Circa Friday Football Invitational

mrbowling300

EOG Dedicated
The buzz from Las Vegas



The Circa sportsbook in downtown Las Vegas was bustling with big bet energy on the eve of the first full college football Saturday.



Since I am living at Circa (long story), I took a brief break from answering customer emails and writing this email to watch the debut of Matt Youmans’ new show, Saturday Bet Prep (9 p.m.-midnight PT). Matt and Circa owner Derek Stevens kicked it off by announcing the Circa Friday Football Invitational, a 16-handicapper competition that pays homage to the old Stardust Invitation and will play out every Friday night with $25,000 from Derek on the line. We definitely started our new weekend lineup with a bang. Check out Matt's debut show.



While hanging around the bar with my 7th double espresso of the day, I observed how one sports bettor sitting next to Derek reacted during the TCU-Colorado game – the guy had $100K on TCU at -13.5 and another $100K on TCU -5 for the second half. It was 7-6 TCU at the half, but the Horned Frogs pulled away to a 38-13 victory. (If you are wondering, Derek takes his big wins and losses the same — with a Captain and Diet Coke.)



But the game of the night for me was Virginia Tech-Old Dominion. VSiN’s Steve Makinen identified it as a wagering opportunity with his stability mismatch betting system, featured in yesterday’s email. Thanks to a 20-17 upset by Old Dominion, Steve’s system is now 5-0 to start the season. Read what he has to say about today’s games.
 

mrbowling300

EOG Dedicated
I used love attending the Stardust Invitational show hosted by JK. I always tuned in from home to listen as well. JK ran a solid show, and thought it was great he would call out certain people in the audience and recognize they were there. I hope the Circa reboot version is just as good, but without JK as host, it will be missing a key ingredient to the show.
 

John Kelly

Born Gambler
Staff member
The format fits the football season perfectly.

Sixteen handicappers over 15 weeks in a single-elimination, winner-take-all bracket.

Will be fun to follow.
 

winkyduck

TYVM Morgan William!!!
I used love attending the Stardust Invitational show hosted by JK. I always tuned in from home to listen as well. JK ran a solid show, and thought it was great he would call out certain people in the audience and recognize they were there. I hope the Circa reboot version is just as good, but without JK as host, it will be missing a key ingredient to the show.

LOOOOOOOVED that show. Don't leave out Gene Harvey (got the last name right - right?) who was the technical wiz for the show and for all Lee Pete did. The show was informative - sometimes too much like when Scamdicapper/Loser Wayne Root was on he ALWAYS took time to promote (his now EX) wife's peanut butter, saying how it was all-natural and other bullshit like that. The show was good but sometimes there were people in it who had no business being in it. JImmy Walker (YES - THAT ONE) took part in it one year and really embarrassed himself.

The most "entertaining" part of the show was when about 9:58 hit. The show ended and JK dashed as fast as he could out of the place and across the street to The Riviera (back when you could do that - before they put up a fence in the median) so he could host a 10P show at that hotel.

The part I like most about Circa's contest is that after 8 or 9 weeks, they cut the person with the worst record. Then the same the next week and so on so that the last week of the season there are only 8 left. I like that idea.

The bad part about the Stardust Line was the H2H format - sorta. One week you could have someone advance with a 2-5 record yet the next week someone could go 5-2 and be eliminated.
 

ComptrBob

EOG Master
First 12 contestants to be named (4 remaining, per Matt Youmans, VSiN):
Chris Fallica
Doug Kezirian
Chuck Edel
Randy McKay
Adam Hill
Mike North
James Salinas
Paul Stone
Dan Saley
Erin Rynning
Las Vegas Cris
Bobby Bucket Brubeck
 
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mrbowling300

EOG Dedicated
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sharky99

EOG Dedicated
I think Scott Kellen should be in there, he finished in the top 30 of the Supercontest 3 years in a row and won back to back Golden Nugget contests & periodically has put together decent full NFL years
 

Heim

EOG Master
I think Scott Kellen should be in there, he finished in the top 30 of the Supercontest 3 years in a row and won back to back Golden Nugget contests & periodically has put together decent full NFL years


You're accurate in your assessment. The rumor is Fezzik used a lot of his service picks (Sixth Sense) to gain B2B titles.
 

sharky99

EOG Dedicated
Yes your probably right, Scott had strong years back then I recall, I'm confident they still share information. Smart to share info in this world
 

ComptrBob

EOG Master
Possibilities for the final 4:

Go with more ESPN, top of the list Anita Marks, super good fade and another, Joe Fortenbaugh. Funny Stanford Steve and SVP as a real wild card. Definite benefit of this choice is causing Winky to have a heart attack.

Or go with an old-timers lineup: Jimmy Vaccaro, Kenny White, Fezzik, and Teddy Covers.

Or some of JK's favorites: Big Al McMordie, Wayne Root, Richard Witt, and Dave Cokin. :)

Or the come back from the grave group, walking dead: Ken Weitzner, Dave Malinsky, Mike Lee and Russ Culver. (Dink on the alternate list)
 

Heim

EOG Master
Scratch Cokin. I heard him last night with Youmans. He's not doing contests again. He says he got complaints from paying customers about giving away service picks for free.

Not fair he said. And we know Feist guys are all about fairness.


P.S. I would love to see Fezzik try to beat fresh numbers, not releases in May.
 

texaswizzard

EOG Dedicated
How about coming back from the grave? Meatman

Chris Fallica is for sure the "dead money" bet of the group.

