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).
GRADED WEEK 11 SELECTIONS
(Updated through Week 11, Nov. 21)
BOBBY “BUCKETS” BRUBECK
UAB +15 L
Bears +3 P
Cowboys -1.5 W
Browns-Bills Over 49.5 W
(BB) UCLA +2.5 L
Record (points): 28-25-2 (29)
Best Bets: 4-7 (4)
CHUCK EDEL
Georgia-Kentucky Under 48 W
Western Kentucky-Auburn Under 52 L
Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Over 66.5 L
Mississippi-Arkansas Over 65 W
(BB) NC State-Louisville Under 45 W
Record (points): 34-21 (34)
Best Bets: 5-6 (5)
BRIAN EDWARDS
Duke +7 W
LSU -15 W
Boston College +21 L
UL Monroe-Troy Under 48 L
(BB) Giants -3 L
Record (points): 25-30 (25)
Best Bets: 5-6 (5)
CHRIS “THE BEAR” FALLICA
Texas-San Antonio -13.5 W
UCLA +2.5 L
Vanderbilt +14 W
Marshall -4.5 W
(BB) Baylor +2.5 W
Record (points): 33-22 (33)
Best Bets: 8-3 (8)
X-STEVE FEZZIK (second eliminated)
Record (points): 21-28-1 (21.5)
Best Bets: 6-3-1 (6.5)
JOEY “TUNES” FORTUNA
Cincinnati-Temple Under 51 W
Mississippi-Arkansas Over 65 W
Colts +7 W
Lions +3 W
(BB) Raiders +3 W
Record (points): 30-25 (30)
Best Bets: 5-6 (5)
DOUG KEZIRIAN
Michigan State -10.5 L
Western Kentucky +5.5 L
Houston +6 W
Arkansas +2.5 W
(BB) UNLV -11.5 L
Record (points): 34-20-1 (34.5)
Best Bets: 6-4-1 (6.5)
MARC LAWRENCE
Illinois +17.5 W
UCLA +2.5 L
Arkansas +2.5 W
Vikings +1.5 L
(BB) Baylor +2.5 W
Record (points): 28-25-2 (29)
Best Bets: 7-4 (7)
RANDY MCKAY
Fresno State-Nevada Over 54 W
Hawaii +11.5 W
Colts +7 W
Eagles-Colts Under 46 W
(BB) Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Over 66.5 L
Record (points): 30-23-2 (31)
Best Bets: 7-4 (7)
X-MIKE NORTH (first eliminated)
Record (points): 16-26-3 (17.5)
Best Bets: 3-6 (3)
X-ERIN RYNNING (third eliminated)
Mississippi-Arkansas Over 65 W
Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Over 66.5 L
Colts +7 W
Bengals-Steelers Under 40.5 L
(BB) Cowboys-Vikings Over 47.5 L
Record (points): 24-30-1 (24.5)
Best Bets: 3-7-1 (3.5)
DAN SALEY
Penn State -18.5 W
Iowa +2.5 W
UCLA +2.5 L
Arkansas +2.5 W
(BB) Utah State -1 W
Record (points): 26-27-2 (27)
Best Bets: 5-6 (5)
JAMES SALINAS
UCLA +2.5 L
Raiders +3 W
Steelers +4 L
Browns +7.5 L
(BB) Eagles-Colts Under 46 W
Record (points): 32-20-3 (33.5)
Best Bets: 6-5 (6)
PAUL STONE
Texas Tech-Iowa State Under 47.5 W
Arkansas +2.5 W
Oklahoma State +7.5 L
Hawaii +11.5 W
(BB) Connecticut +10 L
Record (points): 30-24-1 (30.5)
Best Bets: 4-7 (4)
JEFF WHITELAW
TCU-Baylor Over 57.5 L
Colts +7 W
Commanders -3 W
Steelers +4 L
(BB) Falcons -3 P
Record (points): 29-23-3 (30.5)
Best Bets: 6-3-2 (7)
CRIS ZENIUK
Jets +3.5 L
Lions +3 W
Bears +3 P
Raiders +3 W
(BB) Bills -7.5 W
Record (points): 25-28-2 (26)
Best Bets: 4-7 (4)
———————
MIKE PALM
Illinois +17.5 W
USC -2.5 W
Commanders -3 W
Giants -3 L
(BB) Jets-Patriots Under 37.5 W
Record (points): 30-23-2 (31)
Best Bets: 7-4 (7)
MATT YOUMANS
Northwestern +18 W
Kansas +9 L
UCLA +2.5 L
Hawaii +11.5 W
(BB) Jets +3.5 L
Record (points): 30-24-1 (30.5)
Best Bets: 7-4 (7)