If you think you have what it takes to go against the smartest football minds in the betting business, then these NFL survivor pool contests could be for you. There are millions on the line with steep registration fees. Football survival pools have become one of the more popular full-season betting contests offered at some of the most influential sportsbooks in the business. Just pick a winning team every week, and you could be a Circa or DraftKings Survivor champion.
Comparing 2024 NFL survivor contests
| Contest | Entry fee | Entries allowed | Top prize | In-person registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covers $10K Pro Football Survivor | Free | 1 | $10,000 | No. Enter Online. |
| BetMGM Football Survival Pool | Free | 1 | $100,000 | No Enter Online. |
| Circa Survivor | $1,000 | 10 | $10 million | Las Vegas |
| DraftKings Survivor | $100 | 150 | $1.5 Million | No. Enter online. |
Covers $10K Pro Football Survivor
- Entry Fee: FREE
- Grand Prize: $10K
- Entries: 1
- Who Gets Paid: Last Contestant(s) Standing
- Rake: None
- Who Can Play: Anyone
- Deadline to Enter: Sundays at 12:59 p.m. ET
Join the Covers $10K Pro Football Survivor contest to test your endurance this NFL season. It's free to enter this brand-new competition, and there is a guaranteed grand prize up for grabs. Participants just need to pick a winning team each week. If you don't make the cut early on, you can enter a $2,500 "second chance" mini-game starting Week 8. If you survive until Week 12, you'll automatically get a spot in an exclusive private playoff contest. Rise to the challenge and sign up now before the Week 1 deadline kicks in at 8:20 p.m. ET on Thursday, September 5.
BetMGM Football Survivor Pool Challenge
- Entry Fee: Free
- Grand Prize: $100,000 for First Place
- Entries: 1
- Who Gets Paid: Last Contestant(s) Standing
- Rake: None
- Who Can Play: Anyone (must register for a BetMGM SPortsbook account)
- Deadline to Enter: Sept. 11, 2024, at 8:15 p.m. ET
BetMGM is offering a free-entry Survivor Challenge this football season with a $100,000 grand prize. The challenge, presented by Buffalo Wild Wings, is open to all new and existing sportsbook users. Participants need to register or log in to their BetMGM account and then pick a winning team each week, without repeating team choices. If you make it to Week 18 as the last entrant, you win the $100,000. In case of multiple winners, the prize is split equally. Get your account before the final Week 1 game at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 11, to join the challenge.
Additionally, if you sign up for your new account today, you can get a First Bet worth up to $1,500 in bonus bets back if it loses.
CVRBONUS1500
2024 Circa Survivor Pro Football Contest
- Entry Fee: $1,000
- Grand Prize: $10 Million for First Place
- Entries: 10
- Who Gets Paid: Last Contestant(s) Standing
- Rake: None
- Who Can Play: Anyone (must register in person in Las Vegas)
- Deadline to Enter: Sept. 7, 2024, at 2 p.m. PT
Circa knows what it’s doing when it comes to NFL contests. The Circa Survivor Pro Football Contest’s top prize is $10 million. The popular contest comes with a $1,000 entry capped at 10 entries and is a winner-take-all format in 2024.
The Biggest Football Contests are back!!
— Derek Stevens (@DerekJStevens) May 23, 2024
$16 Million Guaranteed!!
Sign-ups begin tomorrow at 9AM. For more info, visit https://t.co/JUwLKLLuiD#CircaSportsMillion VI#CircaSurvivor #Vegas pic.twitter.com/PXSulN0McG
This year, the Circa Survivor contest marks its fifth anniversary this year and it has come a long way since the 2020 season. The inaugural contest had 1,390 entrants, with 35 teams going a perfect 18-0 SU and splitting a $2.39 million pot.
Signing up for the contest is slightly trickier, however. Participants must register in person at the Circa Resort & Casino, the D Las Vegas, Tuscany Suites & Casino, Silverton Casino Lodge, the Pass at Water Street in Southern Nevada, or Legends Bay Casino in Northern Nevada. Contestants can then make weekly picks at a Circa kiosk, the casino, or on the Circa app. Contestants outside Vegas who have already registered can send their picks in through a proxy service. All registrations must be complete by September 7, 2024 at 2 p.m. PT.
2024 DraftKings 1.5M+ Main Event NFL Survivor Pool
- Entry Fee: $100
- Grand Prize: $1.5 Million for First Place
- Entries: Unlimited
- Who Gets Paid: Last Contestant(s) Standing
- Rake: None
- Who Can Play: No. Enter online.
- Deadline to Enter: Sept. 8, 2024, at 2 p.m. PT
The DraftKings Pro Football Survivor Pool has been tagged as the largest online survivor pool for the football season and the contest for the 2024-25 season is no different. Enter the 2024-2025 NFL regular season contest by selecting one NFL team each week by 1:00 p.m. ET on Sundays. If your chosen team loses, you're out of the contest. Remember, you can only pick each NFL team once. The last contestant standing wins, but if multiple players make it to the end, the prize gets split equally. If everyone gets eliminated, the surviving entries from the previous week share the prize. Each contestant can submit up to 150 entries. Check the full terms and conditions for complete details.
Additionally, if you sign up for your account today, you can get a $200 bonus bets with your first $5 bet!
Bet $5, Get $200
How to enter NFL Survivor contests in 2024
Entry into NFL survivor pool contents varies from book to book. Some have an online registration that is easy and convenient, but some of the bigger ones require in-person registration in Nevada.
Making weekly picks requires submitting picks online in regulated areas or using a proxy to submit your picks. The popularity of survivor pools lies in their simplicity: pick a winning team each week to advance, but because you can’t pick the same team more than once, NFL survivor pools require a strategy to advance every week.
Most of the books that offer survivor pools also hold NFL betting contests, such as the Circa Sports Million and the DraftKings Pro Football Millionaire Pick’em.
What is a proxy?
A proxy is designating a person who makes wagers or submits picks on your behalf for a fee. They will usually need to accompany you when you register in person.
Out-of-state or out-of-country NFL survivor pool contest registrants can pay a straight fee to a proxy bettor/company in Nevada to submit their weekly survivor picks. Proxy betting has been around for decades and is very popular in NFL betting contests.
Free NFL survivor pools
Free survivor contests are also available if you find the price tags on the major contests to be a little steep.
Covers Streak Survivor
Start your streak in the most popular free betting contest on Covers — Streak Survivor. Simply put together a streak of against-the-spread (ATS) or Over/Under bets from a variety of games to choose from — MLB, NFL, College Football, NBA, and more! Continue your winning streak for a chance at the top prize of $100,000.
NFL survivor pool contest FAQS
An NFL Survivor pool is picking a weekly winner straight up until you lose and are eliminated. You can only use each team once.
Anyone 21 years or older can enter an NFL survivor pool contest, but certain pools can only be registered in person and in areas that have regulated markets.
There are many free NFL survivor contests online that are available to anyone, but only residents in regulated states can register for the DraftKings Pro Football Millionaire Survivor Pool.
Canadians can enter the Circa Survivor Pool, but they need to register in person, be 21 years of age and use a proxy to submit weekly picks.
