Rapper Drake has placed a $1 million bet on Conor McGregor to win his upcoming fight against Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. The wager, posted on Instagram, backs McGregor at +185 odds, with a potential profit of $1.85 million.
Drake, who has a significant endorsement deal with the online crypto casino Stake, has become known for placing multi-million dollar bets on major sporting events. However, many of these bets have resulted in losses, leading to the popular notion of the "Drake Curse." This phenomenon suggests that athletes or teams Drake publicly supports tend to lose their contests.
This bet comes as McGregor prepares for his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship after a five-year hiatus. His last bout was on July 10, 2021, at UFC 264, where he suffered a doctor's stoppage TKO loss to Dustin Poirier due to a broken leg. McGregor's most recent victory in the octagon occurred on January 18, 2020, against Donald Cerrone at UFC 246.
The upcoming fight marks the second encounter between McGregor and Holloway. Their first meeting was on August 17, 2013, at UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen, where McGregor defeated Holloway by decision. Four years later, McGregor participated in a highly publicized boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas. At the time of that fight, sports gambling was only legal in Nevada, but the betting action for Saturday's bout is expected to surpass previous records, with or without Drake's backing.