Picking the Cincinnati Bengals over the beleaguered New England Patriots seemed like a no-brainer. But an unlikely Patriots 16-10 win singlehandedly wiped out 34.3% of the Circa Survivor pool in Week 1.
The 2024 Circa Survivor pool attracted more than 14,000 entries this year, with each entry costing $1,000. But $1,000 doesn’t seem unreasonable with a $10 million guaranteed first prize on the line. In fact, it drew so many entries that it pushed the final total survivor prize to $14,266,000.
Final #CircaSportsMillion and #CircaSurvivor entry counts pic.twitter.com/G0TrAnSk0u
— Circa Sports (@CircaSports) September 7, 2024
Saturday, Circa Sports posted a summary of the Week 1 selections. A stunning 34.3% – or 4,895 entries – chose the Bengals. While the Bengals’ 2023 season (9-8-0) was nothing to brag about, it was a far cry better than the Pats’ (4-13-0). In fact, going into the 2024 season, ESPN’s Power Rankings had the Bengals in ninth, with the Pats ranked 30th. But as they say, this is why they play the game.
#CircaSurvivor 2024 🏈🏆
— Circa Sports (@CircaSports) September 8, 2024
Week 1 Selections
📄 Complete selections: https://t.co/7AUS2wUrt0 pic.twitter.com/GYVsPNP4lG
Shocking defeat
Bengals fans started sounding the alarm in the second quarter. After the first half, with New England leading 10-0, Bengals bettors’ social media posts began unfolding like a Greek tragedy.
About to lose my survivor pool week 1 thanks to the good for nothing Bengals.
— Jeremy Olsen (@JeremyOlsen41) September 8, 2024
How many survivor pool entries are going to be ruined by the Bengals?
— Kody Stewart (@StewLocks) September 8, 2024
Bengals survivor people how we doing
— Wade Taylor (@W_Pickss) September 8, 2024
It got so bad, even the satirical news outlet, The Onion, weighed in.
Bengals Coaching Staff Holding Breath After Joe Burrow Endures Rough High-Five https://t.co/26ZKnJMaRl
— The Onion (@TheOnion) September 8, 2024
And of course, survivor entrants weren’t the only casualties.
i had bengals winning in all my parlays im a idiot
— MoeMakinMagik🪄 (@MoeMagik) September 8, 2024
WTF Bengals??? Going out week 1 of my suicide pick ‘em league was not on my bingo card 😫
— Mar_SC_ella ✌️ (@Mar_SC_ella) September 8, 2024
After the game, Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor expressed optimism about his club.
“I feel good about how this team will regroup,” he said.
There were countless comments in response from Bengals bettors of the X-rated variety.
