The “Drake Curse” struck again in the World Cup final as the rapper lost another $1.5 million wagering on soccer’s showpiece event.
Drake bet $1.5 million that Argentina would beat Spain over 90 minutes. The match ended in a 0-0 draw before Spain won in extra time.
The Canadian posted the losing bet slip on Instagram, where followers were quick to flag up his past losing sports bets. One commenter noted, “The drake curse is still very much alive and well.”
Drake also lost $1 million backing Argentina to win over 90 minutes in the 2022 World Cup final. On that occasion, the South Americans eventually triumphed, beating France on penalties.
Drake’s Biggest Losses
Recently, Drake hit a huge jackpot playing slots, netting winnings of $30 million. His sports bets have often failed, however, and he followed the jackpot win with a losing $1 million wager on Conor McGregor. The Irishman lasted just over a minute on his return to the octagon against Max Holloway.
The recent loss on Argentina ranks as his second-biggest losing bet, just short of the $1.595 million he wagered on Israel Adesanya to beat Alex Pereira at UFC 281 in 2022.
Other bad beats include:
- $1.25 million on the Toronto Maple Leafs to win Game 7 against the Florida Panthers in the NHL Playoffs
- $1.2 million on Jake Paul to beat Tommy Fury
- $1 million on the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl LX
- $800,000 on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA Finals
- $565,000 on Tyson Fury to beat Oleksandr Usyk
- $355,000 on Mike Tyson to beat Jake Paul in 2024
- $300,000 on Janick Sinner to win the US Open in 2025
- $210,000 on Tyler Fritz to win the US Open in 2024
- $200,000 on Jake Paul to beat Anthony Joshua
In a single month last year, he lost $8 million. He has also lost as much as $20 million in a single session playing online casino games.
Wins & Sponsorship Deal Compensate Losses
On the other side, he has posted some big wins, collecting $2.36 million in profit from his largest sports betting success: a 2022 parlay on the Dallas Mavericks, New York Rangers, and Calgary Flames.
Other notable wins include:
- $1.45 million win on Jon Jones to beat Ciryl Gane by submission (UFC 285)
- $1.44 million win on Israel Adesanya to beat Alex Pereira by knockout (UFC 287)
- $1.43 million win on a Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann parlay (UFC London)
- $1.20 million win on the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the San Francisco 49ers (Super Bowl LVIII)
The rapper signed a deal with gambling platform Stake in 2022. The company reportedly pays him as much as $100 million per year to promote the brand online.
The relationship appears to be ongoing, despite Drake publicly criticizing Stake’s owners last year.
Influencer Betting Promos Spark Criticism
Drake’s repeated posts about high-stakes wagers have come under criticism, with many fans urging the rapper to end his public promotion of gambling.
Some have gone even further, filing lawsuits against Drake and Stake over claims that the partnership is encouraging illegal gambling.
On the face of it, posting large losses such as the latest wager on Argentina would appear to discourage betting. However, studies suggest that showing losses and some wins, as Drake does, makes gambling seem more realistic and relatable.
The authors of a review of influencer betting promotions also said that young people are increasingly exposed to gambling content on social media. Many of Drake’s 139 million Instagram followers will be minors.
“Targeted interventions, including educational campaigns, should be prioritised to raise awareness of the risks associated with influencer marketing and gambling,” write the authors. “These steps are critical to protecting vulnerable children and young people from potential gambling-related harms.”
