Jake Paul fans might need to close their eyes after rapper Drake, who is known for losing big bets, backed the fighter.
Drake bets on Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua: Will 'Drake Curse' affect outcome of boxing fight? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Drake has placed a major wager on Jake Paul to defeat former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, inserting a significant financial layer into an already high-profile boxing match.
The size of the bet, reportedly well into the six figures, immediately drew attention from fans and media alike. However, the backing comes with the heavy shadow of the "Drake Curse," the popular, recurring joke that any athlete or team the rapper publicly supports, particularly with a large bet, is destined to lose.
Drake's past betting history, which includes substantial losses on fighters like Conor McGregor and even a previous loss on Jake Paul against Tommy Fury, has fans wondering if his stake will prove to be a blessing or an inevitable jinx for the underdog fighter ahead of his biggest test yet.
Here's more on Drake's reported bet.
MORE: Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua live updates
Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua betting odds
Joshua is the overwhelming favorite going into the fight.
According to DraftKings, Joshua is -1600 to win the fight outright, with it being -400 for the heavyweight to win by KO, TKO or DQ.
MORE: Why is Paul vs. Joshua on Netflix?
How much did Drake bet on Jake Paul to beat Anthony Joshua?
The rapper has bet $200,000 on Paul to defeat Joshua on Friday night.
Drake just bet $200K on Jake Paul to beat Anthony Joshua tonight 👀🤑
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 20, 2025
"Jakeyyyyy boy. Lock tf in." #JakeJoshuapic.twitter.com/5b8KxNvL0N
Given that Joshua is a massive betting favorite (currently listed at odds around -900, or a $900 bet to win $100), Drake’s wager on the underdog Paul is highly risky but stands to be incredibly profitable, reflecting his status as a notorious high-roller.
MORE: How to watch Paul vs. Joshua
What is the 'Drake Curse'?
The "Drake Curse" is a popular and recurring internet joke and superstition suggesting that any sports team or athlete the rapper publicly supports, associates with, or places a large bet on, is destined to lose their next significant game or match.
The theory gained traction after a series of events where a team or athlete -- often a favorite -- would suffer an unlikely or crushing defeat shortly after Drake showed them public support. This could involve him wearing their jersey, attending their games courtside, or taking a picture with a star player.
The curse has been dramatically amplified by Drake placing massive, six-figure wagers on major sports, especially in the UFC, boxing, and major playoff games. When one of his public slips loses, the defeat is often widely reported, cementing the "curse" narrative.
The list of supposed victims is long and includes teams and athletes like Conor McGregor, Serena Williams, the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, and several top European soccer clubs and UFC fighters after he's backed them with large sums:
Some of the effects of the 'Drake Curse' include:
- August-September 2015: The 'Drake Curse' begins after the rapper is seen kissing tennis superstar Serena Williams. He attends the U.S. Open to witness her quest for the Grand Slam, but Williams loses in the semi-final.
- October 2018: UFC star Connor McGregor brings Drake out before his match with Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229. Nurmagomedov goes on to destroy McGregor in a one-sided beatdown.
- April 2019: [external-article-link original_href="https://%3Cblockquote%20class="twitter-tweet"%3E%3Cp%20lang="en"%20dir="ltr"%3Eall%20roma%20players%20banned%20from%20taking%20photos%20with%20drake%20until%20the%20end%20of%20the%20season%3C/p%3E%E2%80%94%20AS%20Roma%20English%20(@ASRomaEN)%20%3Ca%20href=%22https://twitter.com/ASRomaEN/status/1117853209538650112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22%3EApril%2015,%202019%3C/a%3E%3C/blockquote%3E%20%3Cscript%20async%20src=%22https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js%22%20charset=%22utf-8%22%3E%3C/script%3E"]Drake dons a Maples Leafs jersey[/external-article-link] in the playoffs, and Toronto promptly loses to the Bruins in seven games.
- June 2019: Drake bets for Joshua to beat Andy Ruiz Jr., a replacement opponent for Jarrell Miller. Ruiz beats Joshua in what is considered one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight boxing history.
- August 2022: [external-article-link original_href="https://www.mmanews.com/news/edwards-sends-drake-advice-following-failed-usman-bet"]Drake bets $200,000 on Kamaru Usman to beat Leon Edwards at UFC 278 for the UFC welterweight title. Edwards beats Usman following a dramatic comeback kick to the head.
- November 2022: Drake holds Team Canada jerseys alongside players. Team Canada becomes the first World Cup team since 1978 to attempt at least 20 shots and one penalty kick and not score a goal.
- February 2023: Draft bets $400,000 on Jake Paul to KO Tommy Fury, who wins via split decision.
- April 2023: Drake bet put down a $1 million Bitcoin stake on Gervonta Davis winning outright against Ryan Garcia. "Tank" beat Garcia via seventh-round knockout.
- August 2023: Drake bets $250,000 for Nate Diaz to beat Jake Paul outright. Paul beat Diaz via unanimous decision.
- September 2023: Drake placed a $500,000 bet for Israel Adesanya to successfully defend the UFC middleweight title against Sean Strickland at UFC 293 via knockout. Strickland dominates the fight and wins the belt via unanimous decision.
- October 2023: Drake put down $850,000 for Logan Paul to knock out Dillon Danis. Paul beat Danis via DQ.
- February 2024: Drake bet $1.15 million for the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the San Fransisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs won 25-22.
- March 2024: Drake bet $615,000 on Francis Ngannou to win outright over Anthony Joshua. Joshua downed via second-round knockout.
- September 2025: Drake bet $250,277 for the Baltimore Ravens to beat the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 of the NFL season. Buffalo won the game, 41-40.
- September 2025: Drake put down $300,000 for Jannik Sinner to win the U.S. Open. Carlos Alcaraz won the tournament.
MORE: What time does Jake Paul actually fight Anthony Joshua?
Category: General Sports
