When the Toronto Raptors got Drake to sign on to be the Global Ambassador for the team in 2013, it seemed like a good idea. He was an immensely popular superstar with fans around the world. A relationship with him could potentially lead to a whole new generation of Raptors fans being created.
But little did they know that it would also lead to the dreaded ‘Drake Curse.’
Over the years, Drake has developed a reputation as somewhat of a bad luck charm for teams he supports. There has been enough evidence to support the notion that Bovada is offering odds on how many home games the Raptors lose with Drake in attendance during the playoffs this year:
- How Many Home Playoff Games Will Raptors Lose with Drake in Attendance?
o Over 1.5 -175
o Under 1.5 +135
He was there for Game Five against the Magic, but the team managed to pull out a win, anyway. But going forward, will they lose two or more home games with him there? Or will they overcome the curse and win despite the presence of their global brand ambassador?
It depends on how much you believe in ‘curses.’ There certainly appears to be plenty of evidence of one when it comes to the ‘Curse of Drake:’
- 2013: Drake was named the team ambassador for his hometown Toronto Raptors. They have since made the playoffs every year since but have only made it past the second round once.
- 2015: He attended the U.S. Open semifinals to support Serena Williams. Serena was having an incredible year and was looking to complete the grand slam if she won the U.S. Open. But instead, she suffered an epic upset to Roberta Vinci. He wasn’t seen at one of her tennis matches again until the Wimbledon Finals last year—which she lost.
- 2016: Drake rapped about the Golden State Warriors in a song, and they proceeded to blow a 3-1 lead to the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
- 2018: Conor McGregor had Drake at the weigh-in for his fight with Khabib Nurmagomedev, a fight he ended up losing in the fourth round.
- 2019: Prior to a recent match, Drake got a picture with Paris Saint-Germain’s Layvin Kurzawa. PSG went on to lose to Lille, 5-1. It was their most lopsided loss since new ownership took over in 2011.
- 2019: He recently attended a Toronto Maple Leafs game wearing a team jersey. They lost the game and went on to lose the series.
Those are just some of the examples. There is also the failed NFL career of a certain Texas A&M quarterback that Drake was a big supporter of. He has also been a big fan of Andrew Wiggins, a guy who was once thought to be the next big thing—but isn’t.
Surely, no one believes this silliness, right? Well after PSG lost to Lille, an Italian team, Roma, banned its players from taking photos with Drake until the end of the season.
So—should you take the over? The hard part is not knowing how many of Toronto’s home games he is going to attend. As the official team ambassador, at this time of year, you’d think he would be at all of them. If that is the case, then there is the rest of the Western Conference Semifinals, the Conference Finals, and possibly the Finals.
Take the over—but not because you should believe in the curse. Do it because the competition the rest of the way is going to be very tough.
