Because the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) gear as much as face the Punjab Kings (PBKS) within the IPL 2025 ultimate at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on June 3, Canadian rapper Drake has stirred pleasure by inserting a considerable wager of $750,000 (roughly ₹6.41 crore) on RCB’s victory.
RCB, led by Rajat Patidar, are searching for their first IPL title. The workforce boasts sturdy performances this season, with Virat Kohli scoring 614 runs and Josh Hazlewood taking 21 wickets.
Drake’s involvement has reignited discussions concerning the so-called ‘Drake Curse,’ a superstition suggesting that groups or athletes supported by the rapper usually expertise misfortune. Notable cases embody losses by the Toronto Raptors, PSG, Conor McGregor, and Serena Williams after Drake publicly backed them.
Nevertheless, current occasions problem this narrative. In 2024, Drake received over ₹3.5 crore by betting on Kolkata Knight Riders within the IPL ultimate and secured a $2 million revenue from a wager on the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the AFC Championship.
Drake’s betting actions are intently tied to his partnership with Stake, a cryptocurrency-based on-line playing platform. He has reportedly signed a $100 million annual endorsement cope with Stake, regularly internet hosting stay streams the place he locations high-stakes bets.
In a current interview for his partnership with Stake, Drake dismissed all speculations a few so-called “Drake Curse”, the place he mentioned, “I’m certain if you’re a Drake curse believer, there might be lots extra content material sooner or later to verify your theories as a result of for no matter motive, my slips don’t money out.”
Drake is not the one superstar making his alliances recognized. Punjabi-Canadian singer Karan Aujla has additionally positioned a wager on Stake, going up towards Drake, and placing down CA$500,000 (roughly ₹3.1 crore) on a Punjab Kings win.
On-line Betting in India: A Gray Space
Stake operates in a authorized gray space in India. Whereas there are not any federal legal guidelines explicitly prohibiting on-line playing, the legality varies by state. States like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have banned all types of on-line playing, making platforms like Stake unlawful there. Nevertheless, in states with out such bans, utilizing offshore betting websites like Stake is mostly permitted.
India’s essential playing legislation, the Public Playing Act of 1867, bans operating or visiting bodily playing homes, however it doesn’t point out on-line betting or sports activities betting. Due to this, every state decides its personal guidelines. Some states like Sikkim and Goa permit sure varieties of betting, whereas most others have strict guidelines or full bans, particularly on on-line playing.
Indian customers can nonetheless entry worldwide betting websites like Stake as a result of there’s no nationwide legislation clearly stopping them, besides in states like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the place all on-line playing is banned. Since there’s no central legislation for on-line betting, the principles are nonetheless unclear in lots of components of the nation.
As RCB followers rally behind their workforce with the mantra “Ee Sala Cup Namde” (This 12 months, the cup is ours), all eyes are on whether or not Drake’s wager might be a fortunate attraction or a jinx. The IPL 2025 ultimate guarantees not solely an exciting cricket showdown but in addition a check of superstition versus efficiency.
