Drake’s $1 Million Betting Loss Revives ‘Drake Curse’ Debate

Drake, once celebrated as the artist of the 2010s, is facing a challenging year in 2024. The rapper has encountered criticism from former collaborators and a high-profile feud with Kendrick Lamar, who recently defeated him in a rap battle. Lamar marked his victory with a legendary Juneteenth concert, leaving Drake to deal with the fallout.

Compounding his troubles, Drake has also suffered a significant financial setback, losing $1 million in bets on the Stanley Cup finals and the NBA finals. He placed a $500,000 bet on the Edmonton Oilers, who lost to the Florida Panthers on June 24, and another $500,000 on the Dallas Mavericks to win the NBA finals, both of which failed.

Also Read: Mohammad Amir Terminates Betting Company Contract Post-PCB Warning

Drake’s loyalty to Canadian teams is well-known, and he shared the betting stub on June 6. However, his bets resulted in a substantial loss within two weeks, rekindling the “Drake curse”—a decade-old notion that his support brings bad luck to sports teams. Fans highlighted his latest misfortune, with the Dallas Nation Twitter account asserting that the curse is “alive and well.” Drake had previously joked about this curse during the Toronto Raptors’ NBA title run in 2019.

While Drake’s betting habits have often been a source of humor, Kendrick Lamar’s recent diss track, “Meet the Grahams,” took a darker approach. Lamar accused Drake of gambling issues and other personal struggles, rapping, “Thirty-seven, but you showin’ up as a seven-year-old. You got gamblin’ problems, drinkin’ problems, pill-poppin’ and spendin’ problems. Bad with money…” This latest betting loss only seems to validate Lamar’s claims.