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MANVILLE: Bowler hits Las Vegas jackpot

By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
   Robbie Thomaszfski went to Las Vegas last week and hit the jackpot. He did not gamble by playing the wheels or slots, he went bowling and took home big bucks.
   Mr. Thomaszfski bowled in the AMF tournament and came in second place, taking a $25,000 prize back to Manville with him.
   Bowling since he was 4 years old and now 23, Mr. Thomaszfski says bowling is for him.
   ”I just love the sport. I live across the street from the bowling alley so I have just been practicing bowling every day. It’s just a fun sport to do, a fun activity and there is big prize money out there,” he said.
   AMF Strike-N-Spare Lanes was the sponsor of the tournament and Mr. Thomaszfski bowls at the Strike-N-Spare lanes in Greenbrook. The tournament was a singles, pins-over-average tournament and is open to all adult 10-pin sanctioned or non-sanctioned league bowlers. To be eligible participants must be at least 18 and participated in a league with a three to four game format at an AMF Bowling Center during the 2010-2011 season.
   Going to Las Vegas and bowling in the AMF tournament was “Unbelievable” according to Mr. Thomaszfski. “As soon as we got there off the airport, they picked is up in a limo and brought us right to the Orleans. Everything was at the Orleans.”
   Mr. Thomaszfski said there were 65,000 bowlers total, 14,000 in his division but only 108 in total made it to bowl in Las Vegas. He bowled against 28 others and made it to the final round to finish in second place. His final score was 216 and he lost to the first place winner who finished at 233.
   When asked what he was going to do with his prize winnings of $25,000, Mr. Thomaszfski said, “I am going to hope to get out of debt, buy a new car and bank the rest. This was a big tournament and I can’t wait until next year. Hopefully I will win the $50,000!”
   Even though Mr. Thomaszfski has won in his first big tournament, he is still competing in others. He bowled in a tournament this past weekend ending with 655 and he is still waiting for the results as this tournament is a month-long competition. He is bowling again in Pennsylvania July 17 and 18.
   For more information and scores visit AMF website at www.amf.com.