“Drake’s $1 Million Bet on Fury: Will the Gypsy King Break the Infamous Curse?”
As Tyson Fury prepares to face Oleksandr Usyk tonight, the pressure mounts not just from his critics but from an unexpected source: Drake’s $1 million bet on Fury. The Canadian rapper’s infamous curse looms over Fury, sparking both hope and anxiety among fans.
Drake, known for his high-stakes bets on sporting events, has a notorious reputation for jinxing those he supports. The so-called “Drake Curse” has seen numerous athletes and teams falter after receiving his backing. For instance, when Fury fought Francis Ngannou last year, Drake’s money was on Ngannou, who ended up losing. Similarly, Drake’s bet on Ngannou against Anthony Joshua earlier this year resulted in another loss for the Cameroonian fighter.
However, there are instances where the curse has been broken. One notable example is Tyson Fury himself. In October 2021, during his trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder, Drake placed his bet on Fury. Despite fears of the curse, Fury triumphed, knocking out Wilder in the 11th round, thus dismissing the notion of the curse. Fury even posted on Instagram, “Curse? No such thing pal,” alongside a picture with Drake.
“Tell him I need half of that! It’s pretty cool to have people like that that believe in me. It made me push even harder, so shoutout to Drake and the rest of the people that back me.” Next up was Logan Paul.
Nina Agdal,wrote on social media, “Never bet against personal vendetta and settling scores @stake @loganpaul.”
Gervonta Davis is another fighter who broke the Drake curse. In April last year, when Davis fought Ryan Garcia, Drake bet $1 million on Davis. Despite fans’ concerns, Davis secured a 7th-round KO victory, earning Drake a substantial win. Post-fight, Davis humorously remarked on a podcast, “Tell him I need half of that! It’s pretty cool to have people like that believe in me. It made me push even harder, so shoutout to Drake and the rest of the people that back me.”
Logan Paul also defied the curse. Before his fight against Dillon Danis last year, Drake bet $850,000 on Paul, citing a personal vendetta. Paul’s win by disqualification brought Drake a $1.3 million payout.
In the MMA world, Israel Adesanya broke the curse twice. At UFC 287 in April 2023, Drake bet $500,000 on Adesanya to win against Alex Pereira, plus an additional $400,000 on a knockout. Adesanya’s second-round KO victory brought Drake a $2.275 million windfall. Adesanya had earlier defeated Jared Cannonier at UFC 276, winning Drake another $1 million bet.
Dillon Danis also overcame the curse at Bellator 222 in June 2019, winning by first-round submission against Max Humphrey. Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann both won their UFC Fight Night bouts in July 2022, earning Drake a $3.7 million payout and Rolex watches for themselves.
Jon Jones broke the curse in his UFC 285 return in March 2023. Drake’s $500,000 bet on Jones, along with separate bets on a KO/TKO and submission, paid off when Jones won with a first-round submission, netting Drake $1.7 million.
Tonight, as Fury faces Usyk, Drake’s bet of $565,000 could yield a $1 million payout if Fury wins. The rapper’s Instagram post showing his bet has intensified the spotlight on this high-stakes clash. With Fury having broken the curse before, fans eagerly await to see if he can do it again.
The stage is set, and the world watches as Tyson Fury aims to not only defeat Oleksandr Usyk but also to defy the infamous Drake curse once more.
