If there’s one thing people can and should respect, it’s honesty. And Jim McIngvale isn’t pulling anyone’s lariat when it comes to his major wagers.
He’s hedging. Plain and simple. Just not in the way average Joes like us might hedge a bet.
Rather, “Mattress Mack” is hedging against promotions he’s offering at his huge Houston furniture operation. With McIngvale’s hometown Houston Astros regularly in the championship chase, World Series betting is consistently part of his portfolio.
And this season, he’s got millions invested in Astros’ futures. Most notable: a $2 million bet on Houston +1,000 to win the World Series, which begins with Game 1 Tuesday night against the visiting Atlanta Braves.
Bedtime For World Series Betting
As is the case with most of McIngvale’s wagers, his Astros World Series odds bets are tied to a bedding promotion. Specifically, a $3,000 Tempur-Pedic set. Customers who buy the set before Game 1 starts will get the bed for free — via a refund — if Houston wins the World Series.
Mattress Mack’s biggest bet this year came in June.
“I called my friends at Caesars and asked if they’d take $2 million at 10/1,” McIngvale told Props, a few hours before Game 1 first pitch. “And they stepped up and took a big bet. So good on them.”
An Astros win would net a whopping $20 million.
“To this day, [it] would be the largest payout amount in U.S. sports betting history,” said Kenneth Fuchs, Head of Sports at Caesars Digital. “We welcome all types of bettors, and with a bet like this one from Mack, we’ll often work closely with the customer to ensure we deliver a smooth and straightforward experience. At the end of the day, Caesars Sportsbook is part of Caesars Entertainment, the largest gaming company in the country, and we’re not afraid to take big wagers.”
While Caesars took the biggest play, it wasn’t McIngvale’s only play. He’s hedged to the hilt on this bedding promotion, with three additional Astros World Series bets:
- $1 million at +1,000, to win $10 million at FanDuel
- $250,000 at +1,600, to win $4 million at DraftKings
- $100,000 at +1,600, to win $1.6 million at The Score
Mattress Mack Resting Easy
Add in the potential $20 million at Caesars, and McIngvale would pocket $35.6 million total if his hometown team claims its second World Series title. That’ll cover almost 12,000 Tempur-Pedic sets. And if the Astros lose, McIngvale’s furniture store retains all those sales.
“I’m in a good spot,” McIngvale said, while not ruling out more wagers as the World Series progresses. “I don’t anticipate that, but I never say never.”
With the Astros now a -145 World Series favorite — which makes 10/1 and 16/1 look really nice — McIngvale has been offered cash-out opportunities. Those represent big wins, but not nearly as much as he stands to gain if Houston finishes this off. Fuchs said Caesars prefers to let the series play out.
“We don’t have a specific policy regarding buyouts, and we’ve never considered it with this bet. We’re happy to let Mack’s bet ride and let the chips fall where they may,” Fuchs said. “It should be a great series to watch, and we’ll celebrate alongside Mack if he’s able to pull this off.”
Mattress Mack prefers to let it ride, too.
“It’s baseball. Anything can happen, and the Braves and Astros are great teams,” McIngvale said. “But the Astros are where my heart is, where my head is. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.”