Posted on: October 13, 2023, 01:54h.
Last updated on: October 13, 2023, 02:14h.
Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale could bank more than $43 million in futures bets if the Houston Astros win the 2023 World Series.
McIngvale, a well-known furniture store magnate in Houston, made headlines last year when he won $75 million on his beloved Astros after they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2022 World Series.
Four teams remain in the hunt for the 2023 World Series title. The Astros are the betting favorite to win back-to-back championships +185 odds, according to DraftKings.
The Phillies, last year’s runner-up, are currently +210 odds to win the World Series. The Texas Rangers are +295 odds, and the Arizona Diamondbacks are the long shot on the board at +475 odds.
The Phillies and Diamondbacks meet in the National League Championship Series. The Phillies are the favorite to win the NLCS at -170 odds, and the Diamondbacks are +145.
The Astros and Rangers, AL West division foes, will square off in an all-Texas showdown in the American League Championship series. The Astros are -140 odds to win their third-straight AL pennant, and the Rangers are +120 odds to win their first pennant since 2011.
Texas Two Step: Astros vs. Rangers in ALCS
The Astros advanced to the ALCS for the seventh consecutive season. They won the ACLS four times since 2017 and are seeking a third-straight trip to the World Series under manager Dusty Baker.
The Astros lost to the Atlanta Braves in the 2021 World Series, but they prevailed in the October classic in 2022 against the Phillies.
Under Manager A.J. Hinch, the Astros won the 2017 World Series and were a runner-up in the 2019 World Series. When the Astros were embroiled in a sophisticated cheating scandal, Hinch and numerous front-office executives were fired.
In a tight divisional race that came down to the final weekend of the regular season, the Astros didn’t clinch the 2023 AL West title until the final game of the season. The Rangers and Seattle Mariners both blew leads late in the season, the Astros peaked at the right time.
The New York Mets had a disastrous season and sold off some of their highest-paid players at the trade deadline. The Astros acquired ace Justin Verlander from the Mets, and the Rangers added pitcher Max Scherzer at the deadline.
Scherzer sustained a muscle injury at the end of the season, and the Rangers shut him down for the start of the playoffs. After several weeks off the mound, Scherzer hopes that he can pitch sometime in the ALCS.
Astros on Verge of Rare Title Repeat
The Astros are attempting a rare repeat as the World Series champion. In the last 50 years, there have only been a handful of teams to win consecutive championships.
MLB seasons are a long slog at 162 games, and free agency leveled the playing field. With the expanded number of playoff games and rounds in the modern era, winning the World Series in back-to-back seasons is something that hasn’t been achieved this century.
The New York Yankees are the last team to win a World Series crown in consecutive seasons. The Bronx Bombers pulled off a three-peat with three championships in 1998, 1999, and 2000.
The Toronto Blue Jays won back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993 thanks to Joe Carter’s heroics with a walk-off home run.
Slugger Reggie Jackson led the Yankees to consecutive crowns in 1977 and 1978.
The Cincinnati Reds, during the Big Red Machine era, snagged back-to-back titles in 1975 and 1976.
In the early 1970s, the Oakland A’s won the World Series in three straight Octobers between 1972 and 1975.
Mattress Mack Bet $6.9 Million to Win $43.4 Million
McIngvale founded Gallery Furniture, a chain store in the Houston metropolitan area. He runs a special promotion where customers can earn free furniture if they send more than $3,000 and if the Astros win the World Series. His large futures bets will go toward refunding his customers.
This is all about promoting Gallery Furniture, promoting the business, and having fun with the Houston Astros,” McIngvale told Casino.org last year.
ESPN initially reported that McIngvale has more than $6.9 million in play on the Astros on various bets at different sportsbooks. If the Astros pull off a repeat victory in the World Series, he’ll win more than $43.4 million.
During spring training, McIngvale backed the Astros to win the World Series at +600 odds via Caesars Sportsbook. His initial $1.9 million wager would pay out $11.4 million.
In mid-September, McIngvale bet $2 million on the Astros at +600 odds at DraftKings.
It looked like the Astros might miss the playoffs late in the season, when the Mariners were in the middle of a winning streak, and the Rangers held a three-game lead in the AL West. McIngvale had faith in his Astros and made an additional $1 million wager at Caesars Sportsbook at +1100 odds.
Before the ALDS began, McIngvale fired away another $2 million on the Astros, but the odds had shrunk to +450.
McIngvale made additional headlines for nongambling issues over the last week. He was banned from throwing out the first pitch in the ALDS when a competing mattress company and corporate sponsor made a big stink about it.
Former Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Mary Lou Retton is in the ICU while she battles a rare form of pneumonia. Her daughter posted details via social media about a crowdfunding campaign to assist with medical bills. McIngvale donated $50K to help Retton with her medical expenses.
Check out an exclusive Q&A that Mattress Mack did with Casino.org last year.
