Mattress Mack — With $35.6 Million On The Line — Throws Out First Pitch Before White Sox vs. Astros
Troy Taormina, USA Today Sports. Pictured: Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale
When the Houston Astros began their playoff run on Thursday afternoon against the Chicago White Sox, Mattress Mack was on the mound. The Houston-based business owner, philanthropist and bettor threw out the first pitch to rapper Bun B.
In June, the owner of Gallery Furniture stores bet $3.25 million at four different sportsbooks on the Astros to win it all, as part of his annual way to hedge as insurance for his promotion that pays back buyers of his mattresses if the team wins.
Mack told The Action Network before the pitch he's not nervous, "we just gotta make the best run."
The "Astros Win" promotion is still running. It gives consumers who spend $3,000 or more on mattresses their money back if the Astros win the World Series. If they do, Mack will be prepared. His current liability, he says, is around $20 million, and his bets would make him $35.6 million.
Mack's biggest bet — $2 million at 10/1 — came at the William Hill mobile app in Indiana on June 22.
If the Astros win, the $22 million would be the biggest reported payout in U.S. sports betting history.
"Obviously the Astros would be the worst-case scenario," said Craig Mucklow, vice president of trading at Caesars, which bought William Hill. "This is the first time I've seen something like this wager in the futures market. It's an exciting bet to take, but it would be nice if they got knocked out early."
Mack got 16/1 and 10/1 odds on his bets in June. The Astros can now be found at +445 at Caesars.
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