This Week in Gambling: Circa Looks to be Winning Race for Football Contest Money
Welcome to the gambling news weekly round-up here on PokerStrategy, where we'll highlight the big stories of the week. This week, NFL season kicks off, and the race for entries in the big handicapping and survivor contests appears to favor the incumbent, Las Vegas-based Circa Sports.
Circa Sportsbook Meets Massive Guarantee
Seattle and New England got the season started off with a defensive struggle won by the Seahawks, as backup QB Drew Lock led the team to a 13-10 victory. However, registration for the major NFL survivor and handicapping contests in the industry remains open until this weekend.
Circa Sports in Las Vegas has become the industry leader. This year, Circa posted an ambitious $20 million guarantee on its $1,000 survivor, upping the ante from $15 million the year prior. Needing 20,000 entries, the contest breezed past the number. As of September 10, Circa was nearing 23,000.
Things were slightly less rosy when it came to Circa Million, its $1,000 handicapping contest that requires players to pick five games per week against the spread. Circa Million has garnered a little more than 5,200 entries, and it needs 6,000 to meet its guarantee (the contests have zero rake). Still, the risk there appears to be pretty modest.
That's not the case with upstart rival Splash Sports. The app has a major accessibility advantage over Circa, as players can enter and play remotely. By contrast, Circa contestant need to sign up in person in Las Vegas.
Still, Splash execs are sweating. Attempting to one-up Circa, they posted a $21 million guarantee for the $1,000 Survivor World Championship. At the time of writing, about 13,400 entries have been logged. That leaves a possible multi-million-dollar overlay in play.
Some influencers on social media have begun announcing entry giveaways, suggesting Splash has begun using promotions to fill some of the gap. This one looks likely to come down to the wire, so gamblers looking for value should keep an eye on the situation if they're located in Splash-friendly jurisdictions.
Additional Gambling News
MGM Springfield's Spat With City Turns Nasty, May Resolve With Sale
MGM Resorts has been in a bit of limbo in the U.S., with rumors of a possible sale dominating the news. However, on a more micro level, one of its Northeast properties has been hit with a lawsuit by its host city.
Springfield filed suit against MGM. It charges that MGM Springfield has not met its obligations to employ 3,000 people and host a certain number of slots and table games. Mayor Domenic Sarno said the issue has dragged on for two years.
MGM is less than pleased with the development, as the company is exploring a possible sale of the property. It rebuked Springfield for its legal move and confirmed it has been negotiating with a potential buyer. Reports have mentioned Clairvest Group, which previously purchased a property in Ohio from MGM.
MGM Springfield is located about two hours outside of Boston. It operates a 16-table poker room.
Image credit: Sarah Stierch/Flickr (license)
