Ticket brokers hedge series with huge bets on Astros in Game 6

Houston furniture store owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale isn’t the only person placing huge hedge bets on the Astros in the World Series.

Ticket brokers who will reportedly lose out on more than $20 million dollars in potential profits if the World Series isn’t extended to a Game 7 at Dodger Stadium are betting big on Houston to win Tuesday’s Game 6 to ensure they make some money.

“I’ve been dealing with these guys for years. That’s what they do. They use Vegas as a hedge,” Wynn Las Vegas sports book director Johnny Avello said. “You’ve got to bet Houston in this game. If Houston wins, you pick up your bet and you made money. It’s over. If Houston loses, you get another game at Los Angeles to sell tickets and you make a score there.

“They’d like to see a Game 7. Game 7 is going to be a huge sell.”

Brokers own 15,000 tickets to each game at Dodger Stadium and the average price for a Game 7 ticket is projected to be around $2,000, according to ESPN.com. That equates to $30 million in ticket sales.

Avello said the ticket brokers usually bet between $200,000 and $300,000 per game at multiple Las Vegas sports books.

“They spread it around town,” he said.

McIngvale hedged a promotion that offered a refund on any mattress purchase of at least $3,000 if the Astros win the World Series. Facing a liability of about $5 million if Houston upsets Los Angeles, he hedged the promotion through insurance policies and a bevy of six-figure bets at Las Vegas sports books.

World Series bettors bury books

The books have lost every game of the World Series so far.

“Baseball’s been bad,” Avello said.

The books needed the Dodgers in Game 5 on Sunday night and appeared to be in decent shape with Clayton Kershaw on the mound with an early 4-0 lead. But five Houston home runs and an Alex Bregman walk-off single later, the Astros won 13-12 in 10 innings.

“It’s not anything to do with the pitchers. It’s all situational betting,” Avello said. “How can you handicap pitchers? They’ve got nothing to do with the game. Nothing. It’s slow-pitch softball. That’s what it is.”

Kershaw price crashes

Kershaw was as high as a minus-145 favorite in Game 5 over Houston starter Dallas Keuchel, but closed as low as minus-115.

“I wasn’t really surprised they bet the Astros at home, but I’m surprised the line went down that low,” Boyd Gaming sports book director Bob Scucci said. “If you’re going to get Dallas Keuchel at home at plus money, it’s worth a shot regardless of who he’s against.

“Nobody anticipated 25 runs being scored. I’ve never seen the ball leave the park that easily. They were just rocket shots. It looked like the Home Run Derby.”

Juiced balls

After eight homers were hit in Game 2, Keuchel said that it was obvious the balls are juiced.

“I think they’re juiced 100 percent,” he said.

Said Avello: “Something’s changed. Either the pitchers have gotten really bad or the batters have gotten really good this year. Or the balls are juiced. What do you think?”

Game 6 odds

The Astros and ace Justin Verlander are minus-120 favorites over the Dodgers and left-hander Rich Hill in Game 6. The total is 8 (under minus-120).

“Verlander has probably been the most reliable,” Avello said. “Kershaw’s got a bad record in postseason play. There was a reason to bet against him. Verlander’s been pretty solid.”

Verlander’s team has won in his last 11 appearances.

“I think the action is going to go on Verlander,” Scucci said. “He looked pretty good in his last outing and the Astros bats sure woke up. They have a chance to close it out in Game 6 and avoid Game 7. This is the game to jump on them.”

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Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.