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The No. 2 Houston Cougars are currently installed at +900 to win the 2021 NCAA Tournament as the Sweet 16 round prepares to tip off. They have arguably the easiest road to the Final Four, but it likely will get much more difficult if they can get to the national semifinals.
This does not bother Gallery Furniture owner Jim McIngvale. The man known as Mattress Mack has placed a $1 million bet at DraftKings Sportsbook on Houston to win it all. He’s made numerous such wagers in recent years, primarily on Houston-based sports teams, but on an assortment of other big games.
Traditionally the wagers have been a hedge against a major promotion at his furniture stores. This year, it sounds like he does not have a promotion yet, but anticipates one for the Final Four if Houston makes it. He told The Action Network they’ll do some kind of promotion, “Maybe if they win the first game, you get 50% off your purchases and if they win the second, the title game, you get 100% off.”
Houston faces No. 11 Syracuse in the Sweet 16 and would then face either No. 8 Loyola Chicago or No. 12 Oregon State. If Houston wins both games, they would likely face at least one No. 1 seed and maybe two of them in order to capture the national title.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA/MI), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (NH/CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA) or call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN). 21+ (18+ NH). CO/IL/IN/IA/NH/NJ/PA/TN/VA/WV/MI only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.