Drake takes $3.2 million gamble on birth of Super Bowl star's baby
Canadian rap superstar Drake was sweating on whether or not LA Rams star Odell Beckham Jr. even took the field in Monday's Super Bowl as the wide receiver awaits the birth of his first child.
Beckham Jr. has revitalised his NFL career as he helped the Rams to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1980, where they face off against the Cincinnati Bengals.
SUPER BOWL LVI: Everything you need to know ahead of Rams v Bengals
CINDERELLA STORY: Epic comeback from NFL underdogs stuns US
It's come with a twist in the tail though, with Beckahm Jr. 'on call' as his girlfriend Lauren Wood is due to give birth to the couple's first child.
The situation has lead to a nervous wait for Drake, who took to Instagram over the weekend to show off the extravagant bets he's placed on the Super Bowl.
The 'Hotline Bling' star has put down $600,000USD worth of Bitcoin on a Rams victory, as well as similar $500,000 bets on Beckham Jr. getting to more than 62.5 receiving yards and scoring at least one touchdown.
If it all comes together, the rapper stands to win roughly AU$3.2 million.
Things got off to a good start for Drake, with Beckahm Jr. scoring a touchdown in the first quarter to cash in the first of the rapper's bets.
Beckham Jr. was roughly halfway to the 62.5 receiving yards Drake needed by half time as well.
Odell Beckham Jr 'on standby' for baby's birth
Those bets could be scuppered quickly if Wood's pregnancy and the game collide, with Beckham Jr. ruminating over the weekend about the coincidence of the 'two biggest blessings' in his life coming at almost the same time.
“I don’t need you to put that energy in the air about the Saturday night or the Sunday thing,’’ Beckham quipped.
“I think God has a different plan. I don’t need it during the Super Bowl.
"I want to see my child being born, so I’m on watch.
“You have two of the biggest blessings, two once-in-a-lifetime moments and opportunities all happening at the same time.”
Make no mistake though, Beckham Jr. is well aware of Drake's outsized wagers, joking that 'I’ve got to come through for him' when asked about it over the weekend.
While the rap superstar's bets were an amusing sideshow, it was clear the Rams star had only one prize in mind.
“I‘ve got to come through for him, but ultimately, bro, I just want to be able to hold that trophy up, look your brothers in the eyes like, ’Man, we did it.’ And just feel that joy," he said.
"Honestly, I feel like if I play my game, I catch everything that comes my way, I make the plays, I stay locked in, one play at a time, all of those things are very possible.”
Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.
