Contest tracker: Millions at stake at Circa, Westgate for Week 18
Circa Sports is set to mint at least two millionaires — and maybe as many as six — in the final week for Las Vegas’ major NFL handicapping contests.
Five entries remain alive for the $6 million prize in the $1,000 buy-in Circa Survivor, in which contestants pick one straight-up NFL winner each week but can use each team only once. If all five win Sunday, they will split the prize ($1.2 million each).
Circa will also pay $1 million to the winner of the $1,000 buy-in Circa Sports Million, in which contestants pick five NFL games against the spread each week. The entry under the alias Hannibal Barca has a half-point lead going into Week 18.
The $1,000 buy-in Westgate SuperContest has a $335,800 first-place prize at stake. The entries under the aliases Litofsky Clan and SportsHandicapper are tied going into Week 18.
There will be no sweat in the $5,000 buy-in SuperContest Gold. The entry under the alias Calabasas Wise Guy has locked up the $435,000 winner-take-all prize with a 6½-point lead going into Week 18.
Each week, I’ve tracked the major handicapping contests and detailed my (lack of) progress. Here’s how the contests stand after Week 17:
Circa Sports Million III
Format: Contestants pick five NFL games against the spread each week ($1,000 per entry), earning one point for a win and a half-point for a push.
Field: 4,087 entries.
Leader: One entry (Hannibal Barca) at 60-24-1, a half-point ahead of Durbify.
Barnes’ status: 1-4 last week, 37-47-1 overall, tied for 3,433rd. Deploying an “opposite” strategy to go for the last-place prize in the fourth quarter, resulting in a winner on Raiders +6½, and losers on Cowboys -6, Chiefs -5, Broncos +6½ and Browns -3½.
Circa Survivor
Format: Contestants pick one straight-up NFL winner each week (each team can be used only once) and are eliminated with a loss ($1,000 per entry).
Field: 4,080 entries, but Circa added $1.92 million to the prize pool to reach the $6 million guarantee.
Leaders: All five survivors advance, with no one eliminated in Week 17.
Barnes’ status: Eliminated in Week 9 when the Bills lost to the Jaguars.
Westgate SuperContest
Format: Contestants pick five NFL games against the spread each week ($1,000 per entry), earning one point for a win and a half-point for a push.
Field: 1,972 entries.
Leaders: Two entries (SportsHandicapper and Litofsky Clan) with 58 points (58-27 and 57-26-2, respectively).
Barnes’ status: 4-1 last week, 41-43-1 overall, tied for 1,219th. Winners on Cardinals +5, Bengals +5, Chargers -6½ and Steelers +3, and a loser on Colts -6½.
Westgate SuperContest Gold
Format: Same as the SuperContest, but with a $5,000 buy-in and the winner taking all.
Field: 87 entries.
Winner: One entry (Calabasas Wise Guy) at 57-26-2, locking up the victory with an insurmountable 6½-point lead.
Barnes’ status: Not entered.
William Hill Pro Pick’em
Format: Contestants pick 15 NFL straight-up winners (or selected totals) each week ($25 per entry). There are weekly and season-long prizes.
Field: 7,316 entries.
Season leader: One entry (no name given) at 175-77.
Weekly winners: 10 entries (no names given) went 15-0 and split $10,000 ($1,000 each).
Barnes’ status: 12-3 last week, 154-98 overall.
Golden Nugget Ultimate Football Challenge
Format: Contestants pick seven NFL and/or college games against the spread each week ($1,000 to enter).
Field: 149 entries.
Leader: One entry (Accorsi) at 72-46-1 for 72½ points, a half-point ahead of two others.
Barnes’ status: Not entered.
COMPLETED CONTESTS
Station Last Man Standing
Format: Contestants select one game against the spread each week. Entries cost $25, but the maximum $100 gets five entries. There are separate pro and college contests. Winner takes all — $150,000 in the pro contest, $100,000 in the college.
Entries: Pro — Two winners from starting 6,241 after Week 12; college — one winner out of 3,075 after Week 9.
Barnes’ status: Eliminated from pro contest in Week 5; eliminated from college in Week 3.
William Hill College Pick’em
Format: Contestants pick eight college games against the spread each week for 10 weeks ($1,000 per entry).
Field: 452 entries, but an extra $548,000 added to the prize pool to reach the $1 million guarantee.
Winners: Two entries (CastleRocker and Heatwave) tied at 51-29 and split the first prize, getting $325,000 each.
Barnes’ status: Finished 39-41, tied for 176th.
Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.