Drake dropped over $1 million on the Toronto Maple Leafs in Sunday’s Game 7 against the Florida Panthers.
Key Takeaways
- The famous rapper blamed Justin Bieber’s attendance in Game 7 against the Panthers
- Drake has long been associated with sports curses and losing big bets
- This was one of his bigger losses in recent years
The famous rapper and Toronto native picked the slight home underdog, throwing down $1 million on the moneyline. The Panthers cruised to a 6-1 victory to advance to the Eastern Conference finals and hand Drake yet another massive public loss. The bet placed at Stake would’ve paid out over $2.1 million.
Drake places a $1 million bet on the Toronto Maple Leafs to beat the Florida Panthers tonight in Game 7 💰🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/6Pvq9WRWmz
— Made In Canada (@MadelnCanada) May 18, 2025
He also wagered $250K on the Maple Leafs to win by two goals, which would’ve landed him $2 million. Instead, Toronto fell behind 3-0 in the second period and never recovered, ending their season. The Leafs haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1967.
The Panthers play Game 1 of the Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.
Passing the buck
This time, the famous rapper is passing the blame. Long called a “curse” for when he shows up to live games or bets big, leading many people to wager on the other side, Drake posted a cryptic message on Sunday on Instagram: “Bieber curse…”
The two words are about famous Canadian singer Justin Bieber, a long-time Maple Leafs fan who was sitting behind the Toronto bench with his wife Hailey Bieber on Sunday.
Drake lost $300,000 on the Leafs earlier in the series as well. He was in the building when Toronto lost to the Boston Bruins in 2019, one of the more famous games included in the “Drake curse” lineage.
Big loss
This is the biggest public loss Drake has had in 2025. However, the rapper has had a profitable year so far. An NFL playoff parlay wager on the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson cost him over $200,000 in January when Jackson failed to score a TD.
He threw down $620,000 on the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers last month, cashing the big ticket with a 116-104 win.
Drake was down $1.5 million in public bets placed in 2024. He famously wagered $355,000 on Mike Tyson against Jake Paul in a November boxing match. Tyson was non-competitive in the decision loss to Paul.
Drake partnered with Stake in 2022 and frequently posts his betting slips on social media. Sunday marked one of his biggest single-game losses in recent years. Some of his other seven-figure losses have come in combat sports.
