Drake Loses Big with £401,000 Wager on Israel Adesanya at UFC 293

Image: The US Sun

In a high-stakes gamble just hours before Israel Adesanya was set to defend his middleweight title against Sean Strickland at UFC 293, rapper Drake put his money where his faith lay. However, luck was not on his side this time.

Known for his penchant for making substantial bets on combat sports, including the UFC, Drake has gained notoriety for his "cursed" reputation when it comes to betting.

With odds at 1.84, Drake was anticipating a £738,000 payday ($920,000) if Adesanya could live up to his favorite status. Unfortunately, the outcome in Sydney, Australia on Sunday morning did not align with Drake's expectations.

In the first round, Strickland scored a significant knockdown, setting the tone for the fight. He managed to evade Adesanya's power shots for the remaining four rounds, costing Drake dearly.

Ultimately, Strickland was crowned the new champion, with all three judges scoring the fight 49-46 in his favor.

Despite his reputation as a jinx, Drake has experienced occasional success with gambling. Earlier this year, he raked in an impressive £2.2 million betting on UFC 287, where Adesanya managed to KO Alex Pereira and regain his UFC middleweight belt.

Nonetheless, Drake has also faced substantial losses. In August, he wagered £200,000 ($250,000) on Nate Diaz defeating Jake Paul, only to witness the YouTube star secure a unanimous decision victory. He also bet a million dollars on Argentina beating France in the World Cup final in regular time, a match that ultimately saw Lionel Messi's team triumph in a penalty shootout.

Drake's betting misfortunes extended to his prediction that Jake Paul would knock out Tommy Fury earlier this year, only for TNT to win via unanimous decision.

This is not the first time Adesanya has disappointed the 36-year-old rapper. Drake bet £1.7 million ($2 million) on Adesanya defeating Pereira at UFC 281, only to witness him suffer a fifth-round stoppage loss.

It remains to be seen if Drake will continue to back Adesanya in his future bouts.

Source: talksport.com

#UFC 293
#Drake
#Adesanya
#Strickland