‘Gambling God’ loses 10 billion in Houston elimination…but “I’ll bet again next year”
An American businessman in his 70s who is known for his sports gambling has bet heavily on the Houston Astros to win the World Series (WS), only to lose all of his money in the American League Championship Series (ALCS).
Jim McKingvale, 72, who owns a franchise furniture company in Houston, bet on the Astros to win the WS through multiple gambling sites from the start of the season, according to reports by USA Today, CBS Sports, and the Houston Chronicle. So far, only $7.9 million has been uncovered.
But when Houston was eliminated by Texas in Game 7 of the ALCS, he lost all of his money. If they had won, 온라인카지노 the payout would have been $58.8 million (approximately $79.6 billion). Here’s the breakdown of the bets as revealed by the media
Each of these amounts were wagered at different times and through different Las Vegas-based companies. For example, the first $1.9 million was placed during spring training, and the last $1 million was placed after Houston dropped Games 1 and 2 of the ALCS. They then won three in a row and looked good, but dropped Games 6 and 7 to be eliminated.
The general consensus is that it’s not all of his bets that were exposed. The general consensus is that he actually won well over $10 million (about $13.5 billion), given his tendencies.
The evidence is the list of operators. In Houston’s home state of Texas, gambling is illegal, so he often travels to Las Vegas, Nevada. He diversifies (?) his investments in several places here. The Caesars Palace hotel chain (Caesars Sports) is his favorite, and he’s also a customer of the Aria Hotel and others.
However, they didn’t appear on the list revealed this time. This leads me to believe that there may have been additional bets. “It’s a very deeply held secret (what the total amount of bets is),” he said.
This time last year, Markingvale was being called a “gambling god”. At the time, he was still betting on Houston to win the championship. He wagered a total of $10 million (about $13.5 billion) on seven different teams and won $75 million (about $101.5 billion).
The footage of him renting a private plane and traveling to Las Vegas to collect his winnings went viral on social media. At the Aria Hotel, he even staged a performance where he collected $10 million in cash and carried it on a wheelbarrow to an airplane.
Of course, his gambling is also part of his business strategy. He owns a furniture business in the Houston area and is nicknamed Mattress Mac. As a young man, he actively promoted his products by dressing up as SpongeBob himself and appearing in commercials.
Then he came up with a groundbreaking promotional item. “If the Astros win, we’ll give you a free mattress,” he promised. The promotion was aimed at customers who spent more than $3,000 (about $4 million) on luxury products.
The first success came in 2017. Houston beat the Dodgers to win the World Series. They were inundated with refund requests, which cost them $10 million, but it was a great PR move. With the national buzz, sales skyrocketed, and he had a repeat performance of last year.
He stays in the community. In addition to gambling, he contributes to the community through social work. At the ballpark, he’s a VIP, a favorite customer. He’s a regular at Minute Maid Park (home of the Astros). The front row is his reserved seat. When he shows up, he’s one of the most requested people for photos.
He’s lost a lot of money, but he doesn’t bat an eye. When asked by FOX Sports if he would do it again next year, he didn’t hesitate for a second. The answer is a resounding “Yes.” “Sometimes in life, you get caught in the rain,” says the astronaut and gambling god.
“Sometimes you get rained on in life, but that doesn’t mean you have to regret it. We’ve been to the League Championship Series seven years in a row, and that’s no fluke. We’ll be back next year, stronger and better than ever.”
