Drake is hoping for better luck with his sports bets on the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Final after a tumultuous time with his recent feud with Kendrick Lamar.
According to TMZ Sports, the music mogul has wagered $500,000 on the Dallas Mavericks to defeat the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals and an equal amount on the Florida Panthers to beat the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final. If both bets succeed, Drake stands to win $2.4 million, with $1.375 million from a Mavericks victory and $1.025 million if the Panthers triumph.
Earlier in 2024, Drake experienced some setbacks with his betting. He lost $700,000 when Sean Strickland was defeated by Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in a closely contested match that ended in a split decision. The victorious du Plessis even thanked Drake, referencing the notorious “Drake curse.”
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However, Drake broke this supposed curse in February, winning $2.3 million thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs’ win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58. He continued his winning streak by placing $675,000 on Alex Pereira, who knocked out Jamahal Hill in the first round to retain the UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 300 on April 13.
Between the Super Bowl and UFC 300, Drake faced another loss, betting $615,000 on Francis Ngannou, who was defeated by Anthony Joshua. His most recent gamble involved losing $565,000 on Tyson Fury in his match against Oleksandr Usyk.
Drake, who is originally from Canada but recently purchased a ranch in Texas, humorously justified his bet on the Mavericks on Instagram, stating “cause I’m a Texan.” His reasoning for betting against the Oilers? He quipped that it’s “self explanatory” since they aren’t the Toronto Maple Leafs.
FanDuel lists the Mavericks as +188 underdogs as they enter the NBA Finals aiming for their second championship. Meanwhile, the Panthers are making their second consecutive appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, having lost last year to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
