When people search for rappers who gamble Canada always comes back to one name: Drake, the Toronto star whose public bets on hockey, football, UFC and the World Cup are posted, tracked and mocked as the “Drake curse”. Other rappers, including 50 Cent and Nelly, built gambling reputations in Las Vegas and at poker tables. If you bet yourself, use licensed sites from our Canadian casino rankings.
Below we list the best-documented bets, check what the odds implied, test whether the curse holds up statistically, and set out what the Stake partnership and the lawsuits around it mean for Canadian bettors.
| Rapper | Known for | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Drake | Huge public sports bets through Stake; the “Drake curse” | Global News, Fox Sports, Complex, Business Insider Africa |
| 50 Cent | Las Vegas casinos, poker and a big Mayweather-Pacquiao bet | AllHipHop |
| Nelly | Celebrity poker, including a charity tournament win | AllHipHop |
Which rappers are known for gambling?
Drake leads every list, with 50 Cent and Nelly close behind, AllHipHop says. Drake bets on sports in public, 50 Cent is a regular in Las Vegas and Nelly plays high-stakes poker. Among rappers who gamble, Canada’s Drake is by far the most visible.
AllHipHop’s view is that wealthy rappers gamble for the thrill rather than the money.
Drake differs from other rappers who gamble because he shares screenshots of his bets before games, so fans in Canada can follow every win and loss.
That openness turned his betting into a running story for sports media, and a marketing channel for the site he bets with.
Why is Drake the face of rap gambling in Canada?
Because he is a Toronto-born global star who posts bets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars on Instagram, often on Canadian teams. Global News, Complex and Business Insider Africa all cover his wagers. No other name comes close when Canadians discuss rappers who gamble.
His bets have included the Edmonton Oilers, Canada’s men’s soccer team and fights held in Toronto, all topics that keep rappers who gamble Canada wide in sports coverage.
He has backed teams far from home too, from the Kansas City Chiefs to Argentina.
Each post draws headlines whether he wins or loses, which keeps the topic of rappers who gamble Canada wide in the news.
What is Drake’s relationship with Stake?
A long-running promotional partnership. Complex reports he signed an endorsement deal with Stake worth a reported 100 million four years ago and has livestreamed gambling sessions on the platform. That deal makes him the best-known example of rappers who gamble Canada fans follow online.
Global News noted that his Oilers bet was placed with Stake and shared on his Instagram account.
Business Insider Africa says he has wagered close to one billion pounds on major events through Stake over the past five years, a figure it attributes to its own reporting.
Stake is a crypto-focused casino and sportsbook; Ontario players can check whether any site, Stake included, appears on iGaming Ontario’s list of registered operators.
What is the “Drake curse”?
A running joke that any team or athlete Drake publicly backs will lose. Fox Sports calls it a superstition that follows his big bets, and AllHipHop calls it a harmless idea not to take seriously. It is the most famous story about rappers who gamble Canada has produced.
Fans worry when Drake posts a bet on their team, Fox Sports reports, which makes him the rare case among rappers who gamble Canada fans actively hope will bet against them.
Drake has played along: before Canada’s Round of 16 match against Morocco at this summer’s World Cup, he posted a bet of one dollar on Morocco, writing that he would “try reverse curse strategy”, Yahoo Sports reported.
The joke works because his losses are public and large, while his wins draw less attention, a pattern common to stories about rappers who gamble Canada fans share.
What were Drake’s biggest reported bets?
Hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars on football, hockey, UFC, tennis and soccer, according to Global News, Fox Sports, Complex and Business Insider Africa. The table collects the best-documented wagers of the most famous of rappers who gamble Canada fans follow.
| When | Bet | Stake (dollars, as reported) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two years ago | Sean Strickland to beat Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in Toronto | 700,000 | Lost |
| Two years ago | Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl | Not stated | Won nearly 1.2 million |
| Two years ago | Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup | 500,000 | Lost; Florida won the final |
| This February | New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX | About 1 million | Lost to Seattle |
| Reported by Fox Sports | Jannik Sinner over Carlos Alcaraz | About 300,000 | Lost |
| This summer | Canada to beat South Africa, World Cup Round of 32 | 770,000 | Won; payout 1,001,000 |
| This summer | Morocco over Canada, Round of 16 | 1 | A “reverse curse” joke |
| This summer | Argentina to win the World Cup final in 90 minutes | 1.5 million | Lost 1-0 to Spain |
Amounts are as reported by the outlets named above, which quote US dollars; we have not verified them independently.
These are the bets he chose to publicise, so the list is not his full record, a limit on every account of rappers who gamble Canada media publish.
What happened with the World Cup bet on Canada?
