How much Drake won for backing Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic Indian Premier League triumph

Dubai: Fortune favours the brave and Canadian rapper Drake has reaped the rewards for his bold wager on Royal Challengers Bengaluru winning their maiden Indian Premier League title, after they edged out Punjab by six runs in a thrilling final at Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

And it’s not just fans who were backing RCB. The multi-Grammy-winning artist sent social media into meltdown after revealing a massive $750,000 wager — roughly Dh2.75 million (Rs64 million) — on Virat Kohli’s team to lift the trophy.

Placed at odds of 1.75, the winning bet fetched Drake a cool $1.3 million — roughly Dh4.75 million or Rs110 million. Not a bad return for backing the perennial underachievers who finally broke their title drought in Season 18 of the IPL. For comparison, RCB’s winners’ prize money stood at Rs200 million — a sum the Bengaluru franchise toiled 74 days to earn, while Drake bagged more than half of it in just a few hours.

The rapper posted a screenshot of the bet on his Instagram story just hours before the final. The post quickly went viral, triggering a flurry of excitement from fans — both cricket and hip-hop.

RCB, powered by a calm and calculated knock from Virat Kohli and supported by key cameos from the middle order, posted 190 for 9. Punjab looked to be cruising after a strong start, racing to 23 in two overs, but the pressure of a final and some smart bowling pegged them back. A spirited effort by Shashank Singh — who scored 22 off the final over needing 29 — fell short, sealing a six-run win for RCB.

Drake’s bet comes on the heels of a growing trend of international celebrities engaging with cricket, especially the IPL, which continues to widen its global appeal. This win — and windfall — might just make the Canadian star a regular on the RCB bandwagon.

For RCB fans, Kohli’s long-awaited trophy is the real prize. But for Drake, the gamble on red and gold ended in green.