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:
CIRCA FRIDAY FOOTBALL INVITATIONAL
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).
Here are the Week 1 plays from the contestants:
Week 1 plays
BOBBY “BUCKETS” BRUBECK
Georgia State %plussign% 7.5
UNLV %plussign% 13
Arizona State-Oregon State Over 57.5
Arizona %plussign% 10
(Best Bet) Virginia %plussign% 4
CHUCK EDEL
Northern Illinois-Tulsa Over 63.5
Mississippi State-Arizona Under 57
Dolphins -3.5
Buccaneers-Cowboys Under 50.5
(BB) 49ers-Bears Under 40.5
BRIAN EDWARDS
Appalachian State %plussign% 19
Arkansas -9
Baylor %plussign% 3
Fresno State PK
(BB) Wake Forest -12.5
CHRIS “THE BEAR” FALLICA
Jets %plussign% 6.5
Browns PK
Texas A&M -19
Kentucky %plussign% 6
(BB) Mississippi State -10
STEVE FEZZIK
Texas-San Antonio -2
Arizona State-Oklahoma State Over 57.5
Mississippi State-Arizona Over 56.5
Steelers %plussign% 6.5
(BB) Middle Tennessee-Colorado State Under 58
JOEY FORTUNA
Charlotte %plussign% 26
Appalachian State %plussign% 19
Houston %plussign% 4
Cardinals %plussign% 6.5
(BB) Washington State-Wisconsin Under 49
DOUG KEZIRIAN
Vanderbilt %plussign% 12.5
Colorado State -11
Panthers PK
Buccaneers-Cowboys Under 50.5
(BB) Tennessee -6
MARC LAWRENCE
Boston College %plussign% 2.5
BYU -2.5
Cowboys %plussign% 2.5
Seahawks %plussign% 6.5
(BB) Steelers %plussign% 6.5
RANDY MCKAY
Ohio-Penn State Over 54
Missouri-Kansas State Under 56.5
Marshall-Notre Dame Over 50
Chargers -3
(BB) Steelers %plussign% 6.5
MIKE NORTH
Bengals -6.5
Bears %plussign% 7
Cardinals %plussign% 6.5
Giants %plussign% 5.5
(BB) Seahawks %plussign% 6.5
ERIN RYNNING
Old Dominion-East Carolina Over 50.5
Georgia Southern-Nebraska Over 62.5
Boston College-Virginia Tech Under 46
Browns-Panthers Under 42
(BB) Broncos-Seahawks Over 44
DAN SALEY
Ohio State -43.5
Kansas State -7
Virginia %plussign% 4
UAB -6
(BB) Central Michigan -4.5
JAMES SALINAS
Saints-Falcons Under 43
Steelers %plussign% 6.5
Buccaneers -2.5
Broncos-Seahawks Under 44
(BB) Kentucky %plussign% 6
PAUL STONE
South Alabama-Central Michigan Over 59
Memphis-Navy Under 49
Virginia %plussign% 4
Kentucky %plussign% 6
(BB) Central Michigan -4.5
JEFF WHITELAW
Southern Miss-Miami Under 51
Middle Tennessee-Colorado State Under 58
UAB -6
Chargers -3
(BB) Vikings %plussign% 1.5
CRIS ZENIUK
Patriots %plussign% 3.5
Browns PK
Texans %plussign% 7
Vikings %plussign% 1.5
(BB) Steelers %plussign% 6.5