Mattress Mack: How He Became A Betting Icon 

One of the most interesting sub-plots to the Kentucky Derby every year is the wager that Mattress Mack places on the opening leg of the Triple Crown. Jim McIngvale is a lifelong horse racing fan, and he has become synonymous with his big stakes bets for the Derby every year. 

However, he hopes for better this year after losing over $1 million at the Kentucky Derby last year after siding with Angel of Empire. But how has the business tycoon become a betting icon?

Who Is Mattress Mack?

Mattress Mack, or James McIngvale, is a businessman from Houston, Texas. He made his fortune by owning and operating the Gallery Furniture retail chain. He enjoyed a promising early life in sports, playing American Football at North Texas State University. Mattress Mack is a larger-than-life figure in the world of American business and has become best known for his fast-paced sales pitches, which typically end with a cheesy catchphrase. 

McIngvale hasn’t always been healthy financially, having used his final $10,000 to purchase airtime for an advert for his store on two Houston stations. Due to his ability to sell items, he was left unimpressed with the final advert and decided to step in and feature. The advert proved to be a massive success, and his sales stepped up significantly. 

Betting Reputation

McIngvale is well known for his large stakes bets wagering on the sporting action, but he has endured mixed fortunes when it comes to the results that he has achieved. Mattress Mack placed a losing bet of $4.5 million on the Cincinnati Bengals to win the Super Bowl in 2022, which later was deemed to be the biggest wager ever placed online in history.

However, he would later achieve the highest payout in sports betting history after correctly predicting that the Houston Astros would win the 2022 World Series. The correct prediction saw him pick up staggering returns of $75 million, the biggest in history. 

Another big money defeat would come in college sports after losing $9.2 million in the final CFP National Championship games. In 2022, he also wagered against the Georgia Bulldogs in two consecutive championship games in 2022 and 2023, losing a combined total of $9.2 million. However, he still remains a keen gambler, and he has been a bettor that many follow when it comes to the Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Derby Wagers

A lot of focus is placed on the bet that Mattress Mack places on the Kentucky Derby, with many mainstream viewers opting to follow his selection. However, he has endured limited success when betting on the race in recent years, losing twice in the last four years. Two years ago, Mack placed a $2.6 million wager on Epicenter to win the Derby, but massive outsider Rich Strike narrowly denied the three-year-old for Steven Asmussen success on the line.

He was once again responsible for a market-shifting bet in the 2023 Kentucky Derby after placing $1.2 million on Angel of Empire. The bet was placed at odds of 3/1 with 50 minutes to go before the race, and he was quickly sent off as favorite for the Triple Crown race. 

The Brad Cox runner ran a huge race at Churchill Downs, but Mage eventually beat him by just over a length.

Mack also famously placed a $1.3 million wager on Essential Quality to win the Derby in 2021, but he would eventually finish third in the race behind Mandaloun. However, the runner would later land Triple Crown success after storming to victory in the G1 Belmont Stakes. 

Who Will Mack Be Betting In The Derby In 2024?

The 2024 edition of the Kentucky Derby is fast approaching, with the contest set to take place on the first Saturday in May. As yet, Mack hasn’t formally announced who he will be siding with to land victory at Churchill Downs, but he is likely keeping a close eye on all the potential contenders in the field. He seems to be more concerned with his Super Bowl bets for now.

The last weekend was a pivotal one on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, as there was no shortage of shock results.  You can check here the betting odds for the Kentucky Derby 2024: https://www.twinspires.com/kentuckyderby/odds/

The pick of those came in the Holy Bull Stakes, as Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Fierceness couldn’t finish any better than third on his return to the track as a three-year-old. Mystik Dan was one of the standout victors in the previous round of races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, while Nysos produced a career-best effort to land himself the highest rating of any three-year-old this season at Santa Anita. 

However, the latter won’t be eligible to run in the Kentucky Derby in 2024 as Bob Baffert remains banned from making entries. The action on the Road to the Kentucky Derby steps up a gear over the next two months, with major preps such as the Florida Derby, Arkansas Derby, and Blue Grass Stakes all staged.