Canadian music superstar Drake is known as a big sports fan and someone who likes to bet on major sports events. Drake's gambling interests span across American leagues like the NFL and NBA. The famous rapper also wagers on international sports, including the UFC and Formula 1. Besides betting on sports, Drake also turns to online casino games.
So much so that the rapper, 35, has the highest designation given out to high rollers. “Drake is a celebrity whale,” professional sports bettor Bill Krackomberger told The Post. “He’s one of the most in-demand gamblers by casino marketing departments.
Drake announced a partnership with Stake.com, which operates almost exclusively in cryptocurrency, in 2022. Occasionally, the famous rapper hosts live events, usually for casino marketing. The possibilities are tagged “Drake vs. The rapper Drake has been a part of the crypto casino since 2021. He signed up with the username “DeepPocket6,” but it wasn’t hard for the platform to recognize he was a high roller. According to Stake, Drake fell in love with the benefits of the casino’s VIP program.
Drake's Betting Journey: A Rollercoaster of Wins and Losses
Drake is no doubt basking in the glory of his $1 million wager that Israel Adesanya would win his UFC fight last Saturday night. Considering that this past May, Drake claimed to have cashed for more than $2.6 million on a parlay bet that had him picking winners for the Stanley Cup and NBA playoffs, it’s easy to see him as a winner for this year. But those are only the bets that he wants us to see. As Krackomberger told The Post, “Everyone loves bragging about sports bets, even if they are losing players in the end. They like showing wins and bad-beats [bets that they came close to winning but lost].
Winning up to $17 million in live roulette may suggest he has had better luck with casino games than betting on sports. However, it is a rare chance to win such a high amount. Also, Drake has a lot of money, so his substantial losses may not affect his pockets.
Not all of Drake’s bets will have been shared publicly, of course. But of those that have, we can see that he’s bet at least $30.3 million in more than 70 bets. Cursed or not, the musician has definitely made a name for himself as a high roller. His average bet is a cool $433,000 - and many have been far higher than that.
Drake bets big again after huge US Open sports-betting loss
Notable Wins
- Super Bowl: He had better luck at the Super Bowl, betting $393,000 that the Rams would win. In early 2022, the star famously bet $600,000 in crypto on the Los Angeles Rams to win Super Bowl LVI over the Cincinnati Bengals. He also came out on top with a $500,000 bet on a touchdown by Rams wideout Odell Beckham Jr. in the same game.
- Western Conference: But Drake hit big by betting $159,000 on the Warriors to win the 2022 Western conference.
- Jon Jones: The day after his loss on the Tyson vs. Paul fight, The Boy was triumphant with a $450,000 bet on Jon Jones to defend his UFC heavyweight crown against Stipe Miocic.
- Logan Paul vs. Dillon Danis: His best bet on the sport was his correct prediction that Logan Paul would win against Dillon Danis in October 2023.
- Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann: By July, things began to take a good turn. That month, Drake wagered $136,000 against Israel Adesanya, and the Nigerian heavyweight came through. The “God’s Plan” singer would record an even bigger $3.7 million win ten days later. He took a higher risk, as Drake spent $2.2 million on Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann.
Significant Losses
- Spanish Grand Prix: Drake lost $250,000 on the Spanish Grand Prix in May 2022, wagering that Charles Leclerc would win it all. This past May, he dropped more than $250,000 on the Spanish Grand Prix, wagering that Charles Leclerc would take it all.
- Mixed-Sports Parlay: Then he blew $314,000 on a mixed-sports parlay bet in which he had the Nets, the Bluejays and and the Mavericks all in line to win, but it fell apart early when the Nets lost to the Celtics.
- Tyron Woodley vs. Jake Paul: In the past, Drake bet $400,000 on Tyron Woodley to win the boxing match against Jake Paul, but Paul knocked out Woodley.
- Israel Adesanya: In November 2022, Drake’s biggest ever loss came when he bet on Adesanya to beat Alex Pereira at UFC 281. On that occasion, he lost $1.59 million.
- World Cup Final: He bet $1 million for Argentina to win-in average time. Since Argentina didn’t win in 90 minutes, Drake lost a potential $2.75 million win.
- Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson: Famously, Drake risked $355,000 betting on Mike Tyson to beat Jake Paul in a boxing match in late 2024, sharing a screenshot of the Stake betting slip on Instagram. Had Tyson been triumphant, Drake would have taken a payout of more than $1 million. Drake’s recent bet on Tyson grabbed headlines, as did Paul’s reaction to the news that Drake had bet against him.
The Drake Curse and UFC
In addition to supporting the Toronto Raptors, the famous rapper is also a passionate fan of mixed martial arts and regularly attends and bets on UFC events. What’s interesting is that Drake is almost always wrong. There is a long history of Drake betting big money on a UFC fighter to win and then them going on to lose their fight. One occasion when the ‘curse’ was debunked was when Israel Adesanya beat Jared Cannonier, winning Drake $1m.
The Drake curse has long been recognized in the UFC, and he has placed a massive bet on the UFC 314 main event on Saturday. With the Canadian rapper’s history of getting his picks wrong, fans are now concerned for Volkanovski, anticipating that he may now suffer his third UFC loss in a row.
Even in victory, Topuria couldn't avoid drama. Following his win, he was involved in a heated cage-side altercation with fellow UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett. The two have a bitter history dating back to UFC London in 2022, when Pimblett infamously threw a bottle of hand sanitizer at Topuria in a hotel lobby. Topuria responded by swinging at him, igniting a rivalry that has only escalated since.
UFC 317: The Drake Curse Strikes Again
Drake's love affair with high-stakes sports betting has once again landed him on the losing side, this time at UFC 317. The Canadian rapper, no stranger to wagering hefty sums on combat sports, put down $200,000 on Charles Oliveira to defeat Ilia Topuria in Saturday's main event. But instead of cashing in, the five-time Grammy winner watched his money vanish as Topuria scored a devastating first-round knockout. "Brazil I love you and I owe you," Drake captioned on Instagram, showing off his betting slip. "Betting on Brazil."
Oliveira came into the bout as a sizable underdog, with +440 odds. Had he pulled off the upset, Drake would've walked away with a windfall of $880,000. Instead, the Brazilian was caught early by Topuria's power, succumbing to a thunderous right hand just minutes into Round 1. The sudden finish left the crowd in shock and Drake's wallet significantly lighter.
This latest loss adds to a growing list of unfortunate bets in Drake's combat sports history. Last August, he famously dropped $450,000 backing Israel Adesanya against Dricus du Plessis. Then in a controversial move, he wagered $355,000 on Mike Tyson to beat Jake Paul, despite Tyson being 58 and decades removed from his prime. That bet ended in disappointment, as Paul won the spectacle via decision.
Ilia Topuria's Triumph
While Drake licks his wounds, Ilia Topuria is celebrating one of the most dominant performances of his career. The 27-year-old Spaniard not only knocked out Oliveira, but in doing so, captured the UFC lightweight title and extended his perfect record to 17-0. The win also made Topuria the first undefeated fighter to hold titles in two divisions, having previously reigned in the featherweight class.
Drake's Overall Betting Statistics
Based on the wagers he's made public, Drake has now bet a total of $12.7 million on the UFC, and has made a profit with a total return of $13.5 million. While public UFC betting record indicates a net gain in terms of money, the data also shows that he has lost 15 out of those 25 bets.
Drake’s winnings took a definite hit in 2024, however, leading many to suggest that the curse could be taking hold once again. His 2024 bets brought in an overall loss of $1.59 million.
Summary of Drake's UFC Bets
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Amount Bet on UFC | $12.7 million |
| Total Return from UFC Bets | $13.5 million |
| Net Gain/Loss | +$800,000 |
| Losses | 15 out of 25 bets |
| 2024 Betting Loss | $1.59 million |
Undeterred by his losses, Drake continues to place huge bets on the UFC fights of the moment. In August, the hip-hop star was unlucky again, losing $450,000 when Israel Adesanya failed to beat Dricus Du Plessis. That’s not the first time Drake has lost betting on Adesanya, either.