A Million-Dollar Moment: Las Vegas Local Alex Pagoria Crowned Circa Million V Champion

Imagine the tension, the sheer, nail-biting anticipation of an entire NFL season coming down to a single tiebreaker. That's exactly the dramatic scenario that unfolded for Alex Pagoria, a familiar face around the Las Vegas betting scene, as he was officially crowned the grand champion of the Circa Million V NFL handicapping contest. And what a crown it is: a cool $1 million prize! It’s the kind of story that reminds us just how exhilarating and unpredictable sports betting can truly be.

Pagoria, a local with a knack for numbers – he works in finance, which probably helps a bit – navigated through a colossal field of 5,170 entries. That's right, over five thousand hopefuls all vying for the top spot in a contest boasting a guaranteed $6 million prize pool. Talk about stiff competition! But in the end, it was Pagoria who stood alone, albeit after a truly gripping finish.

He wasn't technically alone in points. Both Pagoria and fellow contestant Chad “CPacks” Pack finished the season tied at 73.5 points, setting the stage for that heart-stopping tiebreaker. The rule was simple yet agonizing: predict the combined score of the Week 16 Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. Pagoria had scribbled down '48'. The actual total? A respectable 58 points (33-19). This meant he was off by 10 points.

Now, here's where the drama really intensified. Chad Pack, his closest rival, had chosen '54' for the tiebreaker. That's just four points shy of the actual score! For a moment, it must have felt like a punch to the gut for Pagoria, seeing his competitor so close. But here's the critical, slightly nuanced twist in the Circa Million rules: even though Pack was numerically closer by four points compared to Pagoria's ten, Pagoria's guess of 48 was under the actual total of 58. And in a situation that feels like something out of a suspense novel, that distinction, being 'under,' ultimately sealed his $1 million fate. What a way to win!

This isn't Alex Pagoria's first rodeo, mind you. He's a seasoned player, and this monumental win actually adds another chapter to his family's growing legend at Circa. His father, also named Alex Pagoria, previously secured a $100,000 prize in a Circa contest back in 2021. And our champion, the younger Alex, even notched a second-place finish in a prior Circa event, netting a very respectable $170,000. It seems a keen eye for sports outcomes runs in the family!

The Circa Million V truly was a spectacle from start to finish. Beyond Pagoria's grand victory, the contest also saw "Sloppstack" snag a cool $100,000 for winning the "Big Game" prize with 19.5 points in Week 18, and prominent handicapper Chris "KrackMan" Krackomberger finished a solid 10th, earning himself $50,000. These kinds of contests aren't just about the money; they're about the thrill of the chase, the strategy, and the shared excitement of an entire NFL season.

So, as the dust settles on another incredible season, Alex Pagoria can bask in the glory of being the Circa Million V champion. It’s a testament to persistence, a touch of strategy, and perhaps, just a little bit of that special Vegas luck when it counts most. What an accomplishment!