Drake on Intense Michael Jordan Ping-Pong Match: 'I Respect Him Deeply for His Gambling Nature'

Drake, no stranger to sliding into headlines by way of a Stake video, has done it again. While the last time we traversed these waters was spurred by an invasive-seeming drone video more than a few folks unfortunately mistook as real, the latest example, seen below, finds the OVO Sound co-founder sharing a key gambling memory involving none other than Michael Jordan.

After first reflecting on a 2024 betting victory at a Dave & Buster’s that he says resulted in millions of dollars being won, Drake was asked to give his pick for the “real-life gambling GOAT.” Prefacing his answer with a “controversial take” distinction, Drake looked back on a high-stakes ping-pong match with Jordan as an example of why, in his opinion, the NBA icon deserves this title.

“He’ll gamble on anything,” Drake said.” I remember it was, like, All-Star Weekend [in] Toronto and he had an event to be at. I beat him at ping-pong, like, a couple times and he just wouldn’t leave the ping-pong table. He kept just betting me, like, bands. 10 bands, 20 bands. Just kept betting because he just couldn’t stomach the loss, you know? He’s definitely not a quitter. I respect him deeply for his gambling nature. So, yeah, I’d say Michael Jordan’s definitely one-of-one.”

Back in 2022, Stake, an online casino, said it was welcoming Drake as “its newest partner,” adding that he was joining the team as “an ambassador to the brand.” A number of Stake-related Drake updates have followed, including, most recently, an IG share of the online casino’s logo jokingly captioned with a claim of being “down bad” on the platform.

“So I am posting this solely for $2 million credit to spin slots,” he added at the time.

With his PARTYNEXTDOOR collab album $ome $exy $ongs 4 U now just over a month in the rearview, Drake is already looking ahead at his “next chapter.” In a recent note to fans, he cautioned that what’s next might leave some “feeling uneasy.” For now, it’s not clear whether we can expect a new Drake solo album at some point in 2025, though it’s hard to imagine that not happening. For All the Dogs, his most recent lone effort, marks its second anniversary this October.