"Bet the house on Dricus" - Fans react to Drake betting $450,000 on Israel Adesanya to beat Dricus du Plessis

Hip-hop legend Drake has bet a mammoth sum on Israel Adesanya to defeat Dricus du Plessis. Fight fans soon chimed in, with many deeming the Canadian music mogul's bet as a bad sign for 'Izzy.'

Presently, du Plessis is scheduled to defend his UFC middleweight championship against longtime rival Adesanya at UFC 305 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, on Aug. 17, 2024 (Aug. 18 local time in Australia).

Drake has often bet on Adesanya's fights, with varying degrees of success. He'd famously wagered a sum of $900k ($500k to win and $400k to win via KO) on 'Izzy' in his rematch against Alex Pereira at UFC 287 (April 2023). Adesanya emerged victorious via second-round KO, and Drake bagged a payout of $2.725 million with a profit of $1.825 million.

On the contrary, Drake bet $500k on Adesanya to knock Sean Strickland out at UFC 293 (Sept. 2023). Well, Strickland won via unanimous decision, costing him the entire sum.

A phenomenon known as the 'Drake Curse' has long been a hot-button topic in the sporting world. Some believe that whichever athlete or team Drake supports or bets on at a given time, loses their match/series. MMA fans often recall the curse affecting multiple UFC stars, although some have overcome it.

As indicated in an Instagram post by Drake, he's bet $450k on Adesanya to defeat du Plessis in their upcoming fight, with an estimated payout of $855k if he wins. In addition to a screenshot of his bet, there was a statement in the post which read:

"Always with Izzy"

Fight fans weighed in, with many suggesting that the 'Drake Curse' makes Israel Adesanya's defeat a foregone conclusion. Responding to a related tweet, a commenter jestingly insinuated that the rapper keeps betting despite having lost substantial sums:

"Drake hates money"

Alternatively, one fan opined that the curse wasn't real, while another emphasized that Israel Adesanya has beaten it before. Moreover, a fan tweeted an image alluding to some of the much-discussed elements from the du Plessis-Adesanya feud, including du Plessis' bond with his coach and more. The netizen wrote:

"Bet the house on Dricus"

Check out the screenshots of a few reactions below:

Screenshots of reactions

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When Israel Adesanya and Drake shared a heartwarming call before his UFC middleweight title fight

Drake notably bet $675k and secured a $1.2 million payout after Alex Pereira defeated Jamahal Hill via first-round knockout at UFC 300 (April 2024). Incidentally, Brazil's Pereira is Israel Adesanya's archnemesis. Taking to Drake's Instagram post's comments section, Adesanya referenced Pereira's catchphrase ('Chama') and disapproved by writing, "No chama."

It's believed Adesanya made the aforementioned comment in jest, as he's long shared a close bond with Drake, even attending a party at his house where he met NBA legend LeBron James.

Furthermore, before Israel Adesanya's UFC middleweight championship defense against Jared Cannonier at UFC 276 back in July 2022, they conversed in a heartwarming FaceTime call. Drake spoke about having bet a "light million" on him, besides wishing him luck and asserting his love and deep respect for him.

Adesanya responded in kind and pointed out that he was blessed to have witnessed Drake perform live at a couple of events. 'Izzy' later tweeted footage from their conversation.

Watch their conversation below: