NFL Handicapping – Competing in Football Contests

Competing in Football Contests – College and Pro Football

We’re having a strong college and pro football season, and this past Saturday my clients and members were rewarded with a 9-2 Saturday in college football. In addition to our weekly point spread prognosis in college and pro football, I compete in a number of football contests including some by invitation. These contests have modest entry fees up to $300 with the SuperContest entry $1,500.  The contests have various formats, and here are some of the details. I’m currently among the leaders in all contests with a shot for a payday down the stretch.

For the 7th season I was invited to the Wise Guys Football contest sponsored by Playbook.com. This is an 18-week contest featuring 64 recognized handicappers. You may subscribe to this excellent newsletter where you also receive some of the contest leaders selections each week. Contestants select two (2) college and/or pro games each week submitted on Monday for the upcoming weeks games. Pro totals are allowed. One play is designated a Best Bet worth 2-points and the other play is worth 1-point.

This year I’m in 3rd place through 11 weeks and I’ve hit 7-straight best bets and 9-2 on those plays overall. Handicapping early week against the spread (ATS) lines on Monday is different than late week when injury information is more accurate and we’ve had a chance to do more statistical evaluation.

I won this contest in 2010 with a record of 22-13-1 ATS including 14-3 on Best Bets. I’ve also had numerous top-10 finishes, and the top-4 finishers receive prize money with a first place prize of $4,000 and additional payouts for best bets.

Another contest I’m invited to is by Nelly’s sportsline, which is also two selections each week submitted Thursday against the USA Today lines posted Friday. This ‘Eliminator’ contest has up to 24 handicappers each year with top-2 paid up and a $2,000 first place prize. I’m one of 3 remaining with back-back 2-0 weeks to stay alive and I’ll need another this week to have a shot at the cash. Two (2) selections each week with a best bet worth 2-points, and if you lose a play, you are deducted one or two points. Once you reach 10 points you’re eliminated.

Another contest I was invited to this year is on CBS Sportsline set up by a friend of mine. The contest has year end cash prizes but also weekly payouts up to $600. This contest involves more handicapping as you select 14 games each week against the spread (ATS). All the games on the pro card are available along with up to 20 college games. I’ve been in the top-5 since winning week 1 and currently sit in second place one point out of the lead with over 60 contestants. Year to date I’m hitting nearly 58% ATS on 140 plays with just one losing week going 6-8.

Finally, I compete in the NFL SuperContest in Las Vegas with a betting partner and we’ve been in the Top-50 from week 1 when we started 5-0. There is a record 1,727 entries in this year’s 18-week contest, and you select 5-games each week against the Las Vegas SuperBook lines posted each Wednesday. We were tied for 6th place entering week 11 but just our third losing week has dropped us from the top 10. I’ve discussed this contest in other articles with its top-heavy structure paying first place over $900,000 and less than 3% of all entires getting paid (top-50). Last year I finished 51-34 (60%) and top-80 out over 1,400 entries with a 17-3 ATS finish. If I can pull off a similar hot streak to close this year’s contest I’ll be making a run for the top prize.