Drake controversially predicts the winner of Jake Paul - Mike Tyson bout with a staggering gamble

The day is finally here. Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will soon touch gloves in the most anticipated boxing event of the year -- perhaps the decade -- in a showdown of epic proportions. The 27-year-old Paul has battled questions about his physique and whether he's only in this for the money; Tyson, at 58, has tried to answer obvious questions about his health and preparedness to return to the ring after 19 years away and an ulcer flare-up in May that led to the fight's postponement.

Such a major event has led to a lot of prediction-making -- and lots of bets placed with sportsbooks, as people all over the country try to make some extra cash by gambling on the fight. One particularly large bet has reportedly been placed by the Canadian rapper Drake -- who, in picking his winner, has surely sparked controversy.

Drake bets more than $350k on Tyson!

Drake is willing to part with a small fortune -- $355,000, precisely -- to back up his prediction that Tyson will defeat Paul at AT&T Stadium on Friday night. If Drake is right, and Iron Mike wins a professional bout for the first time since February 2003, then the "Started from the Bottom" rapper will receive a $1 million payout.

The $355,000 bet for Drake is a bit like chump change -- after all, "Drizzy" is estimated to have a net worth in excess of $250 million -- but the gamble goes to show how highly-anticipated Tyson's return to the ring has been. Despite his age and a 31-year gap to Paul, Drake and many others believe that the former heavyweight champion's pure punching power will be enough to deliver him a victory over the quicker Paul -- who has never faced a boxer quite like Tyson, in terms of strength and in terms of reputation.

Paul and Tyson each stand to receive roughly $20 million apiece for participating in the year's biggest fight down in Arlington, Texas. But when that bell rings Friday night, the payout won't matter to them -- although people like Drake will be watching anxiously to find out if they are big winners, or big losers.