The Best Gambling Songs

Since the beginning of recorded songs, there have been countless songs written about the highs and lows of gambling, with titles spanning many genres and styles. In this guide to the best gambling songs, you’ll find discussions on some of the most iconic tracks. You may even find a new favorite along the way! Before we launch into this guide, we’ve provided a small discussion on why gambling in music continues to be such a popular topic among some of the world’s largest musicians. We’ve then looked at our top seven songs over the decades, before suggesting some others that didn’t quite make it to our list.

• About Gambling in Music
• The Gambler
• Tumbling Dice
• Gambler’s Blues
• Rambling, Gambling Willie
• Ace of Spades
• Viva Las Vegas
• House of the Rising Sun

About Gambling and Casino Songs

For decades, gambling has been a mainstay topic in music. In traditional folk songs, it was not uncommon to hear references to outlawed saloons or high-stakes card games. As Las Vegas’ reputation grew, so too did it attract major stars, with Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra two icons whose careers were intertwined with the city’s history.

While some artists may make clear references to gambling, others use gambling as a metaphor for luck and loss. Whether talking about the Queen of Hearts or the Ace of Spades, others simply use the bold imagery of gambling to add more depth to their lyrics. You’ll find that many of our top songs about gambling do one or more of these things. They are certainly great to listen to while you play at the best online gambling sites.

The Best Songs About Gambling

The following is our list of the best gambling songs of all time. While we’re confident that you’ve heard some of them, we recommend you check out any that are unfamiliar to you. We’ve been sure to include several genres, though you’ll find that many tend to be folk, country, or rock and roll songs.

The Gambler by Kenny Rogers

• Released: 1978
• Genre: Country

Known by many to be the quintessential gambling song, Kenny Rogers ‘The Gambler’ tells the story of two strangers talking on a train about poker. The stranger’s lessons on poker relate to life itself and are full of wisdom relating to luck and opportunity. As the well-known chorus of the song goes:

You’ve got to know when to hold ’em
Know when to fold ’em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you’re sittin’ at the table
There’ll be time enough for countin’
When the dealin’s done

Interestingly, the song was written by David Schlitz in 1976, who was only 23 years old at the time of writing. Kenny Rogers’ version remains the most popular, reaching 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. It is also among the most popular songs for gambling afficianados.

Tumbling Dice by The Rolling Stones

• Released: 1972
• Genre: Blues, Rock

‘Tumbling Dice’ was released by The Rolling Stones as the lead single on their landmark Exile on Main Street Album and is one of the album’s highlights. Rather than be a song that is explicitly about gambling, the song is about a gambler that struggles to remain faithful to his partners. Famous lyrics include:

Baby, I can’t stay, you got to roll me
And call me the tumblin’ dice
Always in a hurry, I never stop to worry
Don’t you see the time flashin’ by
Honey, got no money
I’m all sixes and sevens and nines
Say now baby, I’m the rank outsider
You can be my partner in crime

The song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and was instantly celebrated for its usual tempo and rhythm. The song peaked at 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts and was one of the band’s most successful singles.

Gambler’s Blues by BB King

• Released: 1967
• Genre: Blues

Gambler’s Blues by BB King was first released on King’s live album, Blue is King. The song follows a standard blues format and is notable for its blood-pumping opening guitar solo. Rather than refer to gambling activities explicitly, the song’s lyrics refer to love as being a gamble. Notable lyrics include:

Oh, I don’t claim to be no gambler people
Oh, I don’t know much about the dice
Yes, I don’t claim to be no gambler people
I tell you I don’t know much about the dice
Oh, but I wait and my baby knows
She knows I’m not the kind that’s gonna crap out twice

The song is considered to be one of the hallmarks of King’s seminal album. It perfectly displays King’s guitar and vocal qualities and captures the essence of the down-on-his-luck gambler.

Rambling, Gambling Willie by Bob Dylan

• Released: 1961
• Genre: Folk

Although this song was released in 1991, it was actually written and recorded in 1961 in the early phase of Bob Dylan’s illustrious career. The song is both tragic and humorous in a style that characterized Dylan’s earliest songs and tells the story of a lovable gambler who meets his end. Lyrics include:

He gambled in the White House and in the railroad yards
Wherever there was people, there was Willie and his cards
He had the reputation as the gamblin’est man around
Wives would keep their husbands home when Willie came to town
And it’s ride, Willie, ride
Roll, Willie, roll
Wherever you are a-gamblin’ now, nobody really knows

While the song was recorded for his iconic Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan album, it was eventually replaced. It wouldn’t be until another 30 years before the song was released in the first volume of his Bootleg Series.

Ace of Spade by Motörhead

• Released: 1980
• Genre: Rock, Metal

The title track of Motörhead’s fourth album, the ‘Ace of Spades’ is a prime example of the fast-paced and explosive sound that defined the band’s output. The song is also the band’s most famous and is about gambling and its risks. The ace of spades is the most powerful card and this song is a great homage.

The song springs to life with the lyrics:

If you like to gamble
I tell you, I’m your man
You win some, lose some
It’s all the same to me
The pleasure is to play
Makes no difference what you say
I don’t share your greed
The only card I need
Is the Ace of Spades
The Ace of Spades

The song was incredibly influential and is commonly covered by punk and hardcore bands to this day. It peaked at 15 on the UK Singles Charts and in 2014 was voted by NME Magazine as the 155th greatest song of all time.

Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley

• Released: 1964
• Genre: Rock and Roll

The title track for Elvis Presley’s film Viva Las Vegas, the song is often considered to be the unofficial anthem of the city that inspired it. It is one of Presley’s most famous songs, the song celebrates the thrill of gambling in the city with its fast pace, referencing everything from slots to table games like craps.

The song’s closing lyrics include:

I’m gonna keep on the run
I’m gonna have me some fun
If it costs me my very last dime
If I wind up broke, oh well
I’ll always remember that I had a swingin’ time
I’m gonna give it ev’rything I’ve got
Lady luck please let the dice stay hot
Let me shoot a seven with ev’ry shot, ah
Viva Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas, Viva, Viva Las Vegas

The song peaked at 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and is notable for being included in what is considered to be Elvis’ best film. Interestingly, Elvis only performed the song live twice, but that hasn’t stopped it from being considered one of the seminal casino songs.

House of the Rising Sun by the Animals

• Released: 1964
• Genre: Folk-Rock

A version of the folk song made popular by Bob Dylan, The Animal’s ‘House of the Rising Son’ is an era-defining track that charted at number one in the UK, USA, and Canada. While the traditional folk song tells the tragic story of a woman in a brothel, this version is about a gambling addict who meets his ruin in New Orleans.

The lyrics that reference gambling include:

Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk
And the only time he’ll be satisfied
Is when he’s all drunk
Oh, mother, tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun

The song remains an era-defining hit and is remembered for the strong vocal performance of frontman Eric Burdon. The band would never release a song as popular as this one, and its melancholy lyrics and sound continue to inspire musicians to this day.

Other Great Gambling Songs

Are you a fan of the above songs and want to find other top gambling tracks and casino songs? Below, we’ve created a shortlist of other great gambling songs that didn’t make it to our list. These songs span decades and genres and include chart-topping hits. Just be sure to play them loud!

• Ramblin’ Gamblin Man by Bob Seeger
• Ramblin’ Man by The Alman Brothers Band
• Vegas by Kendrick Lamar
• Lucky Be A Lady by Frank Sinatra
• Poker Face by Lady Gaga