Vol. 4, No. 8, August 2008
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Handicap Heaven
The Hilton Super Contest is the Mount Olympus of handicapping for serious players. The entry fee is $1,500. There’s nothing like it. You make exactly five picks against the spread every week and compete against at least 300 players. Top prizes go for around $100,000. Some previous winners began their own handicapping services. Everyone else just enjoyed the money.
Although high-revenue tournaments have cropped up around Las Vegas, this is still one of the most magical. It requires a huge up-front commitment and now, in a quest for more players, the contest allows two entries per person.
Hilton sports book manager Jay Kornegay says this will go over better than raising the entry fee, a sticking point these days. He wants to see closer to 400 entries after the Hilton drew 342 last year. About 20 places are paid, standings are posted in the property and the weekly selections create a substantial buzz. Just being a contender throughout the season makes the player a mini-celebrity.
A person hasn’t met pressure until being a contender in this contest late in the season. Every selection is magnified. It is a true endurance contest and not recommended for anyone with a fit of nerves. A group of people can be neck-and-neck in the standings and pick the same winner in three games. Now the entire week boils down to a couple of selections.
Ah, football season in Las Vegas. It is the ultimate form of craziness.
Fantasy, hard-core handicapping, parlays, teasers, fun tickets, etc. are all here. This is football paradise. Budget for the season and have a great time.
