Inside Gaming: More Circa Survivor carnage as upsets KO $10.3M in entries

More contention carnage. An upset‑filled NFL Week 2 threw the Circa Survivor competition into chaos, wiping out a significant portion of the field vying for the $25.017 cardinal prize. Just days after the Los Angeles Chargers knocked out roughly one‑third of the 25,017 entries, another 8,253 tickets were eliminated on Sunday when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6,061 picks), Chargers (1,357) and Baltimore Ravens (835) all suffered upset losses. That left 8,464 entries—33.8 percent of the original field—alive for Monday Night Football, a slate that drew 146 selections on the Los Angeles Rams. Remarkably, 42 participants who had paid $1,000 each failed to register a winning pick in Week 2. All 49 remaining contestants who had staked $100,000 apiece for the Circa Grandissimo high‑stakes Survivor pool submitted their selections, yet 19 were ousted—14 by the Buccaneers, four by the Ravens and one by the Chargers. The combined eliminations across both contests exceeded $10 million in entry fees for the second straight week to open the season. Tampa Bay bettors endured a two‑hour, twelve‑minute delay caused by lightning before seeing their 8½‑point favorite lose 23‑19 to the Cleveland Browns. Baltimore, also favored by 8½, surrendered a 17‑point fourth‑quarter lead and fell 24‑17 to the New Orleans Saints, who clinched the game with a tiebreaking touchdown on Tyler Shough’s fourth‑down sneak with 1:28 left. Las Vegas Raiders shocked the Chargers 26‑14 as 6½‑point underdogs, thanks to three touchdown passes from Kirk Cousins. Survivor awards its pool to the last entrant (or group) standing. Five entries posted a flawless 20‑0 record and split the $18.7 cardinal jackpot, receiving $3.74 cardinal each. In the Survivor format, contestants choose one NFL winner per week, with no point spreads, and may use each team only once. The competition runs through the 18‑week NFL regular season and includes two bye weeks. Prediction markets Analysts contend that the 2026 football season—for both collegiate play and the National Football League—will provide the clearest indication yet of how prediction markets are influencing regulated sports wagering. Casino.org, an independent online gaming authority, reported that prediction markets logged more than $5 billion in trading volume during the opening NFL weekend, marking their two busiest days ever. The American Gaming Association projects that sports betting this year will stall for the first time since 2018. At the same time, New York’s sports betting handle dropped 15.3 percent in August, while New Jersey’s handle is down roughly 4 percent through July. Nevada’s August sports betting handle is slated for release next week. Labeling sports prediction markets “backdoor sports betting,” AGA President and CEO Bill Miller warned that the platforms overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are “dangerously misleading … by selling sports wagers as an investment.” Survivor elimination bonus Boomer’s Sportsbook is offering a $50 bonus stake to any bettor eliminated from Circa Survivor. To qualify, a player must show proof of elimination; Boomer’s will then credit them with a $50 bonus bet. Email knockout proof to to claim the bonus. Limit one per customer. August heats up in Atlantic City casinos Atlantic City’s total gaming revenue fell 3 percent year‑over‑year to approximately $532 million in August, as a record‑setting 2025 benchmark and calendar differences affected results. Brick‑and‑mortar casino revenue improved in nine of the past ten years but failed to match August 2025’s peak, while net gaming—the sole segment posting year‑over‑year growth—recorded its lowest monthly gross gaming revenue since February, according to figures released by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement. Atlantic City’s sports‑betting gross gaming revenue also remains below last year’s pace. Through August, operators’ sports wagering GGR was down about $11 million, or 2.8 percent, compared with the same period in 2025. Stockton University gaming researcher Brian Tyrrell suggested that prediction‑market trading of sports contracts may be a factor. Despite the August decline, 2026 remains up year‑to‑date, with brick‑and‑mortar casino revenue exceeding $2 billion and total gaming revenue topping $4.5 billion. Tyrrell cautioned that GGR is becoming a less reliable gauge of industry profitability because of variations in operators’ expenses, business models, revenue‑sharing agreements and promotional spending.