Pro football betting contests appeal to wide range of bettors

By Case Keefer (contact)

Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

Think you can beat Las Vegas bookmakers? This could be the year to prove it — literally.

As part of Lucky’s Race and Sports Books’ Progressive Carryover Pro Football Contest, one winner per week will get to face off against sports book director and veteran bookmaker Jimmy Vaccaro in a $1,000 contest.

Lucky’s, which operates the sports books at Terrible’s and The Plaza, will hold a weekly contest for $5 where bettors are asked to pick the winners of all 16 NFL games with no spread. Pick all 16 correctly and win at least a share of the minimum $10,000 prize pool and a shot at Vaccaro the next week.

“We’re not keeping any of the money,” Vaccaro said. “Someone will be chosen every week to go against me in a freeroll.”

It’s one of many opportunities available to football enthusiasts in Las Vegas this time of year. Football betting contests have become a major draw for sports books. There are contests for everyone.

Entry fees range from free to $100,000. Bettors could win thousands of dollars or even a new home or car.

“One of the reasons contests are everywhere is the always increasing popularity of football itself,” said Bob Scucci, director of Boyd Gaming’s race and sports books. “People can’t wait until football begins. That chance of winning big money with small to no entry fees is a big deal.”

Boyd runs one of the city’s most successful and longest-running contests, Pick The Pros, which offers $30,000 in weekly prizes with no entry fee.

“It gives you a rooting interest in the games, which is great to have” Scucci said. “When we went to the free contest, everyone realized it’s tough to beat free.”

The M Resort will hold a free contest this year, guaranteeing $9,000 in weekly prizes. The M also unveiled plans to hold Las Vegas’ most high profile contest, a $100,000-entry contest that should attract only the best sports bettors in the world. The winner of that one will take home 70 percent of the prize pool, while second earns 20 percent and third takes 10 percent.

Other higher stakes contests include the $1,500 Las Vegas Hilton Supercontest, which professional Steve Fezzik has won two years in a row for a total of more than $400,000, and the $2,500 Friendly Frank’s Pro Championship Challenge at the South Point.

“(Contests) are a great way to reach out to your regulars,” Vaccaro said. “You’ve got to make the prize fair and give people a fair chance of winning a decent amount of money.”

Vaccaro remembers when football betting contests first hit the scene some 30 years ago and the biggest ones would attract 1,000 participants. Now, it’s not unlikely for a contest to surpass 20,000 entries.

Below is a list of many of the Las Vegas football contests with links providing more information.

Boyd Gaming- Pick The Pros features bettors picking every game and guarantees a weekly first place prize of $10,000.

Las Vegas Hilton-The Supercontest, where bettors pick five NFL games against the spread each week, is still considered the most prestigious in town and drew 328 entrants last year.

Leroy’s- The 2010 Pro Challenge is $250 and asks bettors to pick five games against the spread per week.

Lucky’s-The Progressive Carryover Pro Football Contest is the only one of its kind, in that its actually a pool and only a perfect record wins the progressive jackpot.

The M-The M’s free weekly contest will pay $5,000 to first, $2,500 to second and $1,500 to third.

The Palms-The Pigskin Payoff Football Contest promises $30,000 in prizes. Entries are $25 and participants can get three for free after purchasing three.

South Point-Friendly Frank’s Pro Championship Challenge will pay four places, with fourth guaranteed at least $25,000 and first getting at least $100,000.

Station Casinos- The $1,400,000 Great Giveaway is back, which includes numerous prizes both weekly and for the season. An entry is $25, but purchase two and receive a third for free. Bettors must pick all games without the spread.

Wynn-For the first time, the Wynn is offering a $100 survivor contest with $100,000 guaranteed to the winner. Similar survivor contests, where bettors must pick one winner per week, are offered at Stations and Leroy’s.

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or case.keefer@lasvegassun.com. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.