Canadian rapper Aubrey “Drake” Graham is no doubt a musical superstar. The award-winning rapper is known worldwide for his several global hits. From his early mixtapes to record-breaking albums, he's consistently demonstrated his musical prowess and ability to connect with international audiences.
However, Drake, as he is popularly known, has made a name for himself not only with his chart-topping hits but also in the gambling world. Beyond his musical success, he's gained recognition for his penchant for placing substantial wagers on various sporting events and, sometimes, casino games. These high-stakes wagers have become a notable aspect of his public persona. And shared screenshots of his bets often make headlines due to the crazy sums involved.
This article covers the top 5 biggest Drake bets over the years. But before we dive in, you can read more here about the best online real-money casino games.
$2.2 Million UFC Bet on Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann
In July 2022, Drake made an incredible winning wager with a two-game parlay bet on two UFC matches. He predicted victories for UFC champion Paddy Pimblett against Jordan Leavit and Molly McCann against Hannah Goldy. With odds of 1.62, Drake's $2.2 million stake paid out a massive $3.7 million payout.
Paddy Pimblett won the fight as predicted, defeating his opponent by a rear-naked choke submission in the second round. The other encounter, which also occurred the same day, saw Molly McCann, former women's flyweight champion, defeat Hannah Goldy by a technical knockout in just the opening round of the fight.
$2 Million UFC Bet on Adesanya
The clash between Israel Adesanya and Pereira was quite popular, catching the attention of even people who were not avid UFC followers. So far, the two fighters have faced off four times, Pereira winning the first three and Adesanya winning the last. Drake was unfortunate enough to bet a whopping $2 Million on the third fight, predicting that Adesanya would win after losing the first two.
However, he eventually recouped his losses, as he also favored Adesanya in his bet against Alex in their fourth fight. This time, he bet a whopping $400,000 on Israel to win the encounter and another $500,000 on him to win by knockout. He won both bets, getting a whopping $2.7 million payout.
$1.1 Million AFC Bet on the Kansas Chiefs
Another notable hefty Drake bet was a $1.1 million wager on the Kansas City Chiefs to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals in the American Football Conference (AFC) Championship game. This match was crucial for the Chiefs, as a victory would secure their place in the Super Bowl.
In his bet, Drake predicted that the Chiefs would win the match, including extra time. Despite many punters favoring the Bengals at that time, the Chiefs defied the odds and won the game. As a result, Drake received a substantial $2 million payout.
$1 Million Football/Soccer Bet on Argentina
Drake's $1 million wager on current World Cup champion Argentina is not only one of his biggest bets but also one of the most unlucky ones. In his bet, he backed Argentina to win the World Cup against France, which they did. However, his prediction was explicitly that they would win the match in 90 minutes of play, not through penalties, which was the eventual outcome.
The wager was heading in the right direction when Argentina scored two goals in quick succession early into the match. However, the game ended up in a 3-3 draw after extra time, requiring a penalty kick to determine the winner. So, although Argentina won the match as Drake predicted, he still lost his bet.
$1 Million Boxing Bet on Gervonta Davis
Gervonta Davis was the clear favorite in his fight against Ryan Garcia, with many bettors backing him to win. Drake's decision to bet on Davis was, therefore, quite understandable.
However, before this wager, the rapper had experienced a string of betting losses, leading to a notion that he was cursed. In fact, it became a popular joke that anyone Drake backed in his bets would inevitably lose. For instance, when American influencer and wrestler Logan Paul lost his fight against Tommy Fury, he openly blamed the 'Drake Curse' for his loss after Drake placed a $400,000 bet favoring him to win.
Gervonta Davis emerged victorious against Ryan Garcia and eventually helped break the "Drake Curse" at that time. Drake's $1 million bet resulted in a total payout of $1.38 million.
Drake's Casino Gambling
Beyond his frequent big-money sports bets, Drake is also heavily involved in casino games. In early 2022, he shared a video on Instagram of a $354,000 roulette payout, and later that year, he won over $12 million on another roulette spin.
Drake doesn't limit his gambling escapades to physical casinos. He is also a big fan of online casinos, especially since partnering with Stake.com, a renowned crypto casino. He has held multiple live streams where he gambled live, giving away Bitcoin packages worth thousands to viewers. During one livestream, he won $17.9 million on his lucky number, black 11. In another, he won an incredible $24.9 million.
However, he has also suffered significant losses. In one stream, he started with $8.5 million, increased it to $27.2 million, and ended up with less than $2,000. Drake's huge wagers on these streams have made many question whether his stakes are actually real.
Conclusion
While his music remains his primary claim to fame, Drake's high-profile bets continue to capture the attention of fans and media alike. Beyond rap, he has made a name for himself in the gambling industry thanks to his crazy high stakes on sports bets and casino games.