Houston hero ‘Mattress Mack’ wins record $75 million bet after Astros win World Series

HOUSTON – Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale is a Houston furniture store owner, philanthropist, avid Astros superfan and now — a record-setting gambler.

McIngvale won $75 million after the Houston Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday taking home the World Series title.

According to the Associate Press, McIngvale bet $3 million in May with Caesars Sportsbook at 10-to-1 odds. Brad Harwood, a spokesperson for the sportsbook, said the $30 million payout would be the largest payout on a single legal sports bet in U.S. history.

In addition to his $3 million bet with Caesars, McIngvale bet $2 million with BetMGM; $2 million with Barstool Sports; and $1 million each with Wynn, Unibet and Betfred, the Associated Press reported.

McIngvale has famously made large bets in the past, including a $3.35 million bet he placed in 2021 for the Astros to win the World Series last year.

Until this year’s World Series, his Super Bowl bet in February was the biggest legal sports wager of all-time at $5 million on the Cincinnati Bengals moneyline, according to Caesars Sportsbook.

Sports Illustrated reported that after that loss, he was down more than $15.43 million in wagers in the first two months of 2022.

“I love Houston,” McIngvale said as part of a statement on Facebook. “This last week has been especially... beyond words.”

“I love y’all. I love this city. I would do anything for this city, and I would do anything for you,” the statement reads in part.

McIngvale said after his big win that he’d be going back to work at 9 a.m.

He’s known as a Houston hero for his philanthropy, donating millions of dollars to charity over the years and opening the doors to his store, Gallery Furniture, during natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey and more.

Mattress Mack also made headlines last week after an incident in Philadelphia before the Astros took home the W. He had a rare outburst caught on camera and reps for the businessman told KSAT sister station KPRC that “a Phillies fan was heckling Mack the whole game and followed him out to the concourse at the end of the game. The fan continued to shout negative comments about the Astros including they are a bunch of cheaters…Jose Altuve will never make the Hall of Fame… we should take off their jerseys to see if they are wearing buzzers. Mack had enough of the negative comments and responded to the heckler.”

“To say that they beat us and rub that in, that’s fine — but you talk about our guys’ character, that draws the line,” McIngvale said.

Houstonians were not having it either.

McIngvale delivered the first pitch at Minute Maid Park Saturday night before the Astros beat the Phillies 4-1 to win the World Series.