Drake’s $1 Billion Gambling Spree: The Rapper Who Lost $8 Million in One Month
You think celebrities throw around a few thousand at the casino for fun? Try $125 million in a single month. That’s exactly what Drake did in June 2025, walking away with an $8 million loss that he casually shared on Instagram like it was a bad day at the office. According to reports, Drake placed close to $125 million in bets over the last month Consequence, making it one of the most expensive gambling runs in celebrity history.
Here’s why this matters. We’re not talking about a regular high roller burning through cash. Drake has a $100 million annual endorsement deal with crypto casino Stake.com, turning his gambling into a business model that blurs the line between entertainment and advertising. The numbers are staggering, the wins are massive, and the losses? Well, they’re even bigger.
I’m going to break down Drake’s entire gambling empire: the Stake partnership that pays him eight figures annually, the $40 million jackpot he hit at Dave & Buster’s, his $17.9 million roulette spin, and the infamous “Drake Curse” that has sports bettors everywhere running in the opposite direction. No fluff, just the real numbers and what they actually mean.
How Did Drake Land a $100 Million Annual Deal with Stake?
Drake’s contract with Stake.com is worth a reported $100 million a year ThisDayLive, making it one of the most lucrative celebrity endorsements in gambling history. This isn’t just showing up to a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The deal requires Drake to live-stream gambling sessions, promote the platform on social media, and host “Drake on Stake” events where he bets millions in cryptocurrency.
Stake needed someone with massive cultural reach. Drake brought 142 million Instagram followers and a brand that resonates with younger, tech-savvy audiences. The partnership launched in December 2021, right as crypto gambling was exploding. According to reports, the rapper has reportedly bet over $1 billion on online gambling company Stake since joining in December 2021 AfroTech.
The setup works like this: Drake gets paid $100 million annually in what appears to be a mix of cash and house money to gamble with. He streams sessions on Kick (a platform owned by Stake’s founders), shares massive bets on Instagram, and gives away crypto to fans during broadcasts. Stake gets billions of impressions from one of music’s biggest names.
But there’s a catch. Some industry experts question whether Drake gambles with his own money or plays with house funds as part of the promotional deal. When you’re getting paid $100 million a year, does it really matter if you lose $8 million? The math gets murky fast.
Drake’s Stake Deal Breakdown:
| Component | Details | Why It Matters |
| Annual Payment | $100 million | One of gambling’s highest celebrity deals |
| Start Date | December 2021 | Coincided with crypto gambling boom |
| Requirements | Live streams, social posts, giveaways | Turns personal gambling into content |
| Platform | Kick (owned by Stake founders) | Complete ecosystem control |
| Controversy | House money vs. real money | Questions authenticity of wins/losses |
Looking at this deal, you can see why traditional casinos hate it. Drake makes gambling look like a rockstar lifestyle, and millions of fans see only the highlights. The $8 million monthly loss he shared? That was rare transparency in a world of carefully curated content.
What About That $8 Million Monthly Loss?
June 2025 was brutal for Drake. He posted Instagram Stories showing he’d wagered $124,527,265 in one month and walked away down $8,235,686. “Gotta share the other side of gambling,” he wrote. “Losses are so fried right now.”
Let me put this in perspective. Most people don’t see $8 million in their lifetime. Drake burned through it in 30 days. But here’s where it gets interesting: with his $100 million annual Stake deal, he’s still up $92 million for the year even after this disaster month. The loss stings, but it’s business.
The timing wasn’t random. Drake revealed these losses during the NBA and NHL Finals, when sports betting was at peak interest. Some saw it as transparency; others called it a marketing play to show fans that even mega-celebrities lose. (And when I realized that gambling addiction is a lie made up by platforms like Stake to prevent you from winning their money,” he later joked in another post — a statement that drew heavy criticism from gambling addiction experts.)
Here’s what Drake bet on that month:
- $800,000 on NBA Finals Game 6 (Thunder to win)
- Multiple six-figure UFC bets
- Countless roulette spins
- Various sports parlays
All losses. The Drake Curse was in full effect, which we’ll get to in a minute.
