JOSHUA NORTHCUTT steps inside the sports betting temple that is the Circa Resort & Casino in downtown Las Vegas. He walks past the iconic neon figure of Vegas Vickie and into Circa's famed sportsbook, a monument to the sports betting experience with stadium-style chairs and a three-story tall screen showing the sports action of the day. Northcutt holds $1,000 cash in his hand. The 36-year-old aircraft parts lead from Cincinnati travels to the 2026 Ultimate Contest Weekend to throw his hat in the ring for a potential $20 million prize. He's processed his bankroll for the season and has already subtracted the $1,000 entry fee for Circa Survivor, hoping it is a worthy investment of his 'fun money.'

The competition attracts clientele from all walks of life. Professional poker players mingle with retired golf buddies pooling money together; a first-time player like Northcutt can share the spotlight with celebrities such as Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux and UFC president Dana White, who both entered the contest in 2025.

The premise is simple: Pick one NFL team to win outright each week (including two holiday mini-weeks) with the caveat that one team cannot be picked twice. Lose, and you're out. Survive to a perfect 20-0 record and you claim a share -- or all of -- at least a $20 million top prize. Jason Somerville, a poker pro who won the contest in 2025 as part of a team, called it 'sort of like the World Series of Poker main event.'

A total of 14,000 entries were recorded on the second day of Circa's Ultimate Contest Weekend.