Canadian rap icon Drake has once again fallen victim to his own infamous betting luck. Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday. This result meant the music superstar lost a staggering $1.5 million bet.
The wager was placed on the South American giants to secure victory within 90 minutes. In Kenyan currency, the stake was worth approximately Ksh 193.5 million. If the bet had been successful, Drake stood to collect a payout of roughly $5.1 million.
The High Stakes of the Final
Lionel Messi and Argentina may have been doomed before the kickoff at MetLife Stadium. Drake revealed his massive wager on Friday night via Instagram. He shared a betting slip showing his $1.5 million stake on the defending champions.
Argentina fans became worried as soon as the bet was made public. They feared the “Drake Curse,” a superstition suggesting that any team receiving his support is destined to lose.
“Argentina’s toughest opponent isn’t Spain — it’s Drake’s $1.5 million Stake bet,” one fan tweeted.
A History of Expensive Failures
The rapper has an infamous history of placing wagers on losing sides. Earlier this year, he suffered a $1 million loss during Super Bowl LX. He had backed the New England Patriots, but they fell to the Seattle Seahawks.
He also lost $300,000 after backing tennis star Jannik Sinner to beat Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open. His failures extend to combat sports as well. Recently, he placed $1 million on Conor McGregor to win his UFC return match. McGregor suffered a leg injury just over a minute into the fight. McGregor later said: “My head gasket is gone. Destroyed.”
The 2022 World Cup Anomaly
There was some hope for Argentina because Drake actually won a bet on them in 2022. He accurately predicted their triumph over France in the Qatar final. However, even that victory came with a loss.
He had bet $1 million on Argentina to win in regulation time. Because the match required penalties to determine a winner, Drake still lost his money.
Promotional Questions
Despite the high stakes, some observers question if the money is real. Drake has a lucrative partnership with the betting platform, Stake. He even appeared in a commercial celebrating a $30 million win on the site.
However, this relationship has led to legal issues. Drake is currently named in a federal class-action lawsuit. The suit alleges he promoted the platform while gambling with company funds rather than his own money. One social media user commented: “I don’t think he uses real money — he’s a Stake ambassador.”
