Circa Sports, a recognized sports betting operator in the USA and home of one of the nation’s largest and most popular NFL Survivor Pool contests, ended with five winners splitting the grand prize and taking home $3.7 million apiece.
Fantastic Five Remain Undefeated
The 2025 Circa Sports Survivor Contest accepted a record 18,718 entries, approximately 4000 more than last year, to begin the long grind of the NFL season. The contest is simple. Pay $1000 per entry (maximum of 10 entries per person), and pick one team to win each week throughout the NFL season without the point spread.
However, two teams had to be chosen during the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas, which meant a total of 20 selections (one selection for 18 weeks + 2 additional picks during the holidays) after Week 18, signaling the end of the contest. If more than one entry is left, the prize money will be split.
High Stakes Heading Into Week 18
Entering Week 18, there were six entries remaining, outlasting more than 18,700 others, and one last gasp for millions at stake. Two entries selected the Minnesota Vikings, 16-3 winners over the Packers, while the others chose easy winners in the New England Patriots, who crushed the Dolphins, 38-10, and the Jacksonville Jaguars, who cruised to an effortless 41-7 victory over the Titans.
The last of the five had to sweat their bet with the Falcons emerging as 19-17 winners over their NFC South rivals, the New Orleans Saints. In the end, five of the six remaining entries pocketed over $3.7 million each for their 20-0 record.
Winner Spotlight and Community Impact
One of the winners, Gabe Patgorski, whose entry was titled Juicy Kewchi, provided updated results throughout the contest on the social media platform X, under the handle Survivor Atlas.
“Now that we’ve won it, I’m not going to stop sharing my advice and helping other people as we all love this contest and want to see it keep growing,” said Patgorski.
Hard Luck Loser…Again
The six remaining contestants all sat down at the Circa sportsbook in Las Vegas on Sunday to watch the regular-season finales unfold. Ironically, the lone losing entry in Week 18, PARTZ1, owned by Pete Tarsiewicz, came in second for the second consecutive year with a 19-1 record after he chose the Cincinnati Bengals, who were upset by the Cleveland Browns, 20-18.
Under his X account, @PeteTarz, he was gracious in defeat, posting the following:
“I am sad. Really wanted that blazer. Fun contest @CircaSports and special thanks to @JeffreyBenson12 and @LastMenPod the work you’ve done is much appreciated.
2nd year in a row we’ve gone 19-1 so the feeling is quite familiar. But as a seasoned vet of @ElliotRoe1 we’re on to the next.
Hope to offer some survivor related products next year, so be on the lookout for us. Good luck to everyone else and enjoy the rest of your sweats”
When asked on X if he hedged his Bengals’ bet, Tarsiewicz responded in the affirmative, although he declined to reveal the amount ostensibly wagered on the Browns.