The $17.9 Million Roulette Win That Broke the Internet
May 26, 2022. Drake was live-streaming a “Drake vs Stake” event on Twitch, betting $500,000 per spin on live roulette. Rapper Lil Baby was in the room. The wheel spun. Black 11. Drake’s lucky number.
Moments before his guest and fellow rapper Lil Baby entered the room, Drake won a mammoth $17.9 million on his lucky number, black 11 AllHipHop.
The internet exploded. Videos went viral. Drake handed out $1 million in Bitcoin to fans watching the stream. But here’s the thing that nobody talks about: he gave it all back. Later that same night, during another session, Drake lost everything plus more. One report shows he was up $27 million at one point before ending with just $1,879 in his account.
That’s the reality of high-stakes roulette. The house edge doesn’t care if you’re Drake or anyone else. The math always wins eventually.
Two months later, July 2022, Drake brought French Montana for another stream and won nearly $25 million across multiple roulette spins. Again, the wins made headlines. The eventual losses? Those stayed quiet.
Drake’s Biggest Roulette Wins:
| Date | Event | Amount Won | What Happened After |
| May 2022 | Drake vs Stake #1 | $17.9 million | Lost it all back same night |
| July 2022 | Drake vs Stake #2 (with French Montana) | $24.9 million | Gave away $1M Bitcoin to fans |
| August 2022 | Solo session | $12.96M + $11.95M | Lost $17M in 10 minutes |
This pattern repeats constantly. Massive wins followed by massive losses. It’s compelling content, which is exactly what Stake is paying for.
The $40 Million Dave & Buster’s Win: Drake’s Biggest Score Ever
In March 2025, Drake revealed his largest gambling win in a Stake promotional video. Not at a Vegas casino. Not in Monaco. At a Dave & Buster’s arcade and restaurant chain.
“The biggest win I ever had. I was in Dave and Busters,” Drake said. “I was getting this random girl to call roulette numbers for me. I hit like eight out of 10 numbers, and I think by the end of the night, we had won like 38 million? 40 million? Yeah, $40 million. It’s crazy, the craziest night ever gambling for sure. January of 2024.”
Wait, Dave & Buster’s? The place with the ski ball games and buffalo wings?
Turns out Drake wasn’t playing arcade games. He was betting on Stake’s online roulette using his laptop while physically at a Dave & Buster’s location. The venue was irrelevant; the gambling was all digital. But the story makes for better marketing: “Guy wins $40 million at Dave & Buster’s” sounds way more interesting than “Guy wins at online casino.”
Some gambling experts questioned the story’s authenticity, noting that winning 8 out of 10 roulette numbers with that kind of money on the table would be statistically astronomical. But Drake swears it happened, and Stake has never disputed it.
From what I’ve seen covering celebrity gambling, these massive wins raise questions. Are they real? Is Drake betting with house money that doesn’t cost him anything to lose? We may never know for sure, but the publicity is worth millions to Stake either way.
The Drake Curse: Why Teams Lose When He Bets on Them
Here’s where Drake’s gambling gets really weird. Sports fans have noticed a pattern: whenever Drake publicly bets on a team or player, they tend to lose. It’s become such a phenomenon that it has its own name—the Drake Curse—and its own website (TheDrakeCurse.com) tracking his record.
The evidence is everywhere:
Drake Curse Victims:
- Serena Williams (2015): Drake attended her U.S. Open match; she lost in a stunning upset, missing the Grand Slam
- Conor McGregor (2018): Drake backed him against Khabib; McGregor lost by submission
- Alabama football (2019): Drake posted support before the championship; they lost 44-16 to Clemson
- Toronto Maple Leafs (2019, 2025): Drake attended games; they lost repeatedly
- Edmonton Oilers (2024): Drake bet $500,000 on them to win Stanley Cup; they lost Game 7
- Dallas Mavericks (2024): Drake bet $500,000 on NBA Finals; they lost
- Mike Tyson (2024): Drake bet $355,000 on Tyson vs Jake Paul; Tyson lost by decision
The losses pile up. Drake himself acknowledged it in a Stake promo: “I am a flawed sports better. I will not deny that. That’s not my gift… For whatever reason, my slips do not cash out.”
