The more football handicapping contests change in Las Vegas, the more they stay the same.įorty years after venerable South Point oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro helped start the Pick the Pros contest at the now-defunct Royal Inn, the longest-running free football contest in Las Vegas lives on at the Boyd Gaming sports book.įour decades after late Las Vegas bookmaker Sonny Reizner started a $5,000-entry contest against the spread dubbed the Ultimate Challenge at the now-defunct Castaways, sharp bettors are paying $5,000 to enter the Westgate’s winner-take-all SuperContest Gold, and the Golden Nugget is starting a $1,000-entry contest dubbed the Ultimate Football Challenge. Detroit Lions running back LeGarrette Blount (29) runs against Oakland Raiders defensive back Reggie Nelson during the first half of an NFL preseason football game in Oakland, Calif., Friday, Aug.
