2026 World Cup Final: Drake Bets $1.5 Million—Is Messi “Cursed” Like Jannik Sinner?

Argentina is on edge: Canadian rapper Drake is back in the spotlight with his reckless bets, and this time he’s decided to place a big wager on the Albiceleste, who will face France in the World Cup final on Sunday. The North American singer announced on social media that he has bet $1.5 million on a victory for Lionel Messi and his teammates, who are now crossing their fingers given his track record.

If they win, Drake will pocket over $5 million: “How do you say it? Maybe next time… no need to say more,” reads the post—which sounds like a threat—from the Canadian singer-songwriter, who has had some social media spats with the Argentine national team in the past during the 2024 Copa América.

In the past, the rapper has bet on athletes and teams that have invariably gone on to lose. The same thing happened to Jannik Sinner at the 2025 U.S. Open. Drake had bet $300,000 on the Italian’s victory, but Sinner was ultimately defeated in the final by Carlos Alcaraz. In 2024, the rapper had bet a fortune on Taylor Fritz, who was then defeated in the final by Sinner himself. Among Drake’s other losses, the $355,000 he lost by betting on Mike Tyson in his match against Jake Paul stands out.

The “Drake Curse” isn’t infallible, however: during this very World Cup, the rapper managed to break the curse by betting on Canada in the round of 16 against South Africa. Drake had bet $770,000 on a Canadian victory, with odds of 1.30 that netted him about $1 million. The bet was also sparked by a provocation from the famous South African DJ Black Coffee, who had teased the singer in a chat, and it paid off thanks to Stephen Eustaquio’s 92nd-minute goal, which secured Canada’s historic advancement to the round of 16.