On Friday nights in the fall for more than a decade, bettors have been packing a smoky little Sportsbook on the Strip to see two contestants go head-to-head in a $10,000 winner-takes-all contest. The contestants’ names were lit up outside on the marquee, adding an element of prestige to being part of the Stardust Invitational.
The competition concluded after the 2005 season — Stardust closed November 1, 2006 and its two hotel towers imploded in March 2007 — and has been lost.
So it’s time to bring back memories of an old friend. In a nod to the Stardust Invitational, Circa owner Derek Stevens is putting his money and 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 contestants in a category, each week all contestants participate in a season-long competition, unlike the Stardust format which had only two contestants per week in a head-to-head elimination duel. Stevens boosted the prize money to $25,000.
The 16-character winner field is officially set. Below are the competition details:
Sixteen handicapped athletes—no entry fee—compete in a season-long competition with $25,000 in prizes.
When: Friday 9 September to Friday 6 January 2023 (18 weeks)
where: VSIN Studio at Circa Sportsbook
Competition plays: Five plays, college and NFL sides, and totals (no props, team totals, halftime plays etc.) with one designated as best bet (BB).
positions
Graded week picks 11
(Updated to Week 11, November 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 U48 West Kentucky – Auburn U52L Oklahoma State – Oklahoma OVER 66.5L Mississippi – Arkansas OVER 65W (BB) NC State – Louisville U45W Score (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 Scoring(s): 25-30 (25) Best Bets: 5-6 (5)
Valika Chris “Bear”
Texas-San Antonio -13.5W UCLA +2.5L Vanderbilt +14W Marshall -4.5W (BB) Baylor +2.5W Scoring (points): 33-22 (33) Best bets: 8-3 (8)
X-STEVE FEZZIK (second eliminated)
Record (in points): 21-28-1 (21.5) Best bets: 6-3-1 (6.5)
Joy “Melody” Fortuna
Cincinnati-Temple Under 51 W Mississippi-Arkansas Over 65 W Colts +7 W Blacks +3 W (BB) Raiders +3 W Scoring (Points): 30-25 (30) Best Bets: 5-6 (5)
Doug Kizirian
Michigan State -10.5L W Kentucky +5.5L Houston +6W Arkansas +2.5W (BB) UNLV -11.5L Record (Points): 34-20-1 (34.5) Best Bets: 6-4-1 (6.5)
Mark Lawrence
Illinois +17.5 W UCLA +2.5 L Arkansas +2.5 W Vikings +1.5 L (BB) Baylor +2.5 W Record (in points): 28-25-2 (29) Best bets: 7-4 (7)
Randy McKay
Fresno State – Nevada over 54W Hawaii +11.5W +7W Eagles Colts under 46W (BB) Oklahoma State – Oklahoma over 66.5L Standard (in points): 30-23-2 (31) Best bets: 7-4 (7)
X-MIKE NORTH (Eliminated for the first time)
Scoring (in points): 16-26-3 (17.5) Best bets: 3-6 (3)
X-ERIN RYNNING (THIRD DISPOSAL)
Mississippi – Arkansas over 65 liters Oklahoma State – Oklahoma over 66.5 liters Colts +7 watts Bengals Steelers under 40.5 liters (BB) Cowboys – Vikings over 47.5 liters Record (points): 24-30-1 (24.5) better 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 Scoring(s): 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 57.5L Colts +7 W Commanders -3 W Steelers +4 L (BB) Falcons -3 P Record (in points): 29-23-3 (30.5) Best bets: 6-3-2 (7 )
Zeniac Crisis
Jets +3.5l Lions +3s Bears +3 Forwards +3s (BB) Bills -7.5w Scoring(s): 25-28-2 (26) Best Bets: 4-7 (4)
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Mike Palm
Illinois +17.5 W USC -2.5 W Commanders -3 W Giants -3 L (BB) Jets-Patriots <37.5 W Scoring(s): 30-23-2 (31) Best Bets: 7-4 (7) Yeoman died
Northwest +18 West Kansas +9 L UCLA +2.5 L Hawaii +11.5 W (BB) Jets +3.5 L Scoring (points): 30-24-1 (30.5) Best bets: 7-4 (7)