In a twist no one saw coming, Canadian rapper Drake has gone all in on cricket — and more specifically, on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) lifting their maiden IPL title in 2025. Ahead of the high-stakes final against Punjab Kings (PBKS), the Grammy-winner took to Instagram to reveal he placed a $750,000 bet on RCB to win — a move that could net him $1.312 million, thanks to odds of 1.75.
Adding flair to his post, Drake captioned it with the iconic RCB war cry: “Ee saala cup namde” — Kannada for “This year, the cup is ours.” This unexpected show of cricket enthusiasm from a North American music icon shocked many of his followers. One fan asked, “We betting on cricket now?” while another joked, “Cricket? $750k? Let me tail this.”
The IPL 2025 final — being held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad — is a momentous one. Neither RCB nor PBKS has ever won the IPL since the league’s inception in 2008. This is RCB’s first final appearance since 2016, when Virat Kohli had a record-breaking season. This year, the legendary batter is once again in prime form, having scored over 600 runs.
RCB is captained by Rajat Patidar, while PBKS is led by a red-hot Shreyas Iyer. With both teams hungry for a breakthrough and a billion-dollar betting market buzzing globally, tonight’s clash is more than a cricket match — it’s a cultural spectacle.
Drake’s bet was placed via Stake, the popular crypto-gambling platform he frequently endorses. Though cricket isn’t widely followed in North America, his latest move could signal growing global celebrity interest in the IPL — a league that routinely garners over 500 million viewers per season.
With RCB fans already emotionally invested, Drake’s wager has only added fuel to the fire. Whether it’s superstition, vibes, or analysis — fans are now hoping the “Drake curse” turns into the Drake boost.
As the cricketing world holds its breath, one thing’s certain: tonight’s final isn’t just about cricket — it’s also about pop culture, fandom, and $750K riding on red and gold.
