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Puck luck: Buffalo Sabres fan’s betting error yields $10K payday

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A wrong bet turned out to be the right move for a Buffalo Sabres fan.

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Bob Zielonka wanted to bet $2.50 on Thursday’s NHL game between the Sabres and the host New Jersey Devils. That morning he hurriedly placed the online parlay bet, which had Buffalo winning the game and Sabres’ right winger Kyle Okposo scoring the first goal, WGRZ-TV reported.

The odds were 40-1 and Zielonka wanted to wager $2.50, but instead bet $250.

“I thought, ‘No, no, no, no, no, no, no. What did I do?’ " Zielonka told The Buffalo News.

Luck was on Zielonka’s side, though. The Sabres, led by Okposo’s first goal -- a shorthanded score in the second period -- won the game 5-2. And Zielonka won $10,250, the News reported.

Before the game, Zielonka was still upset with himself, believing he had thrown away the money.

“I could not believe I made such an idiotic mistake,” Zielonka told WGRZ. “I did everything I could to avoid (watching the game), to be honest.”

The digital marketing specialist and owner of a small photography business in Buffalo finally got curious and checked the score.

“I looked after the second intermission and learned Buffalo was up 3-1, and I thought that’s great, but there’s no way Okposo scored,” Zielonka told WGRZ.

Then Zielonka checked the box score and noticed that Okposo had scored first.

“And I could just feel my heart beating through my chest at that moment,” Zielonka told the television station.

Zielonka had chosen Okposo because he had won $80 on a similar bet involving the Sabres forward several weeks ago, the News reported. But even though he is a casual bettor who typically makes 10 $2.50 bets for each Buffalo game, Zielonka came up big Thursday night.

He can use the cash. His wife wants to buy some dresses and he wants to buy a dishwasher, WGRZ reported. Plus, Zielonka’s lawn mower stopped working on Friday.

“So, I’d also like to get a new push mower,” Zielonka told the television station. “Really exciting stuff for a $10,000 win, huh?”