Blue Monday? It certainly was for these two punters, who needed Diego Costa to score at the London Stadium to split the £250,000 Hotshot Jackpot prize.
He netted just after half time, a simple tap in. A case of being in the right place at the right time… The right time to line two lads’ pockets with £125,000 each!
To get to this point, the punters had already correctly predicted the previous seven goalscorers, a pretty impressive feat.
As it stands, a goal off Diego Costa’s meaty thigh has just won two punters a 50/50 share of £250,000. #HSJP #HotshotJackpot pic.twitter.com/QNLyZSRHys
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) March 6, 2017
One of the Jackpot-chasers, from Swansea, had selected: Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez, Marko Arnautović, Fernando Llorente, Manolo Gabbiadini, Wilfried Zaha, Harry Kane and Diego Costa.
Our other lad went for a similar route, but opted to swap Mane for Roberto Firmino. His choices were: Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez, Marko Arnautović, Fernando Llorente, Manolo Gabbiadini, Wilfried Zaha, Harry Kane and Diego Costa.
As Firmino and Mane got off to a flying start against Arsenal at Anfield, we like to imagine these lads leaping from their sofas in celebration. Firmino and his pearly whites netted in the tenth minute thanks to a Mane cross, with the Sengalese player netting one of his own before half time.
Mahrez finally showed signs that he was the player we all saw last season, scoring his first league goal from open play since April. It was a ballsy move from our Jackpot backers to go with him, but boy did it pay off eventually.
Arnautovic scored two against a Middlesbrough side who are now 423 minutes without scoring a single league goal. He’d banged them both in by half time, and to be honest the game was pretty much all over.
The Swans were teetering on the edge of the drop zone, calling out for a hero, when one came in the form of Llorente. His start in the Premier League was far from rosy, but that was probably all forgotten in the eyes of these lads as he struck gold just 12 minutes into the game. Easy stuff this, isn’t it?
We knew Gabbiadini would be desperate to avenge the League Cup loss the week prior – and it’s safe to say he’s proved us right. He’s now on six goals in four games in all competitions, although he did make us wait until the 83rd minute to secure the fifth leg of the Jackpot.
Zaha put Crystal Palace ahead against West Brom on Saturday, to help Big Sam claw out of the drop zone and help these lads line their pockets.
King Kane? Who else. He’s netted five in his last two Premier League games, and I’d guess that these lads would say he was the safest bet of the lot.
These guys walking into work tomorrow… #HSJP pic.twitter.com/PySI7MKnFq
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) March 6, 2017
Finally, Costa. What a glorious man. Him and Paddy have basically hand delivered £125,000 big ones to these two punters. It’s likely to be a Monday night they’ll never forget. Fancy lending me a tenner, lads?