Drake staked 770,000 on Canada to beat South Africa in the Round of 32, with a potential payout of 1,001,000, and won about 231,000 when Stephen Eustáquio scored a late volley for a 1-0 win, Business Insider Africa and Complex report. It was a rare home-team win for rappers who gamble Canada watched.
He said he raised the stake after South African DJ Black Coffee “was chirping in the DM”.
The match was played at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Business Insider Africa notes, and it became the best-known win for rappers who gamble Canada fans cheered.
Canada, one of the tournament’s co-hosts, advanced to the Round of 16 with the win, Complex reported.
What odds did the Canada bet imply?
A return of 1,001,000 on 770,000 is decimal odds of about 1.30, or roughly -333 in North American terms, implying a 76.9% chance, by our sums. Drake was backing a strong favourite, not a long shot, which is common among rappers who gamble Canada fans follow.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Stake | 770,000 |
| Total return | 1,001,000 |
| Profit | 231,000 |
| Decimal odds | About 1.30 |
| American odds | About -333 |
| Implied probability | About 76.9% |
Risking 770,000 to win 231,000 means risking about 3.3 dollars for every dollar of profit.
At a normal bettor’s scale, the same bet would be 77 to win about 23, the same odds any of the rappers who gamble Canada fans follow would get.
What odds did the World Cup final bet imply?
A missed payout of about 5.1 million on a 1.5 million stake implies decimal odds near 3.4, or about +240, and an implied chance near 29%, by our sums using Fox Sports’ figures. The bet needed Argentina to win within 90 minutes, a harder outcome than simply winning the trophy.
Fox Sports reports that Argentina lost the final 1-0 to Spain, adding another loss to the record of rappers who gamble Canada media track.
A 90-minute bet loses if the match goes to extra time, even if the team later wins.
That detail mattered four years earlier too, when Argentina won the final on penalties.
What happened with the World Cup final bet four years ago?
Sources disagree. Business Insider Africa says Drake lost a wager of about 837,000 pounds on Argentina in that final, while Fox Sports describes the same bet as a win. The match went to penalties, which decides whether a 90-minute bet pays. It is a reminder to check sources on rappers who gamble Canada media cover.
Argentina beat France on penalties after a draw over 120 minutes.
Bets on a team “to win” usually settle on the 90-minute result plus stoppage time, unless stated otherwise.
Read the market name on any slip before assuming what counts as a win.
Does the “Drake curse” hold up statistically?
Not convincingly. Of the seven bets in our table with a real outcome, he won two. Two or fewer wins in seven coin flips happens about 22.7% of the time, by our sums. The curse makes a good story about rappers who gamble Canada fans enjoy, but proves little.
| Wins out of 7 coin-flip bets | Probability |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0.8% |
| 1 | 5.5% |
| 2 | 16.4% |
| 2 or fewer | 22.7% |
A number of his picks were favourites, which win more often than coin flips on average, so the losing run looks worse against that standard.
Still, public bets are selected for attention, and wins get less coverage than losses, which tilts the story.
What did Bloomberg report about Drake and Stake?
Complex says a Bloomberg Businessweek investigation found Drake won on slot games made by Easygo, Stake’s parent company, at a rate far higher than the average player. Stake called the findings “categorically incorrect”. The report put rappers who gamble Canada fans watch under a harder light.
Stake co-founder Ed Craven has previously denied that influencers receive better odds, Complex notes.
Influencer streams showing big wins can shape how viewers see their own chances.
Ordinary players get the published odds and RTP of each game, nothing more, however lucky the streams of rappers who gamble Canada viewers watch appear.
What legal scrutiny has Stake faced?
Lawsuits accusing the company of operating as an illegal online casino, including one in Virginia that described Drake and streamer Adin Ross as paid promoters, Complex reports. Those cases are part of the context for rappers who gamble Canada fans see on social media.
Allegations in lawsuits are claims, not findings, until a court decides, including those involving rappers who gamble Canada audiences recognise.
Celebrity endorsements are advertising, whatever the format, including posts from rappers who gamble Canada audiences see.
Players in Ontario can check a site’s status on the iGaming Ontario list; players elsewhere can check the licence named in the site’s footer.
Did Drake really win 17 million at roulette?
AllHipHop says Drake once cashed out 17 million in a roulette game, citing it as evidence that the curse is only a joke. We found no primary source for the figure in our research. Treat big casino claims about rappers who gamble Canada fans share with caution.
Roulette’s house edge is 2.70% on a single-zero wheel, so large wins come from variance, not skill.
Livestreamed sessions at high stakes produce dramatic swings in both directions.
Our roulette odds page explains the edge on every bet.
How does 50 Cent gamble?
AllHipHop describes 50 Cent as a familiar figure at Las Vegas casinos and in poker tournaments, and says he bet 1.6 million on Floyd Mayweather against Manny Pacquiao more than a decade ago, winning around 2.3 million. He is the American counterpart to the rappers who gamble Canada knows best.
