Drake Lands R17 Million Bet As Canada’s Win Ends South Africa’s World Cup Dream
Canadian rapper Drake has reportedly walked away with a windfall of about US$1 million (approximately R16.5 million) after Canada eliminated South Africa from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Grammy Award-winning musician’s high-stakes wager paid off as Canada edged Bafana Bafana in the Round of 32, ending South Africa’s hopes of progressing further in the tournament.
Drake’s High-Stakes Wager Pays Off After Canada’s Victory
Drake staked US$770,000 (approximately R12.7 million) on his home country to beat South Africa ahead of the knockout clash played on 28 June 2026.
The publication reports that the successful bet earned the rapper a payout of US$1 million (approximately R16.5 million) after Canada secured victory and advanced to the Round of 16.
Before kick-off, Drake shared details of his wager on social media and hinted that conversations with South African DJ Black Coffee had inspired him to increase the stakes.
According to The South African, Drake wrote:
“I had to raise the STAKES.”
Following Canada’s victory, the publication reports that Drake sent Black Coffee a brief direct message that read:
“Bye bye.”
The victory also saw Drake silence talk of the so-called “Drake curse”, a popular belief among sports fans that teams he publicly supports often go on to lose.
Canada’s Historic Win Ends Bafana’s World Cup Campaign
Canada’s victory brought South Africa’s impressive World Cup campaign to an end while securing a place in the Round of 16.
According to The South African, Canada will now face the winners of the Round of 32 fixture between Morocco and the Netherlands. The Round of 16 encounter is scheduled for 4 July 2026.
The publication adds that Canada has reached the Round of 16 for the first time in the country’s FIFA World Cup history, marking a significant milestone for the national team.
Drake’s Bet Becomes One Of The Tournament’s Biggest Talking Points
Drake’s wager attracted widespread attention before and after the match, with football fans closely watching whether his famous betting “curse” would continue.
Instead, Canada delivered the result he had backed, earning the musician a multi-million-rand payday while South Africa’s World Cup journey came to an end.
Although Bafana Bafana bowed out of the tournament, their run to the knockout stages was widely regarded as one of the country’s strongest World Cup performances in recent years.
As Canada prepares for the next round, Drake’s winning bet has become one of the tournament’s biggest off-field talking points.
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