Station's race & sports director says you got to take a chance if you want to win big in the Great Giveaway football contest!

Three weeks into the Great Giveaway football contest, and two bites into a second hot dog (That’s an oh-so-subtle company plug for $1 hot dogs during football games on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays at our sports books. Budweiser beers are a buck, too, by the way.), one thing is becoming clear: craigstations better start doing better at picking these games if craigstations wants to win the grand prize of a new house.

With the maximum three entries, me best ticket so far is 33-14 after opening weeks of 12-3, 10-6 and 11-5, respectively. In case you didn’t know:

• 65 (that’s right, 65!) very, very smart/lucky contestants went 15-0 in Week 1
• Week 2 the winning record was 15-1 (did anyone pick Cincy over GB?) and only two (that’s right, only two) contestants had that best one-loss record
• Last week, Week 3, six prognosticators went 16-0 (nice pick on Detroit)

Another “in case you didn’t know,” your picks as well as the records of the winners each week can be viewed online at www.mygreatgiveaway.com.

As for craigstations’ dilemma, and perhaps your dilemma as well, according to Jason McCormick, Station Casinos’ director of race and sports, the grand-prize winner in last year’s Great Giveaway had a final record of 172-70 (worst record, or most losers, was 68-174 last year). So, like we agreed, craigstations needs to step it up. What is really needed here is some expert advice. If there was only someone to ask…

“My advice in going after that perfect week is to take one ‘shocker,’ ” Jason says. “Take that one big underdog and then pick the rest of the games as you see them. If that big upset comes in you’ll be sitting up top all by yourself with $10,000 or a new truck!!  Also, put your picks in on Tuesdays and stick with them! Your first thought is usually ‘on the money.’ ”

Thanks for the insider info, Jason. More good news is that there are also unbelievable weekly cash prizes and a small fleet of sweet F-150 trucks up for grabs. In fact, if you get your picks in all 17 weeks and win nadathing all season, you get your entry fee back (see official rules). In fact, in fact, if you’re not part of Great Giveaway yet you can still sign up and win big each week (sans the house and other end-of-year prizes).

Now, where’s that third $1 hot dog?