NFL’s Week 18 turned eight Circa Survivor contestants into millionaires, with each taking home $1.78 million. These winners were all that remained from the 14,266 entries in the season-long contest.
Eighteen participants were still in the running for the $14.26 million prize pool heading into the final week of the regular season.
Dramatic Wins and Narrow Losses
Five оf the eight winners relied оn a dramatic Tampa Bay Buccaneers victory. The team was down 16-6 at halftime but rallied tо win 27-19. In the final seconds, the Saints had possession іn Tampa territory with a chance tо tie the game, but the Buccaneers secured a defensive stop.
Two other contestants, who chose the Indianapolis Colts, watched another close game as the Colts won 26-23 іn overtime against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jonathan Taylor’s 177 rushing yards, including a 33-yard run that set up a game-winning field goal, proved decisive.
In the afternoon games, the Arizona Cardinals defeated the San Francisco 49ers 47-24, easily securing a win for another participant.
Nearly half оf the remaining entries, 44%, were eliminated when the Atlanta Falcons lost 44-38 іn overtime tо the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons needed a win and a Buccaneers loss tо claim the division, but Tampa’s earlier victory and their own overtime defeat ended their chances.
Two other entries were eliminated when the Chicago Bears kicked a late field goal tо edge the Green Bay Packers 24-22. The Packers struggled after key players were injured during the game, and Chicago secured its first win against their rival іn 12 games.
There was discussion among the final 18 contestants about splitting the prize pool before the final week, but nо agreement was reached.
Record-Breaking Year
This season had the most $1,000 entries since Circa Sports launched the contest in 2020. Participants had to pick one NFL team to win each week, with additional picks required on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Teams could not be used more than once, and the eight winners achieved 20 consecutive outright victories.
The contest began with major upsets, including losses by the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, which eliminated large portions of entries in the first two weeks. By Week 5, only 1.5% of entries remained, the lowest percentage ever heading into Week 6.
The first year of the contest had 35 winners, followed by five in 2021, two in 2022, and four in 2023. This year’s challenging start and record field size made the eight winners a reflection of the unpredictable NFL season.
The contest has grown by $5 million in entry fees annually, and Circa expects participation to increase again next year, with a guaranteed prize pool exceeding $20 million.
