In the world of professional sports, betting is an unavoidable aspect. However one thing you might not be aware of is that these ‘viral’ type news are nothing except viral advertising.
In lead up to UFC 274, singer Drake reportedly bet 550,000 Canadian dollars on Justin Gaethje. Previously Drake made news when he bet $250,000 on Jorge Masvidal prior to UFC 272.
One common thread in these bets is that he’s betting on the underdog – both Oliveira and Covington were the favorites in those respective bouts.
But these screenshots all prominently feature the place where the bets were placed – and were likely a paid promotion.
Drake is not the only one to be posting these stunt bets. As of late a number of prominent UFC athletes also shared their screenshots – most notably Israel Adesanya.
While it may seem like the singer is risking personal wealth – it’s more than likely the company he’s advertising is footing the bill.
On Stake’s official website there’s a page dedicated to Drake titled ‘Journey from a Player to a Partner’. It features a number of social media posts made by the singer promoting their business.
While Drake didn’t disclose this was an ad or that he partnered with Stake – even his instagram profile features Stake tagged.
In addition to securing Drake’s ‘partnership’, Stake also partnered with the UFC.
“We’re thrilled to partner with an exciting and emerging platform like Stake.com to offer exclusive digital and social content to our fans, as well as an innovative gaming experience,” UFC Vice President of Global Partnerships Nick Smith said. “UFC prides itself on being innovators, and Stake.com is a unique way for fans to experience the action and excitement of UFC.”
“All of us at Stake are massive UFC enthusiasts. We’re excited to partner with such a dominant brand to deliver a one-of-a-kind betting experience and accelerate our global expansion. We could not be more thrilled with all the unique possibilities this partnership unlocks for both Stake players and UFC fans.” – Said Milan Jovancevic, Stake’s Public Relationships Manager.
UFC and Stake.com officially launched the partnership on Wednesday, March 3.