iStockphoto
Mattress Mack was at Churchill Downs to take in the Kentucky Derby over the weekend. The prominent sports bettor couldn’t help but throw a little money on the ponies during his visit.
He might be regretting that decision after taking a look at his bank account Sunday morning. Mack lost a pretty penny on his massive Derby wager.
This was one of the odder and more unpredictable Kentucky Derby events of late. The race favorite, Forte, was scratched from the field the morning of. Nobody seemed to have a feel on how things would unravel.
Mattress Mack chose his winner, Angel of Empire, at 9-2 odds. He was eager to get the taste of last year’s race out of his mouth. The bettor dropped a few million dollars on his card, and swiftly lost it.
This year’s slip was a little lighter, but despite having his own analytics team to make the pick he’d see the same result.
Mack brought $2 million to spend on Saturday, throwing $1.2 million down on his Angel of Empire pick.
His horse would finish third behind Kentucky Derby winner Mage and second-place finisher Two Phils. Mage closed at 16 to 1, landing a nice return for backers. Unfortunately, Mattress Mack was not one of those supporters.
MATTRESS MACK JUST PLACED A $1.2 MILLION DOLLAR BET ON ANGEL OF EMPIRE TO WIN THE KENTUCKY DERBY 🔥
(@gallerysports) pic.twitter.com/y9AbDjWWKp
— br_betting (@br_betting) May 6, 2023
Mack was seen ripping up his ticket as the results went final.
It’s nothing new to the bettor, who seems to be cursed when it comes to his sports wagers. He isn’t staying down long, though.
Mattress Mack is already looking ahead to baseball season, where he holds another Houston Astros World Series ticket. We’ll see if his luck turns by October.