Drake exposes his spectacular sports betting losses

In June 2025, Aubrey ‘Drake’ Graham, the global rap superstar, suffered colossal losses betting on sporting events. According to a photo shared on Instagram, he wagered a total of $124.5 million in the space of a month. But the balance was bitter: his losses totalled $8.2 million (around €7.2 million).

What bets got Drake into trouble?

Unlike previous scandals linked to the “curse of Drake”, he has not specified which matches were involved. We only know that part of these losses is linked to an XXL bet on the Oklahoma City Thunder, notably during the NBA finals.

Drake is no stranger to placing large bets on betting platforms like Stake, regularly posting captures of his bets on Instagram. He has even admitted that he could be ‘addicted’ to betting. But for him, losing several million hardly seems to mar his lifestyle: he already had financial engines approaching several hundred million euros.

Between fascination and responsibility

This public transparency about such spectacular losses creates a paradox: on the one hand, it sheds new light on the reality of gambling; on the other, it can encourage risky behaviour among young fans.

Critics point the finger at the normalisation of such behaviour: massive bets stylised as a game, shared in stories, can send a dangerous message to the most vulnerable.

The ‘curse of Drake’: myth or reality?

Drake’s curse is a popular theory, halfway between running gag and sporting superstition, according to which any team or athlete backed by Drake, whether through betting or as a fan, will eventually lose. This phenomenon has grown over the years as the Canadian rapper has publicly displayed his sporting preferences, often followed by catastrophic results for the teams or athletes concerned.

On 18 May 2025, Drake lost $1 million after betting on the Toronto Maple Leafs in their play-off match against the Florida Panthers. It was this episode that reignited the conversation around this curse.

A few weeks earlier, he had lost $355,000 by backing Mike Tyson over Logan Paul, another prediction that backfired. The same fate befell his $1 million-plus bet on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 2025, a team that ultimately lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Drake’s attempt to defend himself

Despite the series of setbacks, Drake firmly rejects this theory. In a fake interview posted on Instagram on 19 May 2025, conducted as part of a campaign with betting platform Stake, he quipped:

“I feel like I don’t play sports. Whether I picked the wrong team or not — if I could get out there and win for all your favorite teams, I would.”

He also reminds us that the Toronto Raptors were crowned NBA champions in 2019, putting the logic of the curse to shame:

“The Drake Curse is funny to me, honestly. First of all, the Raptors won a championship, so nobody could ever talk to me about the Drake Curse. The Toronto Raptors are NBA Champions. If there was a Drake Curse, Kawhi [Leonard] would’ve never hit that shot, we would’ve never beat the Warriors. There is no Drake curse, but it’s funny, though.”

In all lucidity, the artist nonetheless admits that betting is not his strong point:

‘I’m sure if you’re a Drake curse believer, there will be plenty more content in the future to confirm your theories because for whatever reason, my slips do not cash out.’

Alleged victims of the curse

The list is long of sports personalities or teams who have allegedly been ‘cursed’ after receiving Drake’s public support:

• Conor McGregor: beaten after being photographed with the rapper.
• Golden State Warriors: defeated in the final shortly after a photo of Drake in their dressing room.
• Serena Williams: eliminated at the US Open shortly after showing support.
• Alabama Roll Tide and Kentucky Wildcats: eliminated after public appearances by the singer.
• Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics): often praised by Drake, but no notable victories linked to his support.

Coincidence or psychological influence?

The fascination with this “curse” also reveals the power of narratives in sport. Every defeat suffered by these teams, when preceded by public support from Drake, becomes an element that reinforces popular belief.