Canadian singer Drake has placed a significant cryptocurrency wager on the World Cup final, betting $1.5 million USDT on Argentina to beat Spain in regulation time. According to reports, the rapper made this bet through the crypto gambling platform Stake and announced it on Instagram. The wager carried substantial financial implications, with a potential payout of $5.175 million if Argentina wins within 90 minutes of regular time, excluding extra time and penalties. However, Spain's 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina meant Drake's bet was lost, adding to his reputation for backing losing teams.
A major whale trader using the handle yamal19 created a fresh Polymarket wallet and purchased approximately 3.3 million 'Yes' shares in Spain to win the World Cup. The shares cost an average of 59.1 cents, totaling roughly $1.95 million. Spain's victory settled the position at $3.3 million, generating a profit of $1.349,881, or 69.14%. This massive profit demonstrates how prediction markets can deliver substantial returns for well-timed bets, while highlighting the risks associated with large-scale crypto wagering.
A Polymarket trader known as gud.hl lost $1.2 million betting on Argentina after cashing in TRUMP token profits to fund the wager. According to blockchain analytics firm Bubblemaps, much of the initial bet on Argentina came from a Solana address that made $1.9 million trading TRUMP tokens at launch. gud.hl bought roughly 12 million Argentina shares at an average price of 10 cents each, making the account the largest single position backing the team on Polymarket. A win would have delivered an $11.2 million payout, but Spain's extra-time victory through substitute Ferran Torres eliminated the position entirely.
Despite Drake's backing, Kalshi's regulation-time market prices Spain as the favorite with a 43% win probability, compared to 28% for Argentina and 32% for a tie. The platform's contract for Sunday's game had already recorded more than $2.8 million in trading volume. However, soccer fans have invoked the 'Drake Curse' - the belief that teams he publicly backs falter at crucial moments. Drake's betting record shows a net loss of $1.56 million overall, with soccer bets specifically costing him $1.67 million, fueling talk of the 'Drake Curse.' The final result reinforced this narrative, as Drake was not the only big loser - another trader using the handle gud.hl lost $1.23 million after rolling their entire $1 million profit from TRUMP meme coin into Argentina.
Drake's crypto betting ties extend beyond this wager, as he referenced Bitcoin on his new Iceman album, calling himself a 'crypto big-timer.' Tether chief executive Paolo Ardoino shared news of the wager on X, adding an Argentine flag and heart emoji. Celebrity wagers have become a recurring theme this World Cup, following similar betting activity around Taylor Swift's rumored wedding. The final is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. A win would have helped erase Drake's recent $5.7 million losing streak since April 2024, while a loss deepened the narrative around his betting record.
