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
(Updated through Week 10, Nov. 14)
BOBBY “BUCKETS” BRUBECK
UAB +15
Bears +3
Cowboys -1.5
Browns-Bills Over 49.5
(BB) UCLA +2.5
Record (points): 26-23-1 (26.5)
Best Bets: 4-6 (4)
CHUCK EDEL
Georgia-Kentucky Under 48
Western Kentucky-Auburn Under 52
Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Over 66.5
Mississippi-Arkansas Over 65
(BB) NC State-Louisville Under 45
Record (points): 31-19 (31)
Best Bets: 4-6 (4)
BRIAN EDWARDS
Duke +7
LSU -15
Boston College +21
UL Monroe-Troy Under 48
(BB) Giants -3
Record (points): 23-27 (23)
Best Bets: 5-5 (5)
CHRIS “THE BEAR” FALLICA
Texas-San Antonio -13.5
UCLA +2.5
Vanderbilt +14
Marshall -4.5
(BB) Baylor +2.5
Record (points): 29-21 (29)
Best Bets: 7-3 (7)
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
Mississippi-Arkansas Over 65
Colts +7
Lions +3
(BB) Raiders +3
Record (points): 25-25 (25)
Best Bets: 4-6 (4)
DOUG KEZIRIAN
Michigan State -10.5
Western Kentucky +5.5
Houston +6
Arkansas +2.5
(BB) UNLV -11.5
Record (points): 32-17-1 (32.5)
Best Bets: 6-3-1 (6.5)
MARC LAWRENCE
Illinois +17.5
UCLA +2.5
Arkansas +2.5
Vikings +1.5
(BB) Baylor +2.5
Record (points): 25-23-2 (26)
Best Bets: 6-4 (6)
RANDY MCKAY
Fresno State-Nevada Over 54
Hawaii +11.5
Colts +7
Eagles-Colts Under 46
(BB) Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Over 66.5
Record (points): 26-22-2 (27)
Best Bets: 7-3 (7)
X-MIKE NORTH (first eliminated)
Record (points): 16-26-3 (17.5)
Best Bets: 3-6 (3)
ERIN RYNNING
Mississippi-Arkansas Over 65
Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Over 66.5
Colts +7
Bengals-Steelers Under 40.5
(BB) Cowboys-Vikings Over 47.5
Record (points): 22-27-1 (22.5)
Best Bets: 3-6-1 (3.5)
DAN SALEY
Penn State -18.5
Iowa +2.5
UCLA +2.5
Arkansas +2.5
(BB) Utah State -1
Record (points): 22-26-2 (23)
Best Bets: 4-6 (4)
JAMES SALINAS
UCLA +2.5
Raiders +3
Steelers +4
Browns +7.5
(BB) Eagles-Colts Under 46
Record (points): 30-17-3 (31.5)
Best Bets: 5-5 (5)
PAUL STONE
Texas Tech-Iowa State Under 47.5
Arkansas +2.5
Oklahoma State +7.5
Hawaii +11.5
(BB) Connecticut +10
Record (points): 27-22-1 (27.5)
Best Bets: 4-6 (4)
JEFF WHITELAW