Chargers Create Circa Survivor Chaos With Nearly a Third of Contest Entrants Eliminated
NFL Week 1 was costly for more than 8,000 entrants in the Circa Survivor contest in Las Vegas after the Los Angeles Chargers were upset by the Arizona Cardinals.
The Chargers were favored by 8.5 points over the Cardinals, making them the biggest favorite of the week, along with the Jaguars. Los Angeles was the second-most-selected team, with 7,585 entries. The Chargers spit the bit against the Cardinals, losing 26-14 in a game where the favorite never led. Conversely, Jacksonville easily helped its 8,127 entries advance with a 34-10 rout of the Browns.
All totaled, 8,039 entries were eliminated:
- 213 were knocked out when the Titans lost to the Jets
- 81 entries fell by wayside when the Cowboys lost to the Giants on Sunday night
- 18 contest entrants failed to submit a pick for Week 1, effectively burning their $1,000 entry fee
No other team with 50+ entries lost in Week 1, but the Lions made their backers sweat after eking out a 31-30 win over the Saints in overtime. A total of 16,978 entries remain in the quest to win the top prize of $25,017,000.
Circa’s high-roller Grandissimo contest, which has a $100,000 entry fee, saw the Chargers eliminate 28 of 77 entries (36.4% of the field). Those were the only entries to lose, and 49 remain in the race for the $7.7 million payout.
Circa Sports Vice President Mike Palm noted that the combined $10.3 million in entry fees lost on the Chargers in Circa Survivor and Circa Grandissimo was the most ever lost on a single team in a given week.
Looking Ahead to Week 2 Top Survivor Selections
The 49ers enter Week 2 as the biggest favorite, laying 12.5 points to the Dolphins. This is one of the most favorable games on San Francisco’s schedule, and it comes at home at Levi’s Stadium. At -950 on the moneyline, the 49ers have a 90.5% implied probability of winning outright.
One approach to Survivor pools is locking in on a bad team to lose each week. We’ve only got a one-week sample size, but Miami qualifies as bad after losing by two touchdowns to the lowly Raiders.
The Ravens are another intriguing option in Week 2. Coming off a 41-23 road win over Indianapolis, the Ravens are favored by 8.5 points over the Saints. But New Orleans looked sporty against the Lions in Week 1 as a 6.5- to 7-point dog on the road.
Tampa Bay is also laying 8.5 points to Cleveland, which looked horrid in its opener under the direction of QB Deshaun Watson. Jacksonville steamrolled Cleveland, 34-10. The Bucs came back valiantly in their opener against the Bengals, but lost 33-27 on the road.
In terms of future value, the 49ers will face the Cardinals in Week 3. The look-ahead line has San Francisco favored by 11.5. The 49ers also get the Cardinals in their season finale, so we’re rolling with Tampa Bay in Week 2.
Pick: Buccaneers over Browns
Gambling Insider delivers the latest industry news, in-depth features, and operator reviews that you can trust. Our team combines rigorous editorial standards with decades of specialized expertise to ensure accuracy and fairness. We are committed to delivering clear, impartial, and dependable coverage across the global gambling sector.
