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).

STANDINGS

WEEK 12 SELECTIONS

BOBBY “BUCKETS” BRUBECK
Indiana +10.5
Michigan-Ohio State Under 56
Washington State +1.5
Packers-Eagles Under 46.5
(BB) Steelers-Colts Under 39.5
Record (points): 28-25-2 (29)
Best Bets: 4-7 (4)

CHUCK EDEL
Wake Forest-Duke Over 67
Louisville-Kentucky Under 43
Michigan State-Penn State Over 52.5
Old Dominion-South Alabama Under 48
(BB) Hawaii-San Jose State Over 58
Record (points): 34-21 (34)
Best Bets: 5-6 (5)

BRIAN EDWARDS
Pittsburgh -7
Iowa State +10
LSU -9.5
Ravens -3.5
(BB) Commanders -4
Record (points): 25-30 (25)
Best Bets: 5-6 (5)

CHRIS “THE BEAR” FALLICA
Kansas +11.5
Georgia State +6
Washington State +1.5
Ohio State -8.5
(BB) Texas A&M +9.5
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
Syracuse -10
Appalachian State-Georgia Southern Over 62
Hawaii-San Jose State Over 58
Middle Tennessee-FIU Under 55.5
(BB) Browns +3.5
Record (points): 30-25 (30)
Best Bets: 5-6 (5)

DOUG KEZIRIAN
Indiana +10.5
Syracuse-Boston College Over 47
USC -4.5
LSU -9.5
(BB) Tulsa-Houston Over 67
Record (points): 34-20-1 (34.5)
Best Bets: 6-4-1 (6.5)

MARC LAWRENCE
Oregon State +3
Georgia Tech +35.5
Iowa State +10
Cardinals +3
(BB) Titans +2.5
Record (points): 28-25-2 (29)
Best Bets: 7-4 (7)

RANDY MCKAY
Indiana +10.5
Notre Dame +4.5
Raiders +3.5
Chargers-Cardinals Over 48
(BB) Colts -2.5
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)
Record (points): 24-30-1 (24.5)
Best Bets: 3-7-1 (3.5)

DAN SALEY
Kansas State -11.5
Duke +3.5
Michigan +8.5
Texas Tech +2
(BB) Coastal Carolina +14
Record (points): 26-27-2 (27)
Best Bets: 5-6 (5)

JAMES SALINAS
USC -4.5
Titans +2.5
Packers +6.5
Steelers +2.5
(BB) Saints +9
Record (points): 32-20-3 (33.5)
Best Bets: 6-5 (6)

PAUL STONE
Louisville-Kentucky Under 43
North Texas -14
Washington -1.5
Vanderbilt +14
(BB) Kansas State -11.5
Record (points): 30-24-1 (30.5)
Best Bets: 4-7 (4)

JEFF WHITELAW
Oregon-Oregon State Over 58
Tennessee-Vanderbilt Under 63.5
Browns +3.5
Commanders -4
(BB) Bengals -2.5
Record (points): 29-23-3 (30.5)
Best Bets: 6-3-2 (7)

CRIS ZENIUK
Falcons +4
Texans +14
Eagles -6.5
Packers-Eagles Under 46.5
(BB) Seahawks -3.5
Record (points): 25-28-2 (26)
Best Bets: 4-7 (4)

———————

MIKE PALM
South Carolina +14
LSU -9.5
Falcons-Commanders Over 40.5
Bengals -2.5
(BB) USC -4.5
Record (points): 30-23-2 (31)
Best Bets: 7-4 (7)

MATT YOUMANS
Indiana +10.5
Michigan +8.5
Packers +6.5
Colts -2.5
(BB) Wisconsin -3
Record (points): 30-24-1 (30.5)
Best Bets: 7-4 (7)