Drake, the Canadian rapper and global music icon, has become synonymous with high-stakes gambling in recent years. His betting activities have attracted widespread attention, not only for the astronomical sums involved but also for the controversial nature of his partnership with online gambling platforms. Understanding what Drake bets on provides insight into both celebrity gambling culture and the evolving landscape of online wagering.
Introduction to Drake's Gambling Presence
Drake's gambling activities have transformed from a private hobby into a public spectacle. The artist regularly shares his betting slips, wins, and losses with his millions of social media followers, creating a unique intersection between celebrity culture and gambling promotion. His involvement extends beyond casual betting to a formal business relationship with Stake, a crypto-based online casino that has become central to his public persona in recent years.
The rapper's gambling content has become so prominent that some observers note he promotes Stake more aggressively than his own music releases. This shift has sparked debates about celebrity responsibility, gambling addiction, and the ethics of promoting betting platforms to young audiences.
Sports Betting: Drake's Primary Wagering Focus
Sports betting represents a significant portion of Drake's gambling activities. The rapper frequently places substantial wagers on major sporting events, with particular emphasis on North American sports leagues.
NFL and Football Betting
Drake regularly bets on National Football League games, often placing six-figure wagers on individual matches. In January 2025, he won $630,000 on a $210,000 bet that the Baltimore Ravens would defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL wild card game. These football bets typically involve straightforward win predictions, though Drake also engages with more complex betting markets including point spreads and player performance props.
UFC and Combat Sports Wagers
Mixed martial arts, particularly UFC events, feature prominently in Drake's betting portfolio. He has publicly acknowledged winning nearly one million dollars on UFC champion bets. Combat sports offer the high-stakes, unpredictable outcomes that appear to appeal to Drake's gambling preferences, with individual fights providing clear win-or-lose scenarios that align with his betting style.
Other Sports and Competitions
Beyond football and UFC, Drake has demonstrated willingness to bet on various sporting events and competitions. His gambling interests extend to basketball, boxing, and even unconventional wagers such as betting on weightlifting competitions with streaming personalities. This diverse approach suggests Drake views betting opportunities across the entire sports landscape rather than specializing in a single discipline.
Online Casino Games and Slot Machines
While sports betting garners significant attention, Drake also engages extensively with online casino games, particularly slot machines offered through the Stake platform.
Slot Machine Sessions
Drake has been documented playing various themed slot machines during live streaming sessions. One notable example includes the game Nine to Five, where he and streamer Adin Ross lost $100,000 in under 45 seconds. These slot sessions often involve maximum bets, with Drake wagering hundreds of thousands of dollars in single gaming sessions. The rapid-fire nature of slot gambling allows for dramatic wins and losses within short timeframes, creating content that generates significant viewer engagement.
The Stake Partnership: A $100 Million Deal
Drake's relationship with Stake represents one of the most significant celebrity gambling endorsements in history. Reports indicate the rapper signed a deal worth approximately $100 million per year with the CuraƧao-based online casino, fundamentally changing how he presents himself publicly.
Promotional Activities and Content Creation
As part of his Stake partnership, Drake creates extensive promotional content across his social media platforms. His Instagram feed frequently features betting slips, win screenshots, and Stake branding. He participates in live streaming sessions on platforms like Kick, where he gambles alongside popular content creators such as Adin Ross and xQc. These streams function as extended advertisements for Stake, exposing millions of viewers to the platform while presenting gambling as entertainment.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
The Stake partnership has attracted legal scrutiny and ethical criticism. Stake is banned from operating in the United States, though a sister site allows Americans to play without real money, and VPN usage can circumvent restrictions. The platform faces lawsuits from US plaintiffs alleging illegal casino operations and exploitation of gambling addictions. Critics argue that Drake's promotion of Stake to his young fanbase normalizes gambling and potentially encourages addictive behavior among vulnerable populations.
Drake's Biggest Wins and Losses
Drake's gambling activities involve staggering financial swings that most people cannot comprehend. In June 2025, he revealed shocking details about his monthly gambling performance.
The $8 Million Monthly Loss
Drake shared a screenshot showing he lost $8,235,686 in a single month after placing $124,527,265 worth of bets over four weeks. This revelation provided rare transparency about the downside of high-stakes gambling. Drake acknowledged the losses publicly, writing that he hoped to post a big win soon and noting that his losses were severely impacting his overall gambling record.
Notable Winning Streaks
Despite substantial losses, Drake has experienced significant wins that he shares enthusiastically with followers. His $630,000 profit on the Ravens-Steelers game represents just one example of successful sports betting. He has referenced winning nearly one million dollars on UFC bets and regularly posts winning slips across various sports and casino games. These wins, however, must be contextualized within the broader pattern of net losses over time.
