‘Mattress Mack’ plans to bet $2M on Houston Astros in Game 7
After “Mattress Mack” arrived in Las Vegas on a private jet Monday to place more than $1 million in wagers on the Astros to win Game 6 of the World Series, he went out for a $7.99 steak dinner at Ellis Island.
“It was great,” Houston furniture store owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale said. “It tastes like the same thing you get for $100 at a fancy steakhouse.”
McIngvale picked up the $40 dinner check for himself, his two pilots and betting adviser Anthony Curtis (LasVegasAdvisor.com). He dropped $1.234 million ($860,000 at William Hill and $354,000 at Circa Sports) on the Astros, who lost 7-2 to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday to set up Game 7 on Wednesday night in Houston.
McIngvale recounted his $7.99 steak dinner Wednesday morning while en route to the DraftKings sportsbook at the Scarlet Pearl Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he placed a $675,000 wager to win $500,000 (-135) on the Astros to win Game 7.
Curtis said the plan was for McIngvale to bet a total of $2 million on Houston to win Game 7. That would give him roughly $12 million in wagers to win $22 million on the Astros to win the World Series.
McIngvale, 68, placed eight figures in bets on Houston to hedge a potential $20 million loss on a season-long promotion at his Gallery Furniture stores that will refund any mattress-set purchase of at least $3,000 if the Astros win the World Series.
“Financially, if we get down $2 million to win about $1.5 million (Wednesday), he’ll pretty much be where he needs to be on the numbers,” Curtis said. “If the Astros win, we think Mack will be sufficiently hedged for his position and he’ll be happy as a clam because he just bleeds that team.
“If the Nationals pull it off, he’s absolved of his furniture obligation on the rebate.”
The road team has won the first six games of the series, and Washington has three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer opposing Zack Greinke, who has one Cy Young Award, in Game 7.
“I feel good. I like Greinke. He’s a good pitcher, and the Astros are a great team,” McIngvale said. “The way I look at is it’s time for the home team to win a game.”
McIngvale, who has opened his stores multiple times as a shelter for flood and hurricane victims, treated 10 Houston nuns and 15 Gold Star moms and their families to Game 6. He’s taking 30 members of the Sunshine Kids — a nonprofit dedicated to children with cancer — to Game 7.
“That’s who I am,” he said. “I’ve been very fortunate all my life, and it’s very nice to have them there. Sunshine Kids is (Astros great) Craig Biggio’s favorite charity. I’m trying to get a hold of him to talk to them.”
Whether the Astros win or lose, McIngvale has said he’ll be a winner regardless thanks to all the free publicity he’s received during Houston’s playoff run.
“It’s been fun,” he said. “I like going to the stadium and seeing all the customers and people. The highlight for me has been intermingling with the customers.”
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Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.