By Kunle Atilẹyin
Canadian rapper Drake walked away with more than $1 million on Sunday after Canada edged South Africa 1-0 in their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash, extending his reputation as one of sport’s most prominent celebrity gamblers.
The Toronto-born music star had staked $770,000 (over N1 billion) on a Canadian win, in a wager that carried a potential payout of $1,001,000. With Canada’s victory confirmed, Drake walked away with a profit of roughly $231,000.
Ahead of kickoff, the rapper disclosed on his Instagram page that the bet was partly provoked by a message from South African DJ Black Coffee, who had needled him in his direct messages.
“@realblackcoffee was chirping in the DM I had to raise the STAKES,” Drake wrote, alongside a screenshot of the bet slip.
South Africa’s exit brought a dramatic close to the country’s most successful FIFA World Cup campaign on record. Bafana Bafana had reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history, finishing as runners-up in Group A after qualifying for the expanded 2026 tournament ahead of Nigeria.
Hugo Broos’ side had impressed through the group stage, defeating South Korea 1-0 to advance from a group that also featured Mexico and Czechia. Their run, however, ended in heartbreak against co-hosts Canada at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where midfielder Stephen Eustáquio struck a stunning stoppage-time volley in the second half to seal a 1-0 win and send the hosts through.
The victory also marked Canada’s first-ever progression to the World Cup Round of 16.
Drake, long associated with high-profile sports wagers across the NBA Finals, UFC title bouts, boxing fights and major football tournaments, has now added another major payout to that growing list.
