“Mattress Mack” is back.
The Houston Astros’ most famous fan bet big money before the season began that his favorite team would repeat as World Series champions. And even though the Astros are still not assured of a spot in this postseason, he doubled down on his bet in recent days.
Jim McIngvale, who earned the “Mattress Mack” nickname because he owns a Houston-based furniture retail chain, has made headlines in recent years with his much-publicized — and huge — sports wagers. Last season, he won a record $75 million in payouts when the Astros won the World Series.
McIngvale once again laid down big money, $1.9 million, before this season on the Astros to repeat.
And while the Astros are still fighting for a postseason spot, McIngvale recently doubled down on the Astros. According to Fox Sports, he bet $2 million at DraftKings for the Astros (+600) to win the series. So now he’s got $3.9 million riding on the Astros, for a potential payout of $23.4 million.
Don’t bet against Mattress Mack striking gold two years in a row.
“We’ve had an uptick in sales, and the Astros are in the middle of being in the pennant chase,” McIngvale told Fox Sports, in explaining his recent wager. “It’s a horse race, obviously. Who knows who’s gonna come out in front?”
McIngvale is a believer in this Astros team.
“The Astros are still a very potent team,” he said.
McIngvale’s bet on the Astros is not a reckless gamble, but a shrewd business calculation. His Gallery Furniture is offering a special promotion in which customers who purchase a specified mattress set costing more than $3,000 will get a full refund if the Astros win the World Series. So the bet on the Astros is a way to hedge his bet on that promotion.
Which is why, if sales continue to be strong, he might gamble even more on his favorite team.
“If sales continue to pick up, I might make a bet before the regular season ends,” he said.
