Why World Series Game 7 is a big night for 'Mattress Mack'

You may have heard or read about a mattress salesman from Texas who is making large bets on the Houston Astros to win the World Series on a seemingly daily basis (we hit on this here). Who is Jim 'Mattress Mack' McIngvale? Why is he making such large wagers? And what is this about some sort of a refund?

Don't worry, we have all the answers to your questions in this handy FAQ, setting up a big Game 7 for 'Mattress Mack' and the Astros.

Who is 'Mattress Mack'?

Jim 'Mattress Mack' McIngvale is the owner of Gallery Furniture in Houston. He ran a promotion this year offering to refund purchases of mattresses costing $3,000 or more, if the Astros won the World Series. McIngvale says sales spiked when the Astros picked up starting pitcher Zack Greinke at the Major League Baseball trade deadline, and then again over Labor Day weekend, when Justin Verlander tossed a no-hitter.

In 2017, when the Astros won the franchise's first World Series, a similar promotion cost Mattress Mack more than $13 million in refunds. Sources told ESPN that year that McIngvale went around Las Vegas, sportsbook to sportsbook, placing more than $1 million in bets on the Astros to win the World Series at around 3-2 odds. Houston defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in a thrilling seven-game series.

How much would he have to refund?

While his potential liability on the refunds is growing by the day, estimates are that it's north of $20 million.

What has he done to offset the liability?

McIngvaleenlisted the help of two high-level gamblers from Las Vegas to find American bookmakers willing to take giant bets. With just a few days left in the regular season, and the Astros around +220 to win the World Series at most sportsbooks, "Mattress Mack" partnered with Anthony Curtis and Frank Betti, two well-known Las Vegas sharps, to scope out which places in Las Vegas and New Jersey will take the biggest bet at the best price. He hoped to get $10 million down on the Astros to win more than $20 million to help pay for mattress refunds.

On Oct. 1, he placed one of the largest bets ever taken by a U.S. bookmaker when he bet $3.5 million on the Astros to win the World Series at the DraftKings sportsbook at Scarlet Pearl casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. At +220 odds, the wager would pay a net $7.7 million.

It is the largest single wager DraftKings has accepted. "If the Astros win tonight, it will stand currently as our biggest single bet payout ever," DraftKings chief revenue officer Matt Kalish told ESPN.

Did he make other large bets?

Two days later, McIngvale was in New Jersey to place another large wager on the Astros to win it all. He bet $1.5 million at the same +220 odds at the FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands. The wager would win $3.3 million and is believed to be the largest legal online wager in the state's brief sports betting history.

McIngvale also recently placed a $200,000 World Series bet on the Astros +250 at the South Point in Las Vegas and has additional wagers for undisclosed amounts with Nevada bookmakers Caesars, MGM, Treasure Island and Circa Sports.

On Thursday, The Action Network reported that he's flying to Mississippi to place another $675,000 on the Astros to win Game 7.

How much has he bet overall?

While not even 'Mattress Mack' knows the exact amount he's bet on individual games in the World Series, along with futures wagers on the Astros to win, he has at least $11.6 million in play.

What has he learned

"I normally don't take private jets" McIngvale told ESPN. "But because of the fluidity of the situation -- the Astros win the price goes down, the Astros lose the price goes up -- I've got to be able turn on a dime and get back before the game starts. I'm dreading seeing my American Express bill with these jet charges."

Would he do this again?

"I've had a lot of fun doing it,"McIngvale told ESPN. "You know, I'm a marketing guy, and we've got millions and millions of dollars in earned media. 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."

Was he able to get down as much as he wanted?

Mattress Mack said he originally was aiming to bet around $10 million on the Astros, but as the odds shortened, the amount grew close to $14 million.

"I would say 90% of what we wanted to get down, we've got," he said.

Who is he taking to Game 7 tonight?

He is taking a group of 30 kids from Sunshine Kids, a charity dedicated to children with cancer, to the game.

How will he collect the money if the Astros win?

He expects casinos and sportsbooks to wire the money to him.

Does he have a financial sweat tonight?

"No, not much," he tells ESPN. "As these Vegas guys have told me, I bet with heart, not my wallet, which would be more conservative. So, I'm 100% in on the Astros. When I walk into Minute Maid Park, I take about 2,000 photographs with all our customers there. I want to win so I can give these free to customers."