Drake Bets $300,000 on Canada to Defeat Argentina in Copa América

Canadian rapper Drake has placed a bold $300,000 (N465 million) bet on Canada to defeat Argentina in the 2024 Copa América semifinal, potentially winning $2.88 million if Canada emerges victorious against Lionel Messi’s favored Argentine team.

Drake announced his substantial wager on social media with a playful caption, “This could get Messi,” alongside a Canadian flag emoji.

Canada’s unexpected journey to the semifinals has been a highlight of the tournament. Led by coach Jesse Marsch, the team entered Copa América ranked 11th out of 16 teams in FIFA rankings. This appearance marks Canada’s debut in the prestigious South American competition, aiming to clinch its first major title since the 1990 North American Nations Cup.

The upcoming match will only be the second time Canada and Argentina meet in Copa América history, with Argentina winning their previous group stage encounter 2-0 on June 20. Historically, these teams have clashed once before, in a 2010 friendly match where Argentina secured a 5-0 victory.

Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Messi, who recently recovered from a thigh injury, will play in the semifinal. The 37-year-old star missed Argentina’s final group game against Peru but returned to play the entire match in their quarterfinal win over Ecuador.