Seeing pictures online of celebrities enjoying a night out at the casino is nothing new. Casinos are venues of luxury and entertainment and attract high-rollers who are looking to get in on some gambling action, from A-list movie stars to music talent from the world of rap.
While the regular Joe may be more suited to browsing through a guide on online casinos in the United Kingdom to find a reliable site to play on from home, celebrities are something of a common sight at famous land-based casinos around the world like Monaco and Las Vegas.
People with large expendable amounts of money tend to naturally be drawn to high-stakes games. While there have been big wins to celebrate, rap stars are not immune from losses and reports often come out about artists who have had their bad nights at the table. Here are some of the leading rap artists that have had some momentous nights at casinos.
Yo Gotti Loses Half a Million
The “Rake It Up” hitmaker Yo Gotti once had a staggering loss on a single hand of blackjack. In late 2019, artist and producer Jay-Z hosted a charity casino night for the Shawn Carter Foundation Gala. The event, hosted at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, had a $100,000 buy-in to gamble.
So it was a night of high-rolling, all for charity, for which around $6 million was raised. Yo Gotti’s famous blowout was posted on Instagram as he risked $500,000 on a single hand of blackjack, strangely playing as the bank, meaning that he bet against other players including Jay-Z. He lost.
Drake Goes Big Again
Canadian rapper Drake has had many moments in the spotlight for his high-risk gambling antics, both at sportsbooks and casinos. Back in 2022, Drake went big at an online roulette table, a moment that was shared on a Twitch livestream.
Along with previous wins of $5.73 million and $3.87 million during the playing session, Drake hit it even bigger when he scored a $12.96 million jackpot. Despite totalling up around $25 million in winnings during play, in true Drake fashion, he finished his session almost empty-handed.
It was a roller coaster of a night at the table, which ultimately ended not in his favour. Along with the losses, the singer shared some of his funds with fans who were joining the stream. It’s unlikely to be the last story we’ll hear of Drake and gambling, as it’s been intertwined with his music career.
Young Thug Bemoans His Luck
Another cautionary tale of going big at a casino happened to “Relationship” and “Best Friend” rapper Young Thug. In 2021 during a jaunt in the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas, he didn’t come out on top in his battle with the famous city.
Young Thug ended the night with $800,000 worth of losses in Vegas, breaking the news the following morning on Instagram to his followers. The year before, the rapper announced that he had won $620,000 on a Super Bowl LIV bet, so Thugger is no stranger to gambling.
Lil Baby Hits It Big
There was better news for Lil Baby in 2022 when he cleaned up during a casino session in Las Vegas. The Atlanta native, known for hits like “Drip Too Hard” and “My Dawg,” won $1M from a single bet right there on the spot in a huge moment, and it was reported that he generously gave his crew members $10,000 each after he had cashed out.
Other Famous Rapper Casino Players
There are plenty of other hip-hop and rap stars that are well known for their gambling exploits, including Nelly, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and Nas. There are many stories out there about their gambling exploits, but a lot of the stories have unsubstantiated amounts of wins and losses.
Despite the high status, celebrity and bankrolls that regular casino players can’t even fathom, most artists like to keep their cards close to their chest when it comes to wins and losses, which is understandable.
Celebrities have enough time in the spotlight, and will normally keep things private at the casino tables, as it’s their time away to relax out of the limelight and will often do their business at VIP tables.
While there have been many rap stars that have experienced memorable wins, and spectacular blowouts, it’s rare to have a full picture of their net gain or loss from a night of gambling. Generally, we only hear about infamous sums of money being won or lost on a single hand.
