Pasta. The runner-up contestant receives a $100 gift card to Dom Demarco’s Pizzeria in Las Vegas.
CIRCA COLLEGE HOOPS CHALLENGE 2024
Ten handicappers compete — with no entry fee required — in a Friday night college basketball contest with prizes awarded.
When: Friday, February 2 through Friday, April 5 (seven weeks)
Where: VSIN studio at the Circa sportsbook. The contestants’ plays will be announced on the VSiN Tonight show from 6 to 9 p.m. (PT).
Contest format and plays: College basketball full-game sides and totals.
Important note: Only DraftKings lines will be used for the four regular-season weeks and only Circa Sports lines will be used for the three NCAA Tournament weeks.
>Four regular-season contest weeks (Feb. 2, 9, 16 and 23) with five plays per contestant per week for the Saturday schedule.
>NCAA Tournament Week 1 (Wednesday, March 20 show) with 12 plays per contestant for the Thursday and Friday first-round games.
>NCAA Week 2 (Wednesday, March 27 show) with six plays per contestant for the Thursday and Friday Sweet 16 games.
>NCAA Week 3 (Friday, April 5 show) with two plays per contestant for the Saturday Final Four games.
>Each contestant will make a total of 40 plays.
Tiebreaker: Pick the Final Four teams (one point per correct team) and national champion (three points for correct team) and submit the picks for the Wednesday, March 20 show.
Plays will be graded as one point for a win and half-point for a push. If a game is canceled, it’s graded as zero; a postponed game must be played by the following Thursday or is also graded as zero.
For the first four weeks, use only the DraftKings lines posted on Fridays between 3 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. (PT). Send the DraftKings number posted at the time plays are submitted. Plays can only be submitted once, no changes allowed, and use the proper line.
Important note: The deadline for submitting plays each week is 5:45 p.m. (PT) during the regular season. The deadline for each NCAA Tournament week is 5 p.m. (PT).
Prize structure: Circa owner Derek Stevens is awarding a Stadium Swim cabana with a $1,000 credit to the contest winner, who also gets a trophy and a $100 gift card to Brooklyn’s Best Pizza & Pasta. The runner-up contestant receives a $100 gift card to Dom Demarco’s Pizzeria.
This year’s 10-handicapper field:
Adam Burke, VSIN.com managing editor @skatingtripods
Bobby “Buckets” Brubeck, professional bettor from Austin, Texas @brubuckets
David Dineen, former college basketball player at Cal Poly @david_dineen775
Will Hill, VSiN contributor and defending contest champ @NotTheeWillHill
Chris Macero, professional bettor from San Diego @RealGadge
Aaron Moore, sports media professor, VSiN contributor @pubrelationprof
Tim Murray, VSiN host @1TimMurray
Greg “Hoops” Peterson, VSiN host @GUnit_81
Jim Root, professional handicapper from Chicago @2ndChancePoints
Ken Thomson, Las Vegas radio host, handicapper @kenthomson87
Auxiliary contestants:
(Playing the contest but not officially competing for prize money)
Wes Reynolds, VSiN host @WesReynolds1
Matt Youmans, VSiN host @mattyoumans247
