It seems the so-called Drake’s Curse is losing its sting within the mixed martial arts arena. The seven-time platinum-selling artist, real name Aubrey Graham, won an eye-catching $2.7m on the main event at UFC 287 over the weekend.
Drake’s betting redemption came through Israel Adesanya, who beat Alex Pereira to reclaim the middleweight title. The victorious fighter sharing an image of his post-fight celebration via Twitter on Saturday:
The Canadian rapper bet $500,000 on Adesanya to win, staking another $400,000 on the Kiwi to win by knockout. The fighter known as ‘Stylebender’ duly obliged on both fronts, returning Drake $885,000 and $1.8m respectively for a total win of $2.75m.
It was sweet medicine for bettor and fighter. Adesanya reclaimed the title he lost in November, a defeat that cost Drake the $1.6m he had riding on the UFC legend. That loss came just four months after an Adesanya win netted Drake $1m, breaking a long losing streak for the rapper.
Asked about Drake’s latest winning bet, Adesanya gave a shoutout to all who bet on him, adding:
when I step into the octagon I put my life on the line.”
“That’s the biggest parlay you can ever do.”
The fighter also credited crypto sportsbook operator Stake after his win, saying: “We are about to make another deal and get more money.”