2026 W’CUP: Canadian Rapper Drake Bags Over $1m After Canada Oust South Africa

Canadian rap superstar Drake pocketed more than $1 million after successfully betting on Canada’s 1-0 victory over South Africa in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 on Sunday.

The Toronto native placed a wager of $770,000 (about ₦1 billion) backing Canada to progress to the next round.

The winning bet yielded a total payout of $1,001,000, earning the Grammy-winning artist a profit of $231,000.

Drake later revealed on his Instagram page that renowned South African DJ Black Coffee inspired him to place the high-stakes bet.

Sharing a screenshot of the wager, he wrote that Black Coffee was “chirping in the DM”, so he had to “raise the stakes.”

The defeat ended South Africa’s best World Cup run.

Hugo Broos’ side reached the knockout stage for the first time after finishing runners-up in Group A.

Bafana Bafana qualified for the expanded 2026 tournament ahead of Nigeria and impressed in the group phase with a 1-0 win over South Korea.

They progressed from a group that also included co-hosts Mexico and Czechia.

Their campaign ended at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Canada’s midfielder Stephen Eustáquio scored a stunning volley in second-half stoppage time to secure the 1-0 win and send the co-hosts into the Round of 16.

It is Canada’s first-ever qualification for the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup.

Drake is known for placing high-profile sports bets on NBA Finals, UFC title fights, boxing bouts and major football tournaments. Sunday’s win adds to his recent run of public wagers.