The best gambling music playlist to listