Drake has found himself on the wrong side of the betting table again, this time at UFC 305, where his wager on Israel Adesanya backfired.
The Grammy-winning rapper, known for his high-stakes bets and an alleged “Drake curse,” faced a light-hearted jab from UFC fighter Dricus du Plessis after his loss.
Dricus du Plessis retained his middleweight title by defeating Israel Adesanya in the fourth round in their bout on August 17. The drama started the night before when Drake, true to his sports betting reputation, posted his bet on Adesanya on Instagram. The Toronto native expressed confidence in his pick, but his optimism did not translate into success.
The ongoing joke about Drake’s bets jinxing his favored athletes resurfaced quickly after the match. Du Plessis couldn’t resist poking fun at the situation, celebrating his victory in a way that subtly acknowledged Drake’s misplaced faith.
Drake’s betting history is a rollercoaster of wins and losses, with the “Drake curse” being a persistent narrative whenever he publicly backs a team or player. During this time, his luck ran out, it hasn’t always been the case.
Earlier this year, Drake broke the curse by winning over $2 million after correctly predicting the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory in Super Bowl LVIII. The rapper placed a hefty $1.15 million bet on the Chiefs, riding on the wave of Taylor Swift’s popularity, as she was romantically linked to the Chiefs’ star tight end, Travis Kelce.
Drake’s social media post about his bet went viral, and his success was celebrated with a substantial $2.346 million payout, solidifying his allegiance to the Swifties.