Argentina will have two opponents in Sunday’s World Cup final: Spain’s national soccer team and the dreaded Drake curse.
The Canadian rapper has wagered $1.5 million on Lionel Messi & Co. for the chance at a $5.1 million payout, as seen in the digital betting slip he shared online.
Such a wager, as massive as it is, shouldn’t impact Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Yet, to anyone familiar with Drake’s history as a gambler, his betting slip seemed like a bad omen for the defending champions.
‘Argentina’s toughest opponent isn’t Spain,’ one fan joked on X, ‘it’s Drake’s $1.5M Stake bet.’
‘Damnit,’ another added. ‘Just when I went big on [Argentina]. Might have to cash out.’
Just this month, Drake dropped $1 million on Conor McGregor winning his UFC comeback fight, only to see the aging Irishman injure himself in the first round of a TKO loss.
Drake doesn’t seem to be hurting for cash, despite his struggles picking winners
Lionel Messi and Team Argentina have Drake in their corner, which may not be a good thing
And according to TheDrakeCurse.com, a website dedicated to his wagers, Drake is down $1.56 million across 87 public bets. Interestingly, cricket has been the Toronto native’s best sport, while hockey has proven to be problematic.
He lost a combined $1.5 million when the Florida Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round of the 2025 playoffs.
Of course, Drake has a partnership with Stake, an Australian-Curaçaoan online casino that uses cryptocurrency, leading many to wonder if he’s lost any money whatsoever.
Currently Drake, content creator Adin Ross and Stake are facing federal racketeering (RICO) and deceptive-endorsement class-action lawsuits filed on behalf of other Stake users.
Drake’s $1.5 million wager on underdog Argentina could turn into a $5.1 million payout
‘Defendants Drake and Ross are paid by Stake to promote the platform,’ read the December filing obtained by The Daily Mail.
‘The two have engaged in live-streamed gambling, wagering large sums of money that was provided surreptitiously by Stake. In other words, though Drake and Ross purported to be gambling with their own Stake Cash, it was in fact provided to them by the house.’
Although the defendants have moved to dismiss the case, the legal battle remains ongoing. Both Stake and Ross have denied any wrongdoing, while Drake has formally declined to respond to the allegations.
Critics have also accused Drake of faking massive losses on Stake as part of his reported $100 million endorsement deal with the company.
‘I don’t think he uses real money, he’s an ambassador for stake,’ one fan wrote. ‘Those must be fake tickets.’
