Talk about a bad beat.
Shortly before the Kentucky Derby started, famous sports bettor Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale placed a $1.5 million bet on the horse Epicenter to win. Just as the race closed, Epicenter appeared moments away from a victory.
But Epicenter ultimately fell short, coming in second after a miraculous run by 80-1 longshot Rich Strike.
In total, Mattress Mack lost $2.6 million in wagers despite nearly winning an estimated $12 million, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Mack was already counting his winnings before the race ended on Saturday.
“I thought I was home,” Mack told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “It reminded me of the Bengals-Rams gut punch.”
Mack lost $9.5 million betting on Super Bowl 2022.
Rich Strike’s 80-1 win is the second-biggest underdog victory in Kentucky Derby history, with Donerail the longest shot at 91-1 in 1913. Country House’s was a 65-1 long shot in 2019.
Mack does have some big wins on his résumé, like the Buccaneers beating the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, which net him $3.4 million in 2021.