AllHipHop also repeats a rumour that he took serious poker lessons from professional players.
The Mayweather-Pacquiao bout was billed as the “Fight of the Century”.
Boxing remains one of the most popular sports for celebrity bets, from 50 Cent to the rappers who gamble Canada fans know today.
How does Nelly gamble?
Mostly at the poker table. AllHipHop says Nelly won a celebrity poker tournament held for Rolling Stone’s 40th anniversary and donated the winnings to charity, and that he plays in World Series of Poker events. He shows a skill-game side of rappers who gamble that Canada fans rarely hear about.
Poker differs from casino games because players compete against each other, not the house.
Skill can matter over long runs of hands, unlike slots or roulette, which is why poker suits rappers who gamble for the challenge.
Celebrity charity events are usually low-stakes for the players, with the money going to good causes.
What can Canadian bettors learn from celebrity bets?
That big public slips are marketing, that favourites still lose and that stake size has to match your own budget, not a star’s. The lesson from rappers who gamble Canada fans follow is to treat their bets as entertainment, not tips.
- Bet a small share of your own budget, never a fixed celebrity amount.
- Read the market terms, such as 90 minutes versus extra time.
- Avoid copying bets posted by paid promoters.
- Keep records of your own results.
Multi-leg tickets raise the house edge sharply; our parlay betting system page shows how.
Set limits before betting on big events, when the urge to join in is strongest.
What do Drake’s bets look like at normal stakes?
Divide by 10,000. His 770,000 Canada bet becomes 77 to win about 23, and his 1.5 million Argentina bet becomes 150 that would have returned about 510, by our sums. Scaling the slips shows rappers who gamble Canada fans follow use ordinary odds, just with huge stakes.
| Bet | Reported stake | At one ten-thousandth | Return if it won, scaled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada over South Africa | 770,000 | 77 | About 100 |
| Argentina to win the final in 90 minutes | 1.5 million | 150 | About 510 |
| Oilers to win the Stanley Cup | 500,000 | 50 | Not reported |
| Strickland at UFC 297 | 700,000 | 70 | Not reported |
The odds are the same ones any bettor sees; only the stake is extraordinary.
Copying the bet at your own scale copies the house edge too, which is why rappers who gamble Canada fans watch are not a source of tips.
Why do celebrities post their bets?
Attention and promotion. Drake’s slips appear on Instagram before games, and Complex reports a lawsuit describing him as a paid promoter of Stake. Posting bets keeps both the star and the site in the news, which explains the visibility of rappers who gamble Canada fans see.
Each post brings coverage whether the bet wins or loses.
Losses feed the curse story; wins feed the idea that big bets pay.
Treat any public slip from rappers who gamble as advertising unless the poster clearly says otherwise.
What is Easygo?
Stake’s parent company, which also makes slot games offered on the platform, Complex says. The Bloomberg report Complex summarised focused on Drake’s results on Easygo slots. The company sits behind the platform most linked to rappers who gamble Canada fans follow.
Ed Craven is a Stake co-founder who has denied that influencers get better odds.
Easygo games, like all slots, return a set percentage over the long run, shown in each game’s rules.
Check the RTP of any game before playing, wherever it is hosted.
Which sports do rappers who gamble prefer?
Big-event sports: football, hockey, UFC, tennis and World Cup soccer for Drake, boxing for 50 Cent and poker for Nelly, according to our sources. Headline events draw the biggest bets from rappers who gamble Canada fans follow.
Championship games and title fights offer the most publicity per bet.
Hockey bets on Canadian teams carry extra attention at home.
For ordinary bettors, big events also bring the heaviest promotions, which is a good reason to set a budget first.
Where can Canadians bet legally?
At provincial lottery platforms in every province and, in Ontario, at private sportsbooks registered with the AGCO and iGaming Ontario; Alberta also opened a private market this year. Age limits are 19 in most provinces and 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. That is the legal path, whatever rappers who gamble do online.
Ontario-registered sites must verify age and location before play.
Offshore sites accept Canadians in other provinces but sit outside provincial oversight.
Check the licence before depositing anywhere, whatever site the rappers who gamble Canada fans follow happen to promote.
How do you keep sports betting fun?
Use deposit limits, loss limits and time-outs, bet only money set aside for entertainment and stop after big wins as well as losses. Those habits matter more than any celebrity’s picks. Our tools page helps Canadians who follow rappers who gamble stay in control.
Major events such as the World Cup and the Stanley Cup final bring heavy betting promotion.
Decide your budget for the event before it starts, rather than matching the stakes of rappers who gamble Canada fans see online.
Our gambling limits online page covers deposit caps, loss caps and time-outs.
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