Is the curse real? No. It’s confirmation bias mixed with the fact that Drake bets on everything, so naturally he hits plenty of losses. But the meme has power. Some teams have allegedly banned players from taking photos with Drake. Sports bettors fade (bet against) whatever Drake picks. The curse has become part of gambling culture.
Drake Curse by Sport (Public Bets):
| Sport | Amount Wagered | Result | Curse Status |
| UFC | $12.7 million | +$800K profit | Curse broken |
| NFL | Multiple millions | +$2.1M profit | Actually profitable |
| NBA | Multiple millions | Mixed results | Curse in effect |
| NHL | Multiple millions | Heavy losses | Fully cursed |
| Soccer | Multiple millions | Heavy losses | Fully cursed |
The numbers show Drake actually makes money on UFC and NFL bets. But NBA, NHL, and soccer? The curse is very real in those leagues.
When the Partnership Went Sideways: Drake vs. Stake
August 2025. After years of partnership, everything fell apart.
Drake went on a Trainwreckstv stream and called out Ed Craven, Stake’s co-founder, calling him a “snake.” The issue? Stake had allegedly blocked Drake from withdrawing money on four separate occasions. Not small amounts—millions of dollars. Drake compared himself to Steph Curry, saying he was putting up all the points while someone else got the glory.
He deleted his Kick account. Ended his streams. The $100 million partnership was over.
What happened? The most likely explanation: Drake wanted to cash out massive winnings, and Stake either suspected bonus abuse, questioned the terms of their deal, or simply didn’t want to pay out. For someone promoting a casino, getting blocked from withdrawals is about as bad as it gets for credibility.
Trainwreck, another major Stake streamer, also expressed frustrations. He claimed to have lost nearly $20 million over five sessions and questioned whether some payouts on the platform were legitimate.
The fallout shows the dark side of these massive influencer deals. When millions of dollars are at stake (no pun intended), contracts get complicated, and relationships can sour fast.
What Can Regular Gamblers Learn from Drake’s Story?
Drake’s gambling isn’t relatable. Most people can’t afford to lose $8 million in a month, let alone have a $100 million cushion to soften the blow. But there are lessons buried in this spectacle:
1. The house always wins eventually Drake won $17.9 million on roulette and lost it all back the same night. That’s not bad luck; that’s math. Roulette has a house edge, and over enough spins, it always catches up.
2. Chasing losses is a death spiral When Drake loses big, he immediately places bigger bets to try to recover. This is the classic gambling fallacy that destroys bankrolls. It’s also a red flag for problem gambling.
3. Public betting creates pressure Drake doesn’t just gamble; he performs gambling for millions of followers. That changes the psychology. You’re not just trying to win; you’re trying to create content. That can lead to reckless decisions.
4. Transparency is rare in gambling promotion Credit where it’s due: Drake showing his $8 million loss was unusual. Most influencers only show wins. Seeing the losses reminded people that gambling isn’t all jackpots and champagne.
5. Mixing business with gambling complicates everything When you’re getting paid $100 million to promote a casino, are you gambling or working? The lines blur, and that can lead to problems—as Drake discovered when Stake blocked his withdrawals.
The Bottom Line: Is Drake Up or Down Overall?
Despite the massive losses, Drake is still profitable—barely. Various tracking sites estimate he’s up around $45 million in gambling profits overall, though those numbers don’t account for his promotional payments from Stake.
If you add the $100 million annual Stake deal (which he got at least two years of before the breakup), Drake has made approximately $200 million from gambling-related income. Subtract the $8 million June loss, the various other losses, and he’s still massively ahead.
But here’s what matters: Drake can afford to lose $8 million in a month. Most people can’t afford to lose $800. The gambling he promotes looks fun, exciting, and potentially lucrative. The reality is that for every $17.9 million win that goes viral, there are countless unpublicized losses that grind down ordinary players.
For more information on responsible gambling, visit the National Council on Problem Gambling.
If Drake’s story shows anything, it’s that even with infinite money and a massive promotional deal, gambling remains a game where the house holds all the cards. His $1 billion in bets, $40 million wins, and $8 million losses make for entertaining content. But they’re not a blueprint anyone should follow.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Gambling involves risk of loss. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER for help.
