CNN
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“Mattress Mack” had cause to have fun the Houston Astros’ World Series win on Saturday – and never simply because he’s an Astros superfan.
Houston furnishings retailer proprietor Jim McIngvale, referred to as “Mattress Mack,” made a sequence of bets amounting to $10 million on the Astros to win the World Sequence.
And when his group received the franchise’s second World Sequence title with a 4-2 victory in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies, McIngvale took house $75 million – extensively reported to be the most important payout within the historical past of sports activities betting.
“This final week has been particularly… past phrases,” McIngvale stated in a statement on social media, the place he additionally posted a photo of himself with a suitcase full of money.
McIngvale informed CNN final yr that he made the large wagers on a possible World Sequence title for the Astros to cowl one other gamble of types: clients who purchased sure mattresses costing $3,000 or extra will get their a refund if the Astros win.
He informed FOX 26 on Saturday that the $75 million will largely be paid out to clients as a part of the Gallery Furnishings chain’s promotion.
“The Astros did all of the work, all I did was wager the cash,” McIngvale said.
The 71-year-old is known for the large bets he has positioned on sports activities video games through the years – together with a $3.35 million stake positioned in June 2021 on the Astros profitable final yr’s World Sequence – and was filmed celebrating wildly throughout his group’s championship-winning recreation at Minute Maid Park.
Within 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, corresponding 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 facet of the individuals,” he added in his assertion.
McIngvale additionally threw out the primary pitch forward of Saturday’s recreation, which he described as “an honor.”
The Astros’ 4-1 win in opposition to the Phillies was the primary time since 2013 {that a} group has claimed the World Sequence title at its house discipline.
