“Mattress Mack” had purpose to have fun the Houston Astros’ World Series win on Saturday — and never simply because he is an Astros superfan.
Houston furnishings retailer proprietor Jim McIngvale, often known as “Mattress Mack,” made a collection of bets amounting to US$10 million on the Astros to win the World Series.
And when his crew gained the franchise’s second World Series title with a 4-2 victory in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies, McIngvale took house $75 million — broadly reported to be the largest payout in the historical past of sports activities betting.
“This final week has been particularly… past phrases,” McIngvale mentioned in a statement on social media, the place he additionally posted a photo of himself with a suitcase full of money.
McIngvale advised CNN final 12 months that he made the enormous wagers on a possible World Series title for the Astros to cowl one other gamble of kinds: prospects who purchased sure mattresses costing $3,000 or extra will get their a reimbursement if the Astros win.
He advised FOX 26 on Saturday that the $75 million will largely be paid out to prospects as a part of the Gallery Furniture chain’s promotion.
“The Astros did all the work, all I did was guess the cash,” McIngvale mentioned.
The 71-year-old is known for the enormous bets he has positioned on sports activities video games over the years — together with a $3.35 million stake positioned in June 2021 on the Astros successful final 12 months’s World Series — and was filmed celebrating wildly throughout his crew’s championship-winning sport at Minute Maid Park.
In the Houston neighborhood, McIngvale is well-known in for his charitable work, turning his shops into shelters to assist individuals displaced by extreme climate occasions, similar to Hurricane Harvey.
“I’m so proud to be a part of this metropolis and can ALWAYS arise for what’s proper … [and] will all the time do my finest to behave QUICKLY and on the aspect of the individuals,” he added in his assertion.
McIngvale additionally threw out the first pitch forward of Saturday’s sport, which he described as “an honor.”
The Astros’ 4-1 win in opposition to the Phillies was the first time since 2013 {that a} crew has claimed the World Series title at its house discipline.