Drake revealed on Friday, July 10 that he placed a $1 million bet on Conor McGregor to defeat Max Holloway at UFC 329, adding another high-profile wager to his long list of public sports bets.
The bet was announced through Drake's partnership with Stake, and it immediately stood out because McGregor entered UFC 329 as the underdog. Holloway was the favorite heading into the Saturday night fight at T-Mobile Arena.
If McGregor won, the wager would return $2.85 million, which means Drake stood to make $1.85 million in profit on the bet. That kind of number is one reason the wager drew so much attention, even before the fight took place.
A familiar setup for Drake
The bet also came with the familiar backdrop of the so-called Drake Curse, the fan joke that has followed his public support for certain athletes and teams. In this case, Drake backed McGregor, who had already beaten Holloway 13 years ago by unanimous decision.
Drake leaned into the moment with a promotional message on Instagram, writing, “THE MAC IS BACK?!?!?? The proper twelve drinking, tailored suit wearing, Lambo Yacht riding man with the Dubai tan that once had both belts in both hands... Say less @stake.”
He later posted another message saying, “4 YEARS ON THE GRIND WE FINALLY F***ING FOUND ANITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA OH MY GOD @stake MY FIRST MAX WIN EVER ICEMAN SEASON WTF,” alongside a promotional video in which he said his winnings climbed past the $30 million mark.
Why it mattered
Public celebrity bets are common enough, but a $1 million wager on a major UFC fight makes the story bigger than a standard betting update. It tied Drake to a major event, a major sportsbook partner and one of the sport's most recognizable names.
For readers asking the simple question, the answer is clear: Drake bet $1 million on Conor McGregor to beat Max Holloway at UFC 329.
