The winner of the Circa Sports Million III’s $1,000,000 first-place prize was Tony Gordon, playing under the contest name “DURBIFY.” Gordon finished the 18-week pro football regular season tied atop the leaderboard with contestant “MAD RUSSIAN,” but Gordon was able to secure the win thanks to the contest’s second tiebreaker – the number of winning weeks during the season. Gordon had 17 winning weeks and MAD RUSSIAN had 12.
Gordon, who is from California and was 45 years old at the time he won Circa Sports Million III, finished the season with 63 points thanks to a record of 63-27. Gordon is a stay-at-home dad after selling his business in 2011. He was the owner of the BBQ restaurant Rib Line in San Luis Obispo.
Gordon had a second contest entry that finished with a record of 61-29 for 61 points. That was good enough to place in a tie for 10th place and win an additional $50,000 to bring Gordon’s total haul to $1,050,000.
In its third year, Circa Sports Million attracted a field of 4,087 entries. With each entry costing a $1,000 buy-in, the field size pushed the prize pool to $4,087,000. It was once again a big increase in field size after the prior’s year’s Circa Sports Million attracted 3,148 entries.
Circa Sports Million III Top 10 Results
| PLACE | CONTESTANT | RECORD | POINTS | PRIZE |
| 1st | DURBIFY-1 | 63-27 | 63 | $1,000,000 |
| 2nd | MAD RUSSIAN-1 | 63-27 | 63 | $325,000 |
| 3rd | HANNIBAL BARCA-1 | 62-27-1 | 62.5 | $275,000 |
| 4th | JJARVIS117-1 | 62-28 | 62 | $225,000 |
| T-5th | @GSCTHINMINTS-1 | 61-28-1 | 61.5 | $114,000 |
| T-5th | DISMAL-1 | 61-28-1 | 61.5 | $114,000 |
| T-5th | FARLEYBETS-1 | 61-28-1 | 61.5 | $114,000 |
| T-5th | HANNIBAL BARCA-2 | 61-28-1 | 61.5 | $114,000 |
| T-5th | JARDOM 69-1 | 61-28-1 | 61.5 | $114,000 |
| T-10th | @SPORTSHANDICAPPER-1 | 61-29 | 61 | $50,000 |
| T-10th | ALMA-1 | 61-29 | 61 | $50,000 |
| T-10th | DURBIFY-2 | 61-29 | 61 | $50,000 |
| T-10th | INYO-1 | 61-29 | 61 | $50,000 |
| T-10th | MFC INC-1 | 61-29 | 61 | $50,000 |
With his winning entry, Gordon only had one losing week all season long. Other than the 1-4 result he scored in Week 12, Gordon went 3-2 or better in 17 of the 18 weeks of the pro football regular season. Gordon started the season with back-to-back 4-1 weeks, and he had nine 4-1 weeks total. Gordon also had one perfect 5-0 week in Week 14.
Gordon was also never in first place until the final leaderboard after Week 18. Entering the final week, Gordon was in second place, a half-point behind the leader at the time “HANNIBAL BARCA.” For HANNIBAL BARCA, he spent nine weeks in first place, including the five weeks leading into the final week. A 2-3 result in Week 18 is what did HANNIBAL BARCA in, though, and he ultimately finished in third place for $275,000. In fact, HANNIBAL BARCA had entries in first, third, and 33rd place entering the final week and ended up finishing in third, fifth, and tied for 53rd, with the third entry finishing outside the money places.
In the final week of picks, Gordon selected the Philadelphia Eagles (+7.5), Detroit Lions (+4.5), Chicago Bears (+3.5), New Orleans Saints (-4.5), and Seattle Seahawks (+6.5). The Lions, Saints, and Seahawks covered for Gordon and allowed him to go 3-2.
Another contestant, MAD RUSSIAN, went a perfect 5-0 in the final week and jumped from a tie for seventh into a tie for first. Ultimately, MAD RUSSIAN lost the second tiebreaker to Gordon and placed second for $325,000 (first tiebreaker was number of winning picks).
DURBIFY’s Circa Sports Million III Weekly Scores
| WEEK | WEEKLY SCORE | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 4-1 | 4 |
| 2 | 4-1 | 8 |
| 3 | 3-2 | 11 |
| 4 | 3-2 | 14 |
| 5 | 3-2 | 17 |
| 6 | 3-2 | 20 |
| 7 | 4-1 | 24 |
| 8 | 3-2 | 27 |
| 9 | 4-1 | 31 |
| 10 | 4-1 | 35 |
| 11 | 4-1 | 39 |
| 12 | 1-4 | 40 |
| 13 | 4-1 | 44 |
| 14 | 5-0 | 49 |
| 15 | 3-2 | 52 |
| 16 | 4-1 | 56 |
| 17 | 4-1 | 60 |
| 18 | 3-2 | 63 |
Additional Circa Sports Million III Prize Winners
In addition to the overall leaderboard prizes, the Circa Sports Million III contest gave out prizes for each quarter. The best performers from each quarter cashed big, as did the last-place finisher from each quarter. There was also a $100,000 “Booby Prize” for the last-place finisher from the entire season.
Circa Sports Million III Quarter 1 Prizes
| PLACE | CONTESTANT | RECORD | POINTS | PRIZE |
| T-1st | ALMOST COVERED-1 | 18-2 | 18 | $49,350 |
| T-1st | DEADMONEYMEDIA.COM-1 | 18-2 | 18 | $49,350 |
| T-1st | 818MADDEN20SURVIVORS-1 | 18-2 | 18 | $49,350 |
| T-1st | STONEY-1 | 18-2 | 18 | $49,350 |
| T-1st | MR. WIGGLES-1 | 18-2 | 18 | $49,350 |
| T-Last Place | PETER PIPERS PICKS-1 | 3-17 | 3 | $12,500 |
| T-Last Place | SAUSAGEFEST-1 | 3-17 | 3 | $12,500 |
Circa Sports Million III Quarter 2 Prizes
| PLACE | CONTESTANT | RECORD | POINTS | PRIZE |
| 1st | ROLFSBUDO7-1 | 21-3-1 | 21.5 | $171,750 |
| 2nd | KWPISG-1 | 20-4-1 | 20.5 | $50,000 |
| 3rd | BUCKEYESPORTSGROUP-1 | 20-5 | 20.5 | $25,000 |
| Last Place | KING DUBB | 4-21 | 4 | $25,000 |
Circa Sports Million III Quarter 3 Prizes
| PLACE | CONTESTANT | RECORD | POINTS | PRIZE |
| 1st | BIZMAN-1 | 18-2 | 18 | $171,750 |
| T-2nd | 7 HILLS FOOTBALL-1 | 17-3 | 17 | $10,714 |
| T-2nd | FEZZIK-2 | 17-3 | 17 | $10,714 |
| T-2nd | IRON MOUNTAIN-2 | 17-3 | 17 | $10,714 |
| T-2nd | JOHNNYBRAVO-1 | 17-3 | 17 | $10,714 |
| T-2nd | NEVER EA$Y-1 | 17-3 | 17 | $10,714 |
| T-2nd | PIGSKIN LOVER-1 | 17-3 | 17 | $10,714 |
| T-2nd | SWEET PICKS BRO-3 | 17-3 | 17 | $10,714 |
| Last Place | TRADING LACES-1 | 2-18 | 2 | $25,000 |
Circa Sports Million III Quarter 4 Prizes
| PLACE | CONTESTANT | RECORD | POINTS | PRIZE |
| 1st | ALMA-1 | 22-3 | 22 | $171,750 |
| T-2nd | DMBFAN41CN-1 | 21-4 | 21 | $15,000 |
| T-2nd | R&M INC-2 | 21-4 | 21 | $15,000 |
| T-2nd | KATYBARTHEDOOR-2 | 21-4 | 21 | $15,000 |
| T-2nd | KKITC-1 | 21-4 | 21 | $15,000 |
| T-2nd | ONE MAIN-1 | 21-4 | 21 | $15,000 |
| Last Place | TARKUS-1 | 3-22 | 3 | $25,000 |
Circa Sports Million III Last-Place Prize
| PLACE | CONTESTANT | RECORD | POINTS | PRIZE |
| Last Place | JIGGY JACK-1 | 27-63 | 27 | $100,000 |
Lead image courtesy of Circa Sports.
