Event Resumes: Edel to Protect Circa's Friday Football Tournament on Coming Friday
The Circa Friday Football Invitational (CFFI) is set to return for its latest edition, a high-stakes NFL handicapping contest held annually in Las Vegas at Circa Las Vegas. Hosted by Circa Sports, the contest attracts top professional bettors and media personalities, with a no-rake, innovatively structured format and guaranteed payouts designed to encourage high participation and competitive betting environments [1].
The contest's format revolves around handicapping NFL games, though the exact rules of pick submission, scoring, or rounds are not fully described. It is best known as a handicapping contest separate from Circa's other major football contests such as the Circa Survivor and Circa Million [3][5].
Qualifying for the CFFI is partly automatic, with several top players being automatic qualifiers each year, while others are announced or invited leading up to the contest [1]. This year, seven automatic qualifiers include Chuck Edel, Jeff Petch, Chris Fallica, Alex White, Chris Macero, and Weston Stradtman [6].
Contestants will submit seven plays - college and NFL sides and totals - using the Circa Sports lines posted at 10 a.m. PT each Friday [7]. Plays will be graded as one point for a win, with a Best Bet winner worth 1.5 points, and a half-point for a push. If a game is canceled or postponed, it's graded to be worth a half-point; all games, including any postponed games, must be played by the following Thursday [7].
The contest features a survivor element, with two contestants with the lowest point totals being cut at the conclusion of Week 9 of the NFL schedule [8]. The same elimination process continues each week for the following seven weeks through Week 16 of the NFL schedule. At the conclusion of Week 16, the three contestants with the lowest point totals will be cut [8].
In case of ties, the Best Bet (BB) point total will be used as a tiebreaker [9]. If there is a tie for last place in any elimination week, the BB point total for the two or more contestants will be used as a tiebreaker to cut one contestant. If there still is a tie, the most recent week's Best Bet (BB) result will be the tiebreaker, and that process of grading Best Bets continues in reverse order until the tie is broken [9].
The CFFI offers a total of $30,000 in prizes, with $15,000 for the winner, $8,000 for second place, $4,000 for third place, $2,000 for fourth place, and $1,000 for fifth place [4]. The contest begins on Friday, September 5, 2025, and continues each Friday through January 16, 2026, for a total of 20 weeks [2].
Derek Stevens, owner of Circa, values the Friday football contest because it allows bettors across the country to see what sharp bettors are doing over the next 48 hours [10]. The CFFI is a VSIN-produced event, featuring a comprehensive format that includes the college football and NFL schedules and is designed to crown the season's most successful all-around handicapper [11].
Chuck Edel, the 2024 champion, won the contest with a record of 79-44-3 against the spread [3]. Drew Bridges, a retired California lawyer living in Boise, Idaho, won the VSIN.com "Average Joe" contest in 2024 with a record of 75-49-2 against the spread [3].
References: 1. Circa Friday Football Invitational History 2. Circa Friday Football Invitational Schedule 3. Chuck Edel Wins Circa Friday Football Invitational 4. Circa Friday Football Invitational Prizes 5. Circa Survivor Rules 6. Circa Friday Football Invitational Qualifiers 7. Circa Friday Football Invitational Rules 8. Circa Friday Football Invitational Elimination 9. Circa Friday Football Invitational Tiebreakers 10. Derek Stevens on Circa Friday Football Invitational 11. VSIN-produced Circa Friday Football Invitational
- The Circa Friday Football Invitational (CFFI) also includes college football games in addition to NFL games, offering a comprehensive sports betting experience for participants.
- For those interested in live betting, the CFFI allows contestants to submit their plays using Circa Sports lines posted each Friday, making it possible to place bets based on the latest odds available.
- The CFFI is more than just a football handicapping contest as it incorporates a sports betting element, attracting not only professional bettors but also media personalities and average Joe betting enthusiasts.
