Casino Player December 2022

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Fresh off his big win on the Houston Astros to win the World Series, Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale flew to Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, MS, to see if he can repeat a big payout, this time with a bet on Houston to win the NCAA Championship.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BEAU RIVAGE RESORT CASINO

Mattress Mack poses with Carl Johnson, sportsbook manager at Beau Rivage Casino, after making a $500,000 bet on the winner of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

MATTRESS MACK HAULS IN MASSIVE WIN

L ast month,“Player of the Month”offered a look at the latest huge sports wagers from Houston businessman “Mattress Mack” Jim McIngvale.The owner of the Houston-area Gallery Furniture chain has put some massive money on the line over the last few years, adding some extra promotion for his stores and offering customers a chance at some free mattresses as well. His latest bets involved putting $10 million on the hometown HoustonAstros to win theWorld Series.McIngvale cashed in when the Astros topped the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.With average odds on his bets of 7.5-to-1,Mattress Mack scooped a $75 million payday.Col lecting some of his winnings in LasVegas involved loading the cash into a private jet via a wheelbarrow. “The wheelbarrow tire went flat,” McIngvale told the Las Vegas Review-Journal .“I’d never seen that much money. But you only live once. So I decided to go take a swing at it and fly home with all that cash.” Some reports even noted that Caesars may be hit the hardest with the win impacting the company’s quarterly profits.Mack received 10-1 odds on a $3 million wager, collecting $30 million from the company. This is believed to be the largest payout in sports betting history,but the company was already asking Mack to pony up for some more action. “What can we say?We just wrote the biggest check in sports bet

ting history to Mattress Mack for $30,000,000,”Caesars said in a state ment to the NewYork Post .“Would we do it all again? You bet.While Mack may have won this round on the field, we’re proud of how we teamed up to support first responders and military veterans in Houston, Philly, andAtlantic City. “And to Mack—we tip our Astros cap—and remind him that he can now support hisTexans and Rockets … both attractively priced at +100000 to win a championship.TheAstros are also currently +550 to win next year’s Fall Classic.” Indeed, Mattress Mack was already ready to place another wager. He flew to Biloxi,MS,on Nov.15 and headed to the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino.This time a college basketball wager caught his eye.McIng vale dropped $500,000 on the Houston Cougars to win the NCAA bas ketball championship. No stranger to Mississippi, he was born in Starkville,where his fa ther suited up for Mississippi State football team and was part of the team’s SEC championship in the 1940s.Getting 10-1 odds for his wager, $5 million would be heading his way if the Cougars are the ultimate winners of March Madness. “Hopefully I’ll be back inApril to cash it in,”Mack said of his latest wager.“I feel lucky,”he said.“I’m glad to be in Biloxi and glad to be back in my home state in Mississippi.” ´

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