Drake is putting his money—and reputation—on the line with a hefty $800,000 wager on the Oklahoma City Thunder to clinch the NBA title in Game 6 against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday (June 19) in Indianapolis, reigniting chatter about the so-called “Drake Curse.”
The OVO Sound co-founder revealed the bet on his Instagram Story, where he also added a separate $200,000 prop bet, predicting the Thunder would win by a margin of six to 10 points.
If both bets cash in, he stands to collect around $1.73 million. Drake captioned the post with a nod to Thunder standout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, writing, “check that box,” a clear show of support for the rising NBA star.
A win would seal the franchise’s first NBA championship since moving to Oklahoma City. The Pacers, meanwhile, are fighting to force a Game 7. While the bets may seem like a show of confidence, some observers are less than thrilled.
The “Drake Curse”—a long-standing theory that athletes or teams associated with the rapper tend to lose—has resurfaced on social media.
Well it’s over if they lose tonight but Drake curse says pacers win
— dynamic.τao (@jaylavee_) June 19, 2025
The superstition has followed Drake for years, with notable examples including the Golden State Warriors’ 2019 Finals loss, Conor McGregor’s UFC defeat and boxer Anthony Joshua’s upset loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.
Despite the theory’s popularity, not every bet has gone sour. The Toronto Raptors broke the curse by winning the 2019 NBA title, and the Kansas City Chiefs pulled off a Super Bowl win after Drake backed them.
Still, the rapper’s recent gambling history hasn’t helped his odds. He admitted on Instagram that he lost more than $8 million on bets this month alone. Meanwhile, JAY-Z lost a $1 million bet on the Thunder to win the series in five games. That wager was voided after Indiana took Game 3, making a 4-1 series win impossible.
Game 6 tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET, with Oklahoma City ahead 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.
I think the only team that beat the Drake curse was when Toronto won the chip
— Trick Saban 🎰 (@steppincurry) June 19, 2025
is okc taking it home tonight, even wit the drake curse
— huheddie (@ew64306175) June 19, 2025
Drake curse + Pacers devil magic? We’re getting a Sunday night Game 7 pic.twitter.com/g5TP40zOoi https://t.co/u0Xf4F80RU
— Oracle’s Finest 🌉 (@BayAreaLeek) June 19, 2025
PLEASE LET THE DRAKE CURSE CONTINUE! 🙌🏻🔥 https://t.co/tZKv9RGBNM
— Wally Cline (@waldopierce317) June 19, 2025
Drake curse + Haliburton being sacrificed #OhBoy pic.twitter.com/H8XvTftJNN
— theres (@thereshopeblout) June 19, 2025
The Drake curse has been broken before and it will be broken again tomorrow night in Indiana
— Sooners unloading XXV🅾️U (@Sooner_Magic90) June 19, 2025