Las Vegas has started to offer its usual smorgasbord of football competitions and as always, there are more selections to choose from than the buffet at the Bellagio!

Most important, of course, is the Hilton SuperContest in Las Vegas, which has been around for years and claims its winner to be the best handicapper in the world.

Canadian Tony Ricci of Vancover (the Blue Team) earned $303,000 in 2005.

The entry fee is $1,500 and entrants pick five NFL games weekly against a contest margin.

Twenty points are paid.

Last year, the competition attracted a record 505 entrants.

This year, registration began in mid-July and sign-ups have been slow, according to an employee, as there appears to be a backlash in protest at the large number of entrants.

Some of the top Las Vegas handicappers have declared that they will not participate in the SuperContest this year, although SuperBook officials have predicted a new mark of around 600 will be set.

SuperBook supervisory staff are said to be pushing to increase the entry fee to at least $2,000 in 2007.

Only 20 players had signed up as of Monday, but the Hilton expects a number of entries to arrive the last weekend of August, as well as Labor Day weekend.

The early bird deadline, which gives players a chance to win $10,000 in a three-week mini-contest at the end of the season, is September 1 at 4 p.m.

The Hilton will have some solid competition on the high end this year from Harrah’s, whose resorts are christening a new NFL competition, Glory of the Gridiron, which already charges a $2,000 gate fee.

The company will add $50,000 to the common fund.

Participating resorts, in addition to Harrah’s, include Caesars Palace, Bally’s, Paris, Flamingo, Rio and Harvey’s in Lake Tahoe.

The registration deadline is September 9 at 2 pm.

With the legendary Stardust about to be demolished, likely before the end of the year, there will be no Stardust Invitational this season after a successful 11-year run.

ProCappers.com Handicapper Marc Lawrence won the last Invitational last year, defeating popular player of one name Fezzik in the seven-game final.

That void is being filled by Leroy’s Money Talks football contest in which each week’s top two players make seven graduate, college or professional plays against Leroy’s Friday night line.

The competition debuted last season, with 16 players each chipping in $2,500 to participate and Leroy’s, which operates more than 60 Silver State books, throwing in $10,000.

Former Las Vegas bookmaker Nick Bogdanovich took home the $40,000 first prize and ProCappers.com Handicapper Bryan Leonard finished in second place.

The stakes are doubled this time.

The buy-in is $5,000 and Leroy’s is betting another $20,000 for a $100,000 pot.

About three dozen people have expressed interest in securing one of the 16 spots.

The field selection was due to be announced last week but, according to media relations director Jimmy Vaccaro, it has been postponed until certain documents are signed.

“We know who we want, but we have to dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s,” Vaccaro said late last week.

Leroy’s will also hold its $250-per-entry college football contest, but main man Vic Salerno has decided not to hold a similar contest in the NFL.

Rather, Leroy’s will continue with its professional Pick’em & Win contest.

Details on all of Leroy’s contests will be coming soon.

Station Casinos, which continues to add new properties to its ever-growing family, will sponsor two contests, including the No Points Grand Sweepstakes, consistently voted the best football contest in town by readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Tickets are $25 each and those who buy two get a third free.

The Great Giveaway offers $1,000,000 in cash prizes, with $510,000 reserved for weekly winners and another $490,000 awarded at the end of the season.

Weekly prizes will total $30,000, with $10,000 going to the contestant who picks the most winners and another $5,000 going to the one with the most losers.

The first place winner at the end of the season will receive $100,000, second place $50,000 and third place $25,000.

The person with the most losses will win $50,000.

Additionally, $200,000 will be split between players who are “in the middle” or closest to selecting the 50 percent winners and losers.

Participating resorts are Palace Station, Boulder Station, Sunset Station, Texas Station, Santa Fe Station, Red Rock Station and Green Valley Ranch.

The Stations $1,000 per entry Challenge competition will also return, with a guaranteed top prize of $100,000.

Players can buy up to three tickets

Contestants will also compete for the use of a Mercedes Benz for one year and $12,500 to be awarded with the winner of a four-week mini-contest.

An additional $10,000 is up for grabs for early-bird contestants who sign up before September 1 in a “Beat the House Bookmaker” competition.

Coast Casinos, which merged with the Boyd Group earlier this year, will renew its $1,000,000 Friendly Frank Pick the Pros contest with no points for the 29th year in a row.

Tickets are $25 each, and contestants who purchase four get a fifth free.

The prize is $100.00, with $50,000 for second, $25,000 for third, $10,000 for fourth and $5,000 for fifth.

The next 300 winners will receive $1,000 each.

An additional $30,000 will be awarded weekly, including $10,000 for the weekly winner.

Those who register before 4 pm on September 7 will be eligible to win $3,000 and other prizes.

The casinos involved include the Gold Coast, Barbary Coast, Suncoast, South Coast, Fremont and Sam’s Town.

The Palms will return with their Pigskin Payoff Contest, offering $300.00 in cash prizes.

The partial breakdown is $271,000 in weekly prizes and a $10,000 end-of-season prize.

Tickets are $25 each and those who purchase three before August 1. 20 will receive $10 in slots.

More information on the contest will be available in a later story.