Nationals win first World Series
The Houston Astros were unable to come up with a win in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series, losing to the Washington Nationals 6-2.
The Astros were vying for their second World Series win in three years, but the Nationals came out on top to clinch their first World Series title. While the Astros lost the title win, one bettor will lose millions.
Mattress Mack stood to win around $19m, if the Astros pulled out the win
Jim ”Mattress Mack” McIngvale bet $11.6m on the Astros to win the World Series. Before the game last night, Mattress Mack stood to win around $19m, if the Astros pulled out the win.
A promotion and big bets
McIngvale is a big fan of the Astros and the owner of Gallery Furniture, a retail store based in Houston. He offered a promotion this year in his store connected to his beloved MLB team. Mattress Mack would refund any mattress purchase over $3,000 if the Astros won the World Series.
Sales reportedly jumped significantly at the furniture store when the Astros gained starting pitcher Zach Greinke and during Labor Day weekend, when Justin Verlander earned a no hitter.
According to VSO News, the bet was placed at odds of +220. With a win, Mack would earn $7.7m in profit. Matt Kalish, the DraftKings co-founder, believes that the wager was the largest single sports bet placed in the history of Mississippi.
Just two days later, Mack traveled to New Jersey to place another big bet on his team. This time, it was the same odds, +220, but a different wager and sports book. Mack bet $1.5m at The Meadowlands via the FanDuel Sportsbook. This bet would have produced $3.3m for Mack if the Astros had won.
Mack then made his way to Las Vegas, betting an additional $200,000 on the Astros at +250 odds at the South Point venue. He also reportedly made more wagers are other bookmakers in Nevada for undisclosed amounts.
On the day of Game 7, Mack placed one last big bet on the Astros in Mississippi. An additional $675,000 was placed on the team. Unfortunately for the gambler and Astros fans, the team lost Game 7 and now Mattress Mack loses $11.6m.
Betting strategy
For his betting strategy, Mack hired two gamblers from Las Vegas to assist in finding bookmakers in the US that would take the large bets. Anthony Curtis and Frank Betti looked for places in New Jersey and Sin City that would accept bets at the best price point.
Mack was hopeful that he could get $10m bet on the Astros and he would win over $20m. The money won would help to pay for the mattress refunds Mack promised his customers via the Gallery Furniture promotion.
Mack told ESPN that he had fun betting on the Astros this year. He pointed out that he is a media guy and has gained millions and millions of dollars in earned media from the betting adventure. Mack said:
The people of Houston understand that I’m 100% on the Astros’ side, and I’m pulling for my customers. That’s why I’m doing this.”
Repeat bettor
This is not the first time that Mattress Mack bet a large amount on the Houston Astros to win the World Series. Back in 2017, when the Astros won the World Series for the very first time in franchise history, Mack had bet big money on the team. He also offered a similar mattress promotion.
The win by the Astros cost Mack over $13m in refunds for mattresses. Mack traveled throughout Las Vegas that year, visiting several sportsbooks and placing over $1m in wagers on the team to win, at around 3-2 odds. The 2017 World Series went to seven games as well with the Astros defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers.