DRAKE CURSE: Unrepentant rapper extends betting losses in Mike Tyson fight
On November 15, 2024, rapper Drake placed a significant bet of $355,000 on former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson to win his boxing match against YouTuber-turned-professional boxer Jake Paul.
This bout was highly anticipated and took place in Arlington, Texas. Despite Tyson’s legendary status in the boxing world, he faced a challenging opponent in Paul, who had been gaining traction as a serious contender in the sport.
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Drake bet
Drake’s wager was made at odds of +285, meaning that if Tyson had won, Drake would have received a payout of approximately $1,011,750. The rapper shared his betting slip on social media prior to the fight, expressing confidence in Tyson’s ability to secure a victory. However, the outcome did not favor Drake; Paul won the match by unanimous decision after eight rounds.
Fight analysis
During the fight, neither boxer scored a knockout; however, Jake Paul demonstrated superior performance by landing nearly four times as many punches as Tyson. This disparity in activity and effectiveness ultimately led to Paul’s victory being recognized by all judges scoring the bout. Tyson’s age (58 years) appeared to impact his performance significantly compared to Paul’s youthful energy and strategy.
Drake curse
This loss added to what fans have dubbed the “Drake curse,” a phenomenon where bets placed by Drake often result in losses for the teams or fighters he supports. In 2024 alone, he has reportedly lost over $2 million across various sporting events due to similar high-profile bets that did not pan out.
Despite this setback with Tyson, Drake attempted to recover financially by placing another bet of $450,000 on Jon Jones for his fight against Stipe Miocic scheduled for November 16. Should Jones win—an outcome that was favored—Drake could potentially recoup some of his losses from the earlier bet.
