Photo courtesy of the Scarlet Pearl Casino
The largest single bet in Mississippi sportsbook history has been placed at the Scarlet Pearl Casino in D’Iberville.
On Tuesday, Houston’s Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale brought a briefcase filled with $3.5 million into the DraftKings at Scarlet Pearl Sportsbook and put it all on his hometown Houston Astros to win the 2019 World Series (+220). If the Astros do win it all, McIngvale’s net payout on the bet would be $7.7 million.
McIngvale, a Starkville native, had reached out to several casinos across the country with interest in placing his bet, and he says that the Scarlet Pearl was the first one to step up to the plate.
“This is the greatest casino and sportsbook in the country,” McIngvale said. “They play the most action.”
‘Mattress Mack’ currently owns Gallery Furniture in Houston, and if the Astros do win the World Series, he may have to dip into his winnings. According to the store’s website, McIngvale is offering a “100% refund on your $3,000 or more mattress purchase OR 150% of your purchase total back in Gallery Furniture store credit” if the Astros win their second championship in franchise history.
Scarlet Pearl CEO LuAnn Pappas knows that there’s risk involved when taking on a bet like this, but she says that it’s all part of the business.
“We have made sports betting history here today,” said Scarlet Pearl CEO LuAnn Pappas. “This all about gamblers. This is the business we’re in, and we’re honored that we were chosen for this wager. Providing an unparalleled customer experience is the driving force behind everything we do at Scarlet Pearl.”
DraftKings at Scarlet Pearl opened on November 16, 2018, as the first collaboration between DraftKings and a land-based casino.
“This wager is a momentous milestone, both for Mississippi sportsbooks and the greater sports betting industry collectively,” said Matt Kalish, CRO and co-founder of DraftKings. “As the legal sports betting market continues its inevitable expansion, we are excited by the prospect of these high-profile bets to garner mainstream attention and demonstrate our customer-first priority.”
The Astros begin their quest for a World Series title on Friday in Game 1 of the ALDS. They’ll face the winner of tonight’s Wild Card game between the Oakland A’s and the Tampa Bay Rays.
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