The Streaming Culture Connection
Drake's gambling activities intersect significantly with streaming culture and influencer marketing. His collaborations with streamers like Adin Ross represent a new model of celebrity-influencer partnerships centered on gambling content.
These streaming sessions blend entertainment, gambling promotion, and parasocial relationships. Viewers watch Drake and streamers experience the emotional highs and lows of gambling in real-time, creating engaging content that simultaneously markets Stake to impressionable audiences. The streams often include motivational speeches and lifestyle content, wrapping gambling promotion in aspirational messaging about success and living lavishly.
Controversy and Criticism
Drake's gambling activities have generated substantial controversy beyond legal concerns about Stake's operations. In January 2026, a lawsuit alleged that Drake used funds from Stake to funnel money into bots and streaming farms to artificially inflate his music popularity on platforms like Spotify. These claims suggest the Stake partnership may involve complex financial arrangements beyond simple endorsement payments.
Cultural critics have described Drake's gambling streams as representing a rock bottom moment for musician-streamer collaborations. His association with controversial figures like Adin Ross, who has connections to Andrew Tate and Donald Trump, has further damaged his reputation among certain audiences. The criticism centers on concerns that Drake exploits his influence to promote potentially harmful gambling behaviors to fans who trust his judgment.
The Broader Impact on Gambling Culture
Drake's public gambling activities reflect and accelerate broader cultural trends around betting normalization. His behavior exemplifies how celebrities with seemingly unlimited resources pursue gambling not for financial gain but for the dopamine rush that material possessions can no longer provide. This phenomenon raises questions about what happens when wealth removes traditional constraints on addictive behaviors.
The integration of gambling into mainstream entertainment through celebrity endorsements and streaming content represents a significant shift in how society views betting. What was once considered a vice requiring discretion has become content to be consumed, shared, and celebrated. Drake's role in this transformation makes him a central figure in ongoing debates about gambling regulation, celebrity responsibility, and the ethics of promoting potentially addictive activities.
Conclusion
Drake bets on a wide range of activities, from NFL and UFC events to online slot machines and unconventional wagers with streaming personalities. His gambling activities are inseparable from his $100 million partnership with Stake, which has transformed him into one of the most visible gambling promoters in popular culture. While he shares both wins and losses, the overall picture reveals someone engaged in extremely high-stakes gambling that results in millions of dollars in net losses.
The controversy surrounding Drake's gambling extends beyond the amounts wagered to encompass legal challenges facing Stake, concerns about promoting gambling to young audiences, and allegations about using casino funds for other purposes. His activities represent a case study in how celebrity culture, digital platforms, and the gambling industry intersect in ways that raise important ethical and regulatory questions. Understanding what Drake bets on requires recognizing both the specific wagers he places and the broader cultural implications of his very public gambling lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sports does Drake bet on most frequently?
Drake primarily bets on NFL football and UFC mixed martial arts events, though he also places wagers on basketball, boxing, and various other sporting competitions. His sports betting focuses on high-profile events with significant public interest.
How much money has Drake lost gambling?
In June 2025, Drake revealed he lost over $8.2 million in a single month after placing approximately $124.5 million in bets. His overall gambling record shows substantial net losses despite occasional significant wins.
What is Drake's relationship with Stake?
Drake reportedly signed a $100 million per year endorsement deal with Stake, a crypto-based online casino. He promotes the platform extensively through social media posts and live streaming sessions, making it a central part of his public persona.
Is Stake legal in the United States?
Stake is banned from operating in the United States. The company created a sister site for US residents to play without real money, though VPN usage can circumvent restrictions. Stake faces multiple lawsuits alleging illegal casino operations.
What casino games does Drake play?
Drake plays various online slot machines through Stake, including games like Nine to Five. He typically places maximum bets and has been documented losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in single gaming sessions.
Has Drake won any big gambling bets?
Yes, Drake has won significant amounts including $630,000 on an NFL playoff game and nearly one million dollars on UFC bets. However, these wins are offset by much larger cumulative losses over time.
Why is Drake's gambling controversial?
Drake's gambling is controversial due to concerns about promoting potentially illegal gambling platforms to young audiences, normalizing addictive behaviors, and allegations that he used Stake funds to artificially inflate his music streaming numbers.
Who does Drake gamble with on streams?
Drake frequently gambles alongside popular streamers including Adin Ross and xQc during live streaming sessions on platforms like Kick. These collaborations serve as promotional content for Stake while entertaining viewers.