He just won $75 million — the largest legal payout in sports betting history.
Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale, Astros superfan and the owner of Gallery Furniture, gained national acclaim entering the Fall Classic due to his massive $10 million bet on Houston to win the 2022 World Series. And Mattress Mack's fame grew when the series turned to Philadelphia. McIngvale was filmed in a shouting match with Phillies fans after Game 3 of the World Series, an incident in which McIngvale says he was defending Astros second baseman Jose Altuve. You can question McIngvale's taste for the spotlight if you wish. But his love for the Astros seems beyond reproach.
A petition was created in support of McIngvale after the incident in Philadelphia as fans urged the Astros to let McIngvale throw out the first pitch before Game 6. That wish was then granted Friday night as it was announced McIngvale would be taking the mound on Saturday. McIngvale received a loud ovation on the first pitch, heading out to the middle of the diamond before the traditional "play ball" call from country music legend George Strait.
Both McIngvale and Strait have emerged as Houston legends in recent years, with the Country Music Hall of Famer becoming a staple at the city's annual rodeo. Perhaps these two familiar faces will give the Astros good luck in Game 6 on Saturday night.
Framber Valdez will get the start for Houston in Game 6 as the Astros look to capture their second championship in franchise history. Follow along for live coverage here.
It's the culmination of a postseason that has been especially stressful for McIngvale. After all, he's got a lot riding on the result of this series.
Prior to the playoffs, McIngvale placed $10 million wager on his beloved 'Stros capturing a World Series title. At 7.5-1 odds, McIngvale is one Houston win away from raking in $75 million.
For most, that's an unfathomable amount of cash to consider pouring down the drain. For McIngvale, who reportedly is worth $300 million, it's a drop in the bucket. And, as he told ESPN's David Fleming he has always been a risk-taker.
This is not first McIngvale's first rodeo. In in 2017, he ran a promotion offering Texas-based customers free mattresses from his furniture store if the Astros beat the Dodgers in the Fall Classic. He ended up losing $10 million worth of mattresses. No matter, McIngvale says, because he hedged his provocative move with a multimillion-dollar bet on the 'Stros. That's not a businessman, but a business, man . . .
"I just get bored to death with stability, which is why I guess I like all of these big bets," McIngvale said. "I thrive on chaos."
For all his popularity in H-Town — and McIngvale is a regular fixture in the city's sporting scene — his decision to put so much faith (and money) in the 'Stros was a curious one. At least until one realizes that Mattress Mack never makes such a bet without having a way to counter it. Whether it was his $4.5 million wager on the Bengals in last season's Super Bowl or the $3.35 million he put on Houston to vanquish the Braves in last year's World Series, McIngvale always seems to find a way to stay in the black, largely by running promotions to build intrigue. So, even when he loses, he wins.
For all his popularity in H-Town — and McIngvale is a regular fixture in the city's sporting scene — his decision to put so much faith (and money) in the 'Stros was a curious one. At least until one realizes that Mattress Mack never makes such a bet without having a way to counter it. Whether it was his $4.5 million wager on the Bengals in last season's Super Bowl or the $3.35 million he put on Houston to vanquish the Braves in last year's World Series, McIngvale always seems to find a way to stay in the black, largely by running promotions to build intrigue. So, even when he loses, he wins.
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