Drake Curse Sees Rapper Lose $1.5M Bet at World Cup Final

Drake has lost a $1.5 million World Cup final bet following Argentina's 1-0 loss to Spain, adding to the rapper’s infamous “Drake Curse” betting history.

Charlotte Capewell

Last Updated: July 21, 2026 7:31 AM EDT • 2 minute read

Pictured: Rapper Drake arrives on a red carpet as we look at how his curse saw the rapper lose big on the World Cup final. Photo by REUTERS/Mark Blinch

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Canadian rapper Drake has lost a $1.5 million bet on Argentina to beat Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, in what seems to be the latest example of the so-called ‘Drake Curse’.

A day before the final, Drake posted on Instagram that he had wagered $1.5 million on Argentina through the online gambling platform Stake, with the bet giving a potential return of over $5.2 million if the South American team won the trophy.

But before kickoff, fans filled the comments section with references to the “curse”, with one user with the handle ‘charrlatteeee’ writing, “Thank god Argentina might actually lose because of this,” another user named ‘meme.ig’ said, “The drake curse is still very much alive and well.” Both comments received thousands of likes.

Those predictions proved correct after Spain gained a 1-0 victory following extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring the winning goal in the 106th minute to give Spain the 2026 World Cup title and end Drake's hopes of a multimillion-dollar payout.

The latest defeat for Drake’s high-profile sports betting follows another costly wager earlier this month, when he reportedly lost $1 million after backing Conor McGregor in his UFC fight against Max Holloway in a bet that would have returned around $2.85 million had McGregor been victorious.

Despite the talk of the “curse,” there has been at least one notable exception to the trend. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Drake famously wagered on Argentina to defeat France in the final, with Lionel Messi's team eventually winning the trophy on penalties. Many supporters, however, dismissed that success as an anomaly.

World Cup loss follows pledge to stop betting

With the Drake Curse in full swing during the World Cup, there was a moment when the Toronto-born rapper said he would step away from sports betting full stop. During this year’s Super Bowl final, which saw the Seattle Seahawks take on the New England Patriots, the ‘Drake curse’ reared its head once again, with the rapper facing a seven-figure loss.

Ahead of the Super Bowl, Drake announced that he had placed a $1 million wager on the Patriots to win the game. Before the event, he had shared his wager on social media alongside the message: “Bet against me if you dare.”

But the Patriots' defeat to the Seattle Seahawks meant Drake missed a potential payout of around $2.95 million, and after the game, he posted a video of himself playing online roulette, telling followers that he would stick to what he knows, rather than betting on sports.

At the time, the Super Bowl loss was only the latest in a series of unsuccessful high-profile bets, including bets on the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl in 2025.

Written by:
Charlotte Capewell

Charlotte’s love for all things iGaming shines through in everything she writes. From sports betting and U.S. legislation to prediction markets and beyond, she blends sharp analysis with storytelling that makes even the most technical topics come alive. Always chasing the next big scoop, Charlotte keeps a close eye on industry news, eager to share her excitement and insights with readers, whether they’re industry veterans or newcomers discovering iGaming for the first time. When she’s not deep in gaming headlines, you’ll probably find her glued to the F1, cheering on her favorite team, Williams, and driver. Her dream? To be trackside at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, notebook in hand, of course.