Drake Wins N1.3 Billion Bet on Canada Defeating South Africa
- Drake's massive six-figure wager paid off after Canada's dramatic World Cup victory
- The Canadian rapper pocketed more than N1.3 billion after backing his home nation
- The result has reignited discussions about the famous "Drake Curse" among sports fans
Canadian music superstar Drake has landed another major sports betting win after cashing in on Canada's dramatic FIFA World Cup round of 32 victory over South Africa.
The Grammy-winning rapper had placed a staggering $770,000 wager on his home country to defeat Bafana Bafana in the knockout clash, and the bet paid off after Canada's late 1-0 triumph.
With the victory secured, Drake received a total payout of $1,001,000, equivalent to approximately N1,379,845,376.91 using the current exchange rate of $1 to N1,378.47.
After subtracting his original stake, the Canadian star walked away with an estimated profit of $231,000, adding another successful chapter to his long history of high-profile sports betting.
Late World Cup drama delivers huge payday
Drake's confidence in the Canadian national team looked set to be tested for almost the entire contest as South Africa frustrated the tournament co-hosts throughout regulation time.
The game appeared destined for extra time before midfielder Stephen Eustáquio struck deep into stoppage time to hand Canada a famous victory and send the North Americans into the round of 16.
That decisive goal not only kept Canada's World Cup dream alive but also ensured Drake's massive gamble produced a seven-figure payout.
The Stake betting slip was shared by Drake himself, the online betting platform with which Drake has maintained a long-running commercial partnership.
Ahead of the match, the rapper accompanied the wager with a playful message directed at South African DJ Black Coffee.
"#realblackcoffee was chirping in the DM. I had to raise my stakes."
The post quickly attracted widespread attention across social media, with football supporters in Nigeria, South Africa and other African countries closely following both the match and the outcome of Drake's latest gamble.
Drake backs Canada despite famous betting superstition
Drake has become almost as famous for his sports wagers as his music career.
The rapper regularly stakes hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions, of dollars on major sporting events ranging from football and basketball to boxing, UFC and American football.
His betting activity has also helped fuel one of the internet's biggest sporting superstitions, the so-called "Drake Curse."
The theory suggests that athletes or teams publicly backed by Drake often suffer unexpected defeats, leading many fans to jokingly fear his support before major competitions.
The superstition first gained popularity after several high-profile disappointments involving teams and athletes associated with the rapper.
Among the most talked-about examples was former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
Drake reportedly wagered more than $1.5 million on Adesanya to retain his title, only for the Nigerian-born fighter to suffer a dramatic knockout defeat against Alex Pereira despite controlling much of the contest.
The rapper also backed Tyson Fury to defeat Oleksandr Usyk in their undisputed heavyweight title fight.
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Instead, Usyk emerged victorious, handing Fury the first defeat of his professional boxing career.
Even before his betting slips became widely followed, Drake was linked to the so-called "photo curse."
Former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua famously posed for a picture with the Canadian rapper while joking that he would end the superstition.
Weeks later, Joshua suffered one of the biggest upsets in modern boxing after losing his world titles to Andy Ruiz Jr.
The superstition even reached European football in 2019 when several star players posed for photographs with Drake before their clubs unexpectedly lost their next matches.
Italian club AS Roma eventually joined the online jokes by humorously announcing that players were temporarily "banned" from taking pictures with the rapper.
Is the Drake Curse really real?
Despite its popularity online, many observers argue the phenomenon is nothing more than coincidence.
Because Drake publicly shares so many betting slips every year, successful predictions often receive far less attention than his losses.
The Canadian has also celebrated several major betting victories over the years, including successful wagers involving the Kansas City Chiefs and other leading teams.
His latest win against South Africa is therefore likely to add fresh fuel to the debate rather than settle it.
For many football fans, however, seeing Drake place a massive bet on a team remains enough to spark nervous jokes before kickoff.
This time, Canada's supporters will certainly have no complaints.
Eustáquio's goal ended South Africa's dream
Legit.ng previously reported that South Africa's impressive World Cup campaign ended in heartbreaking fashion after Canada secured a dramatic 1-0 victory in their Round of 32 encounter.
Stephen Eustáquio struck in stoppage time to send the tournament co-hosts into the Round of 16, while Bafana Bafana became the first African nation eliminated during the knockout stage of the competition following their historic run.
Source: Legit.ng
