Drake broadcasts his $500,000 bet with Stake on Stanley Cup
One of Canada’s most famous rappers and singers did it again. Drake decided to place another massive bet on a major sports event via a minimum bet Sportsbook Canada. As a hockey and NHL fan, it wasn’t unusual for Drake to bet $500,000 on the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup. The bet was placed nine days before the June 15 clash between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers.
As many times before, the hip-hop sensation shared a screenshot of the bet on Instagram. It’s actually a post where you can see two pictures. In the first picture, Drake wagered $500,000 in Bitcoin on the Dallas Mavericks to win against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
The estimated payout for both outcomes is similar, given that the odds are similar too: 2.75 and 2.05. This post got over 700,000 likes, which certainly benefits not only the singer but also Stake crypto casino, one of the best Canadian online casinos, with which Drake has collaborated.
It is typical for these posts on social networks to have a short comment. This time, the comment read, “Dallas cause I’m a Texan, Oilers are self-explanatory.” Of course, he was born in Canada. Still, he recently bought a $15 million ranch in Washington County, Texas, which technically and officially makes him a Texan.
Interestingly, this was not the first time Drake broadcasted his bets to his followers. On the contrary, he does this regularly. For instance, the singer dedicated a post to his bet on Alex Pereira at UFC 300 worth $675,000. About a month earlier, he wagered $615,000 on Francis Ngannou for the outcome of his heavyweight boxing match against Anthony Joshua.
Drake’s gambling history
The desire for betting and gambling seems to run in Drake’s family. His father, Graham, was a passionate bettor. So, it’s no wonder why the renowned multitalented singer developed an affection for this activity from a young age even before becoming a star.
Drake has said several times that casinos and betting shops were and still are one of his favorite places to spend his free time. Of course, he used smaller amounts in his youth, but now his bets are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. After he joined the world of celebrities, he can often be seen in the company of famous actors and musicians as he wagers money on high-roller tables.
In 2022, Stake, which is one of the best online casinos Canada has, became Drake’s sponsor. Stake & Drake, as the casino calls this collaboration, promises a new gaming experience to all users. For example, registered users have a chance to bet with Drake. The platform also has sections dedicated to his favorite roulette games and NBA betting markets.
The move made Canadian online casino sites a preferred option for Drake. However, he can still be seen in traditional casinos. Although information on how much money the rapper has invested in sports betting and gambling throughout his career is difficult to find, you can gain a clearer picture with the help of his public posts on social media. As expected, he sometimes makes a significant profit but also suffers losses.
What is the Drake Curse in gambling
When you share some of your activities for which you’re aware that there will be different reactions in the public, you should be ready for various stories to start to be woven about you. There are several stories about Drake, and one of the most interesting is related to sports betting. Of course, we are talking about the so-called Drake Curse.
The Drake Curse is a popular superstition among sports bettors that suggests that any team or athlete backed by Canadian rapper Drake is likelier to lose. In other words, if Drake posts his bet on Instagram or another social media platform, you should wager money on the opposite outcome. This belief stems from a series of high-profile losses Drake experienced when betting on various sports events.
For instance, in December 2022, Drake wagered $1,000,000 that Argentina would win the FIFA World Cup final against France. The truth is that Argentina won the tournament, but the win came in extra time, and Drake’s bet was placed in the regular 1×2 betting market.
Furthermore, in February 2023, there was a bet worth $400,000 on Jake Paul to win against Tyson Fury with a knockout. Fury won the boxing match in a split decision. Another famous case is the one from August 2022 when Drake bet $200,000 on Kamaru Usman to win against Leon Edwards at UFC 278. As you’ve probably guessed, Edwards won the match.
What makes the Drake Curse even more interesting is that it’s not just about bets. Some people have also begun to recognize patterns associated with the loss of teams and athletes simply supported by this hip-hop artist. According to many, the whole thing started after the release of his song Draft Day in 2014, in which he praised his friend, quarterback Johnny Manziel. The song was followed by the worst season for the player.
Some say that the Curse began in 2015 after the kiss with Serena Williams and the unexpected convincing defeat of Serena at the US Open by the outsider Roberta Vinci.
But in Drake’s defense, it has to be said that he has also had some massive wins and bets that have significantly improved his balance, although, to be honest, money has long been a non-issue for him.
One of his more significant winnings is the one from May 2022. Namely, he won $2,600,000 from a Calgary Flames, New York Rangers, and Dallas Mavericks parlay. Although Drake often bets on singles, this time, he decided on a different strategy that turned out to be very successful.
We don’t know if the fact that Stake, one of the most used Canadian low deposit casinos that sponsors UFC fighter Israel Adesanya as well as Drake, is one of the reasons why Drake decided to put a significant amount of money on the boxer, but this move was the right one. In April 2023, he won $2,275,000 after picking him as the winner before his match against Alex Pereira. In this case, Drake decided on a combination, that is, two bets, one for the winner and one that the victory will be decided by knockout.
Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024 is another sporting event the Canadian betting artist benefited from. Ahead of this event, he shared on Instagram that he wagered $1,150,000 on the Kansas City Chiefs to win the match. This brought him more than $2,300,000. Based on this information, it can be concluded that the Drake Curse is more of a superstition, and there’s no proof to support it. Drake has had his fair share of wins and losses, like other gamblers. Of course, the fact remains that many of his bets, as well as the support for specific teams and athletes, contributed to the building of this urban myth.
It seems that one of the reasons for this is the public announcement of the bets. Few gamblers want to publicly share their predictions or online casino bet slips with others simply because most believe it brings bad luck.
We will have the opportunity to see whether these beliefs will be strengthened or perceived as a coincidence soon, on June 15, when the first matches of this year’s Stanley Cup Finals and NBA Finals are scheduled. Meanwhile, readers should remember that Drake’s practice shouldn’t be followed blindly. Responsible gambling is the only way to have fun when wagering money on sports events.