Mattress Mack made record-breaking bet on Houston Astros in Louisiana; here's what he won
"Mattress Mack" made his bet for the single-biggest payout in legal sports wagering history in Louisiana, traveling to Lake Charles in May to place $3 million at 10-to-1 odds on the Houston Astros to win the World Series on the Caesars Sportsbook app for a $30 million payout, Gaming Commission Chairman Ronnie Johns told USA Today Network.
Jim McIngvale, the Houston mattress magnate known for his massive bets, won $75 million in all on separate bets made on the Astros to win, but the record $30 million payoff was the single biggest score.
McIngvale said he will distribute all but $10 million to his Gallery Furniture customers who spent at least $3,000 at his stores as part of a promotion.
Johns said McIngvale also bet $2 million at 5-to-1 odds in September on the Astros in Louisiana on the Barstool Sportsbooks app, also likely in Lake Charles.
"So $40 million of that $75 million was made here in Louisiana," said Johns, whose commission regulates casinos and sports wagering in the state. "It promotes our program here, so that's a good thing."
"Mattress Mack" celebrated his $30 million win in a video posted to the Caesars Twitter account.
"Well, first of all, I'm so happy the Astros won the World Series," McIngvale said in the video. "I won $30 million. What am I going to do? I'm going to get on an airplane and fly to a Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and get all that money and say, 'Hail Caesar.'"
"What can we say? We just wrote the biggest check in sports betting history to 'Mattress Mack' for $30 million," Caesars Sportsbook head of sports Ken Fuchs said in a statement. "Would we do it all again? You bet.
"While Mack may have won this round on the field, we’re proud of how we teamed up to support first responders and military veterans in Houston, Philly, and Atlantic City. And to Mack – we tip our Astros cap – and remind him that he can now support his Texans and Rockets ... both attractively priced at +100000 to win a championship. The Astros are also currently +550 to win next year’s Fall Classic."
McIngvale may have scored big on the World Series win Saturday, but there have also been epic losses in Louisiana. In February he lost a $9.5 million bet with Caesars on the Cincinnati Bengals to win the Super Bowl.
Johns said McIngvale flew into Lake Charles on a helicopter to make the Super Bowl bet, then drove his wife to a local Sonic for an ice cream Blast, proving not all of his tastes are expensive.
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Mattress Mack made record-breaking bet on Houston Astros in Louisiana
