WEEK 18: Where One Point Changes Everything
01-06-2026
There’s something about Week 18 that just hits different.
The final week of the NFL regular season is chaos in its purest form, motivation all over the place, backups becoming legends, starters getting yanked, and spreads that feel like traps no matter how long you stare at them. I was lucky enough to fly down to Vegas for it, soak it all in, and sit down with some of our Winners Circle Proxy clients who were in the thick of it, playing for very real money.
Being in Vegas during the final week of the season is electric. Everyone’s scoreboard-watching. Every late flag matters. It’s stressful, exciting, and honestly kind of addicting, and I say that as someone who didn’t cash a single ticket.
The Harsh Reality of Circa Millions: One Point Is Everything
In these final weeks we’ve been following VERNONCROY / DOCSPORTS closely on our blog and unfortunately, the weekend didn’t break their way. They dropped to 19th place, still walking away with $25,000, which is nothing to dismiss, but also the perfect example of how brutal (and incredible) Circa Millions can be.
Here’s the part that hurts: they were one point away from $200,000. Let that sink in.
In Circa Millions, one point can cost you $175,000 and just four points separate the $1,000,000 winner from the $25,000 payout. The first-place finisher, COYNEHOP, ended the season with 60.5 points, while VERNONCROY / DOCSPORTS finished with 56.5 points. That kind of finish isn’t luck, it’s a full season of sharp picks, discipline, and consistency. Being that close to the top in a contest this competitive is something to be incredibly proud of and at the end of the day, you are still $25 grand richer!
That’s the game. That’s the contest. And that’s why people keep coming back.
Barry Witlin: A Straight-Up Sweep
If there’s anyone who knows how to finish strong, it’s Barry Witlin.
Barry took down the Westgate SuperContest Gold, earning an incredible $335,000, and as if that wasn’t enough, all three of his SuperContest entries tied for 5th overall. Casual.
He also had three Circa Millions entries under “STEAM” which all tied for 30th, proving that consistency across multiple entries is no accident.
Barry absolutely cleaned up this season, and we were lucky enough to sit down with him for an exclusive interview over the weekend. If you haven’t watched it yet, it’s live across our YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, and it’s a must-watch if you love hearing how elite contest players actually think.
Big Wins in the Circa Millions Quarter
Over in the Circa Millions 4th Quarter standings, Andrew Kouri, entry name POLAR BEARS, finished tied for 2nd, taking home $50,000, while also holding onto 67th place overall in the full-season standings.
Andrew’s interview is also live on all of our socials, and it’s a great look into how players balance short-term quarterly strategy with the long game of the full standings.
The Bobby Prize: Last Place Pays Too
And finally, one of the most uniquely Circa things of all, the Bobby Prize.
For anyone new to Circa Millions, the Bobby Prize flips the script entirely. Instead of rewarding the best records, it rewards the worst. Last place takes home $100,000, and second-last earns $50,000, with standings determined by total points of the losses, not the winnings. It’s painful, strategic, and somehow brilliant, and it leads to some of the tightest finishes you’ll ever see.
This season, our client SON OF DAVID finished tied for second-last, splitting $50,000. Heading into Week 18, the Bobby Prize race was razor-thin. BBC BOYZ sat in second-last with 58.5 points, while SON OF DAVID was just behind at 57 points, again, those totals reflect losses, which is what matters for the Bobby standings.
After the final week wrapped up, BBC BOYZ finished with 61.5 points, while SON OF DAVID landed at 62 points. A difference of half a point decided the outcome.
That’s how fine the margins are in this contest, not just at the top of the leaderboard, but at the very bottom too. Both entries battled it out all season long, and finishes like this are a perfect reminder that in Circa Millions, every single pick matters, no matter which end of the standings you’re on.
Only in Vegas.
To Our Winners And Everyone Who Took the Ride
Huge congratulations to all of our WCP clients who cashed this season. We’re genuinely grateful to be part of your journey, the wins, the heartbreaks, the sweat-it-out Sundays, and everything in between. Watching these runs up close is what makes this job so fun.
And to everyone who didn’t hit the jackpot this year… trust me, I feel you.
I finished 3,734th in Circa Millions. Impressive, I know. But honestly? I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
This was my first year ever participating in a contest like this, actually, my first year even realizing contests like this existed, and it was fun from start to finish. The community, the weekly routine, the group chats, the scoreboard refreshing… it’s its own world. And somehow, even without winning a dollar, it was still worth it.
There’s always next year.
What I’d Do Differently Next Time
Since this was my first year ever entering a contest like this, I definitely learned a few things the hard way.
First, know the rules.
Like, actually know them.
I didn’t fully realize that Thanksgiving and Christmas Day are counted as two separate weeks leaving me with limited choices in the later weeks… which, yes, makes me an idiot in hindsight. The good news? We’ve got a blog that breaks down all of the contest rules (and the sneaky ones) so you’re fully prepared heading into next season. Learn from my mistakes.
Second, listen to advice.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
I highly recommend tuning into the VSiN podcast Follow the Money. It’s a great resource for weekly insights, trends, and perspective when you’re torn between picks. Any extra edge or information is huge in a contest where half-points and late-week news can completely change the board.
Finally, spend more time planning out my strategy before the season starts.
Yes, things change, teams underperform, others exceed expectations, injuries happen, but having a strong foundation and a rough roadmap of who you want to use and when is invaluable. You might not stick to it perfectly, but starting with a plan always beats winging it in Week 12.
We hope to see you all back for another run, and keep an eye out, we’ll be sending out an early bird proxy sign-up special shortly after this year’s Super Bowl.
Same contests. Same sweat. New season.
See you next year WCP fam!