Muscat: While RCB lifted the trophy after 17 long seasons, Drake walked away with a staggering $1.3 million (₹11 crore) payout—thanks to a bold pre-match bet.
RCB’s long-awaited triumph in the IPL came with a thrilling six-run victory over Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. And riding that wave of euphoria was none other than global music icon Drake, who had staked $750,000 (approx. ₹6.4 crore) on the Bengaluru side to win.
Placed at odds of 1.75, the bet earned him a whopping $1.3 million (roughly ₹11 crore or AED 4.75 million)—a fortune made in mere hours. For context, RCB’s entire IPL winner’s purse was ₹20 crore, earned after a gruelling 74-day campaign. Drake, meanwhile, secured over half that amount in a single bet.
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The Grammy-winning artist’s Instagram story showing the wager quickly went viral, setting social media abuzz. Fans of both cricket and hip-hop cheered the unexpected crossover moment as the Canadian star joined the RCB celebrations online.
On the field, it was a composed knock from Virat Kohli and clutch performances by the middle order that set a target of 190 for 9. Though Punjab had a fiery start, a mix of scoreboard pressure and smart RCB bowling turned the tide. A last-over blitz from Shashank Singh—who hammered 22 while needing 29—wasn’t enough, as RCB sealed the win and ended their 17-year title drought.
