The stakes were sky-high in Minneapolis on Friday, April 25, and not just for the players on the court. As the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers battled it out in Game 3, a massive wager was riding in the background.
None other than Canadian rapper Drake had placed a jaw-dropping $620,000 bet on Minnesota to get the job done. While LeBron James delivered a masterclass performance for Los Angeles, the Timberwolves had the final say and so did Drake’s bank account.
Before tip-off, Drake shared his bold move on Instagram, posting a snapshot of his $620,000 wager with the caption:
“Lemme see sum real quick Ant.”
A nod to Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, the post showed Drake’s faith in Minnesota to take down the Lakers. Despite his reputation for mixed results when it comes to betting, Drake’s gamble paid off handsomely this time.
After a hard-fought game, Minnesota secured a 116-104 victory, pushing them ahead 2-1 in the series. That win didn’t just boost the Timberwolves, it also netted Drake a stunning $1.02 million payout. Even though Drake has had his fair share of betting misses in the past, according to thedrakecurse.com, he’s still up $2.24 million overall.
Adding to that momentum, he recently pocketed a big win in the UFC world, betting $370,000 on Alexander Volkanovski to beat Diego Lopes earlier this April.
For Drake, a die-hard Toronto Raptors fan and an all-around NBA enthusiast, this win was another huge score. And judging by his Instagram story, where he posted the receipt of his gains, he couldn’t have been happier about it.
While Drake celebrated off the court, King James was doing everything he could on it. From the opening minutes, the NBA veteran looked determined to lift the Lakers. In just 17 minutes of play, he posted 20 points, grabbed five rebounds, and didn’t commit a single turnover. He was a force, hitting 8-of-10 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep.
By halftime, LeBron had already racked up 22 points on 75% shooting, putting constant pressure on Minnesota’s defense. When the final buzzer sounded, James had delivered a sensational stat line: 38 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, shooting 61.9% from the floor and a laser precise 56.6% from three-point range.
Yet despite his brilliance, the Lakers couldn’t fend off Minnesota’s late surge. Edwards (probably the reason for Drake’s sky-high bet) near triple-double performance including 29 points, eight rebounds, eight assists combined with Jaden McDaniels’ stellar night (30 points, five rebounds, one assist) proved too much for LA to overcome.
Drake walked away with a $1.02 million prize, the Timberwolves took the win, and LeBron’s monster night sadly wasn’t enough.
