A furniture store owner from Houston, Texas, made history by winning the biggest sports bet payout ever after the Houston Astros won the World Series on Saturday.
Jim McIngvale, aka “Mattress Mack,” earned a $75 million payday after the Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games, the 71-year-old announced in one tweet on which he held a suitcase full of money.
in one expression Posted on Twitter, McIngvale expressed his gratitude to the city of Houston, the Astros and his wife Linda.
“This last week has been especially… incredible,” he said.
McIngvale said he would use the $75 million to help fund a new promotion at his Houston-area gallery furniture stores, in which he said anyone spending $3,000 or more on mattresses would receive his entire purchase for free.
Houston’s Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale holds some of the tickets in Atlantic City, NJ on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, showing bets he placed on the Houston Astros to win the Baseball World Series. AP Photo/Wayne Parry
McIngvale told ESPN last week he bet $10 million on the Astros to win the World Series and split the bet across different platforms, including $1 million at WynnBET and $3 million at Caesars Sportsbook. At the time he placed the bets, the Astro’s odds of winning the title across all sports betting apps were around +750, earning him the $75 million prize.
Sports betting analysis company Action Network had previously Approved that $75 million would be the largest payout ever.
McIngvale has become famous for his multi-million dollar sports bets on football, college basketball, baseball and horse racing. He won an estimated $15 million when the University of Kansas won the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in April, CBS Sports reported, but also lost nearly $10 million in February betting that the Cincinnati Bengals would win the Super Bowl LVI would win. He also lost $1.5 million at the Kentucky Derby earlier this year. according to to the bleacher report.
Last year he lost a $3.2 million bet on the Astros to win the World Series.
McIngvale also drew attention last year for allowing hundreds of local residents to take shelter at his Gallery Furniture stores when a massive snowstorm left Texans without heat or power. In 2017, he also converted some of the stores into emergency shelters after Hurricane Harvey.
After Saturday’s win, he said he would do whatever he could for the Houstonians.
“I love you all. I love this city. I would do anything for this city. And I would do anything for you guys,” McIngvale said. “I am so proud to be a part of this town and will ALWAYS stand up for what is right and as in Harvey, Imelda and others will always do my best to act FAST on the side of the people.:
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