Circa's NFL contests break prize pool records
14 September 2026(PRESS RELEASE) -- Circa Sports has once again shattered its own record for professional football contest prize money, with its three no-rake contests combining for a final prize pool of $38,717,000 following the close of registration Saturday, 12 September.
Circa Sports entered the 2026-2027 season with a record-setting $30 million combined guarantee – the largest in contest and world history – across Circa Survivor, Circa Million VIII and the $100,000-per-entry Circa Grandissimo. At the close of registration:
- Circa Survivor finished with 25,017 entries and a $25,017,000 prize pool, the largest pool in contest history
- Circa Million VIII reached 5,790 entries with a $6,000,000 prize
- Circa Grandissimo concluded with 77 entries and a $7,700,000 prize pool, the largest pool in contest history
Altogether, the three contests attracted 30,884 entries and will award $38,717,000 throughout the 2026-2027 professional football season.
Circa Survivor will award its prize pool to the last person – or people – standing. The contest features one selection each contest week, with participants choosing a team to win straight up without using the same team twice for the duration of the season. In addition to the 18 regular-season weeks, Thanksgiving/Black Friday and Christmas Day serve as standalone contest legs.
Circa Million VIII first place winner will take home $1 million and the coveted Circa Sports blue jacket. Participants will make five picks against the spread each week, with one point awarded for each correct selection and one-half point for each push. Prize money is distributed among the season-long leaders, quarterly winners and booby prize finishers, giving entrants multiple opportunities to cash throughout the season.
Circa Grandissimo raised the stakes with a $100,000 entry fee, establishing itself as one of the highest-stakes professional football contests ever offered. After reaching its 40-entry guarantee ahead of the registration deadline, every additional $100,000 entry was added directly to the prize pool.
Last year, five winners of Circa Survivor, who all went 20-0 during the 2025-2026 season, took home the largest prize pot in history of $18,718,000, with each winning entry receiving $3,743,600. $6.9 million was split between Circa Grandissimo winners and $1 million was prized to the Circa Million VII winner.