Houston's 'Mattress Mack' Betting $10M On Astros To Win World Series
HOUSTON (CBSDFW.COM/CBS SPORTS) - The Houston Astros are the favorites to win the 2019 World Series.
As a result, there are many people in Houston that will have a huge stake in that very fact coming to fruition in the next few weeks.
One Houstonian is so confident in the Astros that he is staking his business on them winning it all.
Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale, a well-known Houston businessman famous for his generosity, is offering a full refund to customers who spend $3,000 or more on a mattress if the Astros takes home the title.
When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in August 2017, McIngvale opened two of his stores as shelter for Houstonians displaced by the storm.
McIngvale's company also deployed its largest moving truck to help rescue those displaced by flooding.
To combat potential losses on his mattress offer, McIngvale is in the process of betting $10 million on the Astros winning the World Series with the help of two high-level Las Vegas gamblers, according to ESPN.
With Houston's latest odds at many sportsbooks being between +220 and +225 to win it all, a $10 million wager on them would pay out at least $20 million.
McIngvale confirmed that Gallery Furniture saw increased mattress sales following both the Astros' acquisition of starting pitcher Zack Greinke at the trade deadline and Justin Verlander's no-hitter on September 2 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
"The customers aren't dumb," McIngvale said. "They know what's going on. They're hedging themselves as well."
The Astros are 104-55 and currently have the best record in Major League Baseball.