Here’s how much money ‘Mattress Mack’ wagered in Kentucky Derby
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2022 Kentucky Derby coverage
Click below to view more content from the Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com covering the 148th Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
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“Mattress Mack” placed a $1.5 million bet on Epicenter minutes before post time at the Kentucky Derby.
“I love Epicenter. He’s a great horse. I like his jockey a lot,” he said in a video tweeted by B/R Betting. “I really like Steve Asmussen because he is a Texan and his family has deep Texas roots in the horse racing business.”
Jim McIngvale is the founder of a Texas-based chain of furniture stores and is known for his Texas-sized bets and related promotions.
He told reporters earlier Saturday that he planned to put $2 million to $4 million on the big race, Horse Racing Nation reported.
“He mentioned Zandon, but he said he might not make the bulk of his wager until maybe a half-hour before post time,” the outlet tweeted.
On Saturday, Gallery Furniture’s website was running a promotion in which they said people who made a qualifying purchase could get their furniture free if the Derby favorite wins.
“Customers received $14 million in free furniture during the Basketball Win it All promo,” the site claimed. “Don’t miss your chance to receive free furniture with The Kentucky Derby Promo!”
McIngvale told TVG earlier in the afternoon that this would be his biggest wager on a horse race ever.
“We sold a ton of furniture on this promotion, so I’ve got to cover those free mattresses I’m going to give out and free made in America furniture I’m going to give out,” he said in a video tweeted by TVG.
He said he planned to place the bet about 10 minutes before the race.
“If I bet on the favorite, and he turns out not to be the favorite and the favorite wins, I’ve got to pay both ends, and that wouldn’t be good,” McIngvale said in the TVG interview.
Customers who wore their Derby outfit and a “non baseball hat” could get $200 off a purchase at the store Saturday, according to its website.
B/R Betting tweeted a video clip of Mack showing off his own Derby outfit, which featured a light blue sport coat printed with the names of all the past Derby winners and their odds. The lining was printed with photos of what McIngvale said was “my favorite horse of all time, Runhappy, who won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.”
“I’m cheering for Smile Happy, sired by Runhappy,” McIngvale said in the video. “He won’t be the favorite, but he’ll be my favorite.”
McIngvale owns Runhappy, who stands at stud at Claiborne Farm.
Last year, Mattress Mack reportedly lost $2.4 million betting on Essential Quality to win, and he hasn’t been having a very good 2022 in terms of wagering either.
McIngvale has reportedly lost big bets on the Super Bowl, NCAA football championship and an AFC Wild Card game this year but won millions on the NCAA men’s basketball championship.
He gained national attention in 2017 and 2021, when he opened his Houston area stores as shelters and provided mattresses for other shelters during Hurricane Harvey and the ice storm that hit the region.
This story was originally published May 7, 2022 at 4:08 PM.
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