We welcomed our first Hotshot Jackpot winner of the season this week, as Alexandre Lacazette get on the end of a re-bounded free-kick to make one of our customers £375,000 richer. Wow.
The prize fund had been building since the start of the season, rising by £25,000 each week. We chatted to our winner from Dundalk, Ireland to see how he feels about winning all that cash for free.
‘I knew that I was in the running for the Jackpot and just needed Lacazette to score to get the prize.
So I watched the game in a local pub in town with a couple of my mates. The reaction to the goal and knowing I’d won was just total shock!
The goal came as Alexis Sanchez’s free-kick rebounded off the bar and into the arms – or feet – of Arsene Wenger’s summer signing. That one split second moment saw our winner land the cash, which is around €425,000.
There were two other customers hoping to land the pot that night, with one on Alexis and another on Hal Robson-Kanu.
So, how did our winner feel when he realised he was the chosen one? He said: ‘It was just a feeling of total disbelief.
You hear of these things happening to other people, but you never believe it would actually happen to you
That Lacazette goal means one Dundalk customer has won Hotshot Jackpot! He pockets 375,000 quid, and it didn't cost a penny to enter. pic.twitter.com/CceG5yWKsM
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) September 25, 2017
He continued: ‘A pal of mine told me about Hotshot Jackpot at the start of last season. I’ve never even come close before.’
So, how does a big-money winner make his selections? Close his eyes and hope for the best? Relentless researching? Picking the favourites?
These were his choices for the week:
MANCHESTER CITY V CRYSTAL PALACE: LEROY SANE
SOUTHAMPTON V MANCHESTER UNITED: ROMELU LUKAKU
STOKE V CHELSEA: ALVARO MORATA
LEICESTER V LIVERPOOL: MOHAMED SALAH
BRIGHTON V NEWCASTLE: TOMER HEMED
ARSENAL V WEST BROM: ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE
‘You obviously need a lot of luck with the games and with your selections – if someone doesn’t play there’s not much you can do about it! But my best advice would be to go with your instinct. That’s the way to do it.
‘I’ve absolute no idea what I’m going to spend my money on just yet, I’m still in shock. I’ll let it sink in and then make my decisions.’
If you fancy a chance at landing the cash, simply click right here to enter for free. All you need to do is select six first goalscorers, and you’re on your way!