Mattress Max Advocates for Texas Sports Betting

Jim McIngvale, known as Mattress Mack, is a Houston-based businessman and avid sports bettor. He has become known as one of the US’s most renowned sports bettors. Since 2018, when a Supreme Court Judge ruled PASPA as unconstitutional, the gambling activity has become very popular in America. However, the official legalization has been left to state governments. Since this event, states have been launching their legalized sports betting markets one-by-one. Unfortunately, Texas state has yet to make any serious moves towards legalization, making Mattress Mack’s fame as a gambler that much more noteworthy. He has recently taken to online news platforms to share his sentiments and show his support for a regulated, legalized and safe sports betting market for Texas.

Texas Sports Betting

Early in April, a legislative in Texas heard testimony on the proposed amendments that could be made to the constitution to bring legal casino gaming and sports betting to the second-most populated region in the country. Considering the size of the population and projections on the percentage that would engage in the activity, the Lone Star State is a goldmine for operators. As such, Las Vegas Sands has invested several million dollars in building a campaign that supports and promotes the prospect and efforts being made to expand gaming in Texas.

Despite this support, there is still opposition and several hurdles for any sports betting proposal to overcome in the region. Most importantly, Texas Lieutenant Governor, Dan Patrick, stated earlier this year that there is insufficient support in the Senate for the measure to pass. However, Huberty, who has brought the proposal forward, has shared that he is relying on the votes and support of Texan residents. This means that Mattress Mack could have the opportunity to have his voice heard and no longer be forced to fly to Colorado to place sports wagers.

The Different Facets of Mattress Mack

Many are quite surprised when they realise that not only is Mattress Mack a high-profile bettor, but he is also a deeply religious man. The evidence of this can be found on his Twitter feed where McIngvale often shares scripture of the day, quotes from the bible and even reminders for all of his followers. In fact, there are far more tweets about faith than sports betting to be found on his feed.

Mattress Mack has also been noted for his generous spirit and sincere wish to aid his community. Texas saw a terrible storm this past February and McIngvale opened the doors to his Gallery Furniture outlets to provide temporary shelter to those who were left stranded. In addition to this, the Houston-based businessman went into partnership with Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby and made it possible for 300 state representatives from the foster care system to watch the event as their honoured guests. Foster care and the welfare of children are close to McIngvale who has a grandson who was recently adopted. The two sides of Mattress Mack that are shown to the world have rendered moral and religious arguments from opposition to legalized sports betting moot.

Moral Issues in the U.S

While McIngvale can respect the moral views of those who oppose sports wagering, he has shared that there are much bigger issues, of moral standing, to discuss in the US today. The US Census Bureau recently shared its findings that the American population grew as slowly as it did in the 1930s. Mattress Mack has indicated that the decrease in the number of young people in the US is one of the biggest moral issues because it affects the future of America as a whole. While noting that there are bigger issues at hand than gambling, McIngvale stated that gambling is a harmless attraction and is a stress reliever for him. He went on to share that while it can be addictive, it is no more addictive than any other pleasure which is not enjoyed within moderation.

Earlier this year, Mattress Mack placed a wager of almost $3,5 million on Tampa Bay winning the Super Bowl. His wager paid off and he ended up gaining more than $2,7 million. Mattress Mack used a sizable portion of these proceeds to refund his customers that participated In a promotion tied to the game at Gallery Furniture.