Anita Marks is the best fade going right now and it's not even close. Whenever I see her stuff posted she losses. I mean like 1-3, 1-4 or 0-5 bad.
 

MrTop

EOG Master
I think Scott Kellen should be in there, he finished in the top 30 of the Supercontest 3 years in a row and won back to back Golden Nugget contests & periodically has put together decent full NFL years



i think he is very good. I had his service in 2012 the year he went -23 units. I gave him bad luck,

he just about wins every year.
 

ComptrBob

EOG Master
Or go with an old-timers lineup: Jimmy Vaccaro, Kenny White, Fezzik, and Teddy Covers.

I was somewhat close here, 3 former Stardust Invitational and/or Leroy's Money Talks contestants:

Fezzik (SI 36-32-2, MT 33-26-4), Marc Lawrence (SI 17-17-1, MT 24-23-2), Jeff Whitelaw (MT 5-8-1) plus Brian Edwards.
 
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boston massacre

EOG Master
I used love attending the Stardust Invitational show hosted by JK. I always tuned in from home to listen as well. JK ran a solid show, and thought it was great he would call out certain people in the audience and recognize they were there. I hope the Circa reboot version is just as good, but without JK as host, it will be missing a key ingredient to the show.


The Stardust Invitational Use To Fill Up The Sportsbook On Friday Nights.

It Was Standing Room Only.

Every Friday Night.

The Wrecking Ball Knocked Out The Contest.

You Would Think That Somebody Was Knowledgeable Of That Fact, And Would Have Decided To Grab The Torch, and Keep The Ball Rolling.

A Sharp Minded Businessman Would Have Understood That.

But Everybody Is Asleep At The Wheel.

It Reminds Of Americans Going To The Polls and Voting For A Democrat ! ( WHY ? )

Derek Stevens Seems Like The Only Guy That Comprehends The Situation.

The Action Taken At The Sportsbook Was Also Non Stop On Friday Nights.
 

Heim

EOG Master
Brian Edwards, Marc Lawrence and Chris Fallica are dead money.

Lawerence is a great listen with those short sample trends.

He had a show on radio a long time ago on Friday nights.
He made you feel you were going to beat 'the man'
 

ComptrBob

EOG Master
Interesting rematch of the 2005 last Stardust Invitational, Lawrence beat Fezzik in the Finals. Both went 4-3 with a BB winner. Lawrence won with his 2nd BB.

That year Fezzik had a rare 7-0 in the semifinals against Andy Iskoe.
 

railbird

EOG Master
How about coming back from the grave? Meatman

Chris Fallica is for sure the "dead money" bet of the group.

Anita Marks is the best fade going right now and it's not even close. Whenever I see her stuff posted she losses. I mean like 1-3, 1-4 or 0-5 bad.
meatman was a better handicapper than dink, shrink or the guesser. dead posters for 1000 Alex. meatman beat me going 7-0 to my 6-1 on a friday night contest
 

ComptrBob

EOG Master
For discussion, my first cut at making odds to win the Circa Friday Football Invitational Contest:

Contestants Odds/1

Chris Fallica 20.0
Doug Kezirian 28.6
Chuck Edel 20.0
Randy McKay 11.8
Adam Hill 25.0
Mike North 28.6
James Salinas 11.1
Paul Stone 9.5
Dan Saley 25.0
Erin Rynning 11.8
Las Vegas Cris 11.1
Bobby Bucket Brubeck 33.3
Fezzik 10.0
Bryan Edwards 33.3
Jeff Whitelaw 11.8
Mark Lawrence 20.0
 
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railbird

EOG Master
stone is a real handicapper, fez more of a info thief, no way a 2nd fav, he is a stale line specialist, fallica better than fez also. im better than all in my view. for value i like hill and stayley at 25-1 dont know either of them
 

railbird

EOG Master
meatman was a better handicapper than dink, shrink or the guesser. dead posters for 1000 Alex. meatman beat me going 7-0 to my 6-1 on a friday night contest
know meatman was uncouth, but where sin abounds grace abounds all the more. maybe he is in heaven as he was a believer.
 

ComptrBob

EOG Master
Fezz the 2 seed behind Paul Stone is very interesting….

A really tight grouping of 7 contest "pros": Paul, Fezzik, Erin, LV Cris, Salinas, Whitelaw, and McKay. Had to downgrade the media guys and guys I never heard of.

Note the theoretical hold on the odds is zero. If actually taking bets, I would make it at least 30% hold.
 

Woodrow Wilson

EOG Dedicated
Ok I remember that now. Thanks CB. Last I heard or read about FB, he moved to St. George, Utah. I know he still enters all the meaningful Vegas contests tho.

I remember JK and others speaking and posting about Jeff Whitelaw, but haven't for several years.
 

ComptrBob

EOG Master
Ok I remember that now. Thanks CB. Last I heard or read about FB, he moved to St. George, Utah. I know he still enters all the meaningful Vegas contests tho.

I remember JK and others speaking and posting about Jeff Whitelaw, but haven't for several years.

This summer Frank was in Barcelona, Spain, then headed for Vegas to handle some of Mattress Mack's bets, last I heard he might make Tahoe later in September.

Whitelaw did well in the 2011 EOG Invitational from years ago, beat Dink in the 1st round, lost to Irish Tim in the 2nd. Overall, 10-4-0. Contest was won by WVU
 
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