NFL Wild Card, CFP Big Bets Recap: Mattress Mack loses $1.5 million after Texas falls

The last four days have been nirvana for football bettors. And there’s more to come Monday night when the Minnesota Vikings face the Los Angeles Rams.

College Football Playoff semifinal odds began the run on Thursday and Friday, then NFL wild-card odds took over for the weekend.

Per usual, there were plenty of interesting winners on parlays, player props and the games themselves. But first, let’s pour one out for a massive $1.5 million bet that didn’t get to the finish line — from a certain furniture store magnate in Houston.

More on that wager, along with notable parlays, unique wins and other big bets — winners and losers — as we recap NFL and college football betting.

Put It To Bed

On Friday afternoon, ahead of the huge showdown between Ohio State and Texas, Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale was asked via text if he was the source of a $1.5 million bet on Texas to win the national title.

The high-dollar bettor neither confirmed nor denied, replying: “Maybe yes, maybe no.”

The wager was made back on Dec. 7, at +390 odds, before Texas lost to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. Still, the Longhorns made the 12-team College Football Playoff as the No. 5 seed, then notched wins over Clemson and Arizona State to reach the semifinals.

On Friday night, Ohio State won the Cotton Bowl 28-14 to end Texas’ run. 

Shortly thereafter, McIngvale texted again.

“It was me,” he said.

If Texas had gone the distance, McIngvale would’ve profited a whopping $5.85 million, for a total payout of $7.35 million. Fortunately for Mattress Mack, he’s got that kind of money to lose, thanks to his successful furniture business.

However, he often uses his big bets to hedge his company’s promotions — usually involving mattress sets, hence his nickname. McIngvale said that was once again the case this time. So there’s a good chance he at worst broke even on the wager.

Parlay Partay

There’s nothing quite like turning $5 into nearly $2,000. Actually, let me rephrase that, since I’ve never done it: There’s probably nothing quite like turning $5 into nearly $2,000.

In FanDuel Sportsbook’s NFL wild-card odds, a customer did just that on four-leg player-prop parlay in the Steelers-Ravens game:

• Rashod Bateman anytime touchdown for the Ravens
• Justice Hill anytime TD for the Ravens
• George Pickens anytime TD for the Steelers
• Van Jefferson anytime TD for the Steelers

By the end of the third quarter Saturday night, that ticket clinched when Pickens scored on a 36-yard pass from Russell Wilson. That marked the end of the scoring, in a game Baltimore won 28-14.

At odds of +38898 — or about 389/1 — the bettor turned that five bucks in $1,949. 

Here’s Hoping You Had It

It’s not all about cashing out wild parlays for thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. When you multiply any wager by 10 or 20, or in this case 50, and that wager comes through, it’ll provide a nice little boost to your bankroll.

Caesars Sports had Philadelphia Eagles wideout Jahan Dotson at +5000 (50/1) to score the first touchdown of Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers. It didn’t take long to cash out, either.

The Eagles forced a fumble on the opening kickoff. Less than two minutes later, Dotson caught an 11-yard TD pass from Jalen Hurts in the back of the end zone.

If you’d just put 10 bucks on that prop, then you’d have a profit of $500. 

Also at Caesars, Denver Broncos wideout Troy Franklin was a +4000 long shot to score the first TD in Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills. But just 2:24 into the game, Franklin hauled in a 43-yard toss from Bo Nix to put Denver up 7-0.

The Broncos never scored again, getting blown out 31-7. But any bettor who threw a tenner on Franklin was rewarded with $400 in profit.

In the Washington Commanders-Tampa Bay Buccaneers game on Sunday night, FanDuel Sportsbook had Dyami Brown +3000 to score the first TD. It took until 5.5 minutes into the second quarter for either team to find the end zone.

But Brown did so first, on a 10-yard pass from Jayden Daniels in the Commanders’ riveting 23-20 victory. A $10 bet on Brown to score the first TD would’ve netted $300 in profit.

I Like Big Bets And I Cannot Lie

Per usual, there was a gaggle of major wagers on NFL wild-card odds and CFP odds. Caesars Sports reported the following big bets:

• $210,000 Texas +6 (-105) vs. Ohio State. The Longhorns fell short 28-14, so this bet was a sizable donation to the house.
• $110,000 Texans +3 (-115) vs. Chargers. Houston took down L.A. 32-12, and the bettor profited $95,652 (total payout $205,652).
• $85,500 Ohio State -115 to win the National Championship. If the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame in the Jan. 20 title game, then the bettor collects $74,348 in profit (total payout $159,848).
• $71,769.15 Ohio State moneyline -220 vs. Texas. With the Buckeyes’ win, the bettor turned a profit of $32,622.34 (total payout $104,391.49).
• $52,500 Ohio State vs. Texas Under 52 points (-105). With a 28-14 final, the game stayed well under the total, and the bettor won $50,000 (total payout $102,500).
• $50,000 Bills -7.5 (-115), vs. Broncos. As noted above, Buffalo rolled 31-7, so the bettor profited $43,478 (total payout $93,478).
• $36,000 Texans +3 (-118) Texans, vs. Chargers. Houston’s wild-card win gave the bettor $30,508 in profit (total payout $66,508).

There were also a couple of notable Super Bowl futures wagers. 

This one at DraftKings Sportsbook is certainly rooted in reality: $30,000 on the Bills +1200, a bet made back on Oct. 25. If Josh Allen & Co. win it all, then the bettor pockets $360,000 in profit (total payout $390,000).

Then there’s this wager full of hope, but at least still alive at Caesars: On Thursday — ahead of the Texans’ wild-card win on Saturday vs. the Chargers — a bettor put $10,989.12 on the Texans +9000 to win the Super Bowl.

It’s a long shot, to be sure. But the Texans are now one of eight teams left. If somehow Houston ends up lifting the Lombardi Trophy, then the bettor profits $1 million.

Check that. $1 million and 12 cents. Don’t forget the 12 cents.

Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He’s based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas

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