Drake is back in the high-stakes betting realm, this time placing a hefty bet on tennis star Jannik Sinner to win the U.S. Open. The Canadian rapper knows all too well the high-stakes he put himself in with the bet last Tuesday when he posted a screenshot of the $300,000 bet, typical of Drake, who has a long-standing tradition of making huge sports bets—and what people champion as the “Drake Curse.” If Sinner can win the whole tournament, Drake stands to make a whopping $507,000.
Sinner, who is the current top-ranked men’s tennis player, is vying for his fifth Grand Slam title and second U.S. Open title. While Sinner has not looked back throughout the tournament, winning easily in the fourth round against Alexander Bublik, Drake’s public bet has turned renewed attention on Drake’s storied betting history and less than stellar reputation.
The legendary curse has followed him through multiple years of unfortunate public losses. One of his biggest losses came when he lost $210,000 betting on American player Taylor Fritz to beat Sinner in the final of the 2024 U.S. Open only to be decimated by Sinner.
A Mixed History on the Court and the Wager
Despite his losing streak, in January Drake, managed to recoup some lost ground after betting on Sinner to win the Australian Open. This win helped to offset some of his big misses, so that he was “down” somewhere in the neighborhood of $115,000 in total tennis bets, according to a website that compiles his public gambling activity.
Drake’s gambling proclivities extend well beyond just tennis. He has bet and lost millions on boxing bets, as well as UFC, football and basketball events with a public spectacle and running update. These public betplays add a “polarizing” element to the sports betting world, which has led to some great disappointment in public situations for which Drake had expected much different outcomes. He has once again taken on the gambler’s persona, not defining “the curse” and believed to be a high-risk taker.
When it comes to Sinner, the 24-year-old Italian is focused and in great form. Coming off a dominant win against Bublik, he has set himself up to face off against fellow countryman Lorenzo Musetti in the quarterfinal round. An all-Italian encounter should guarantee to be some of the best footage of the tournament, especially with the narrative that it is also tied into a realization of Drake’s huge estimate.
Sinner has not personally commented on the bet itself and for good reason. He is most likely focused on playing for Grand Slam glory, and has also received attention from the betting world he probably would prefer was on the court. Whether or not Drake’s stake is good for over more than a half million dollars, and whether Drake can add another tie to the infamous curse, remains to be seen as the tournament heads into its final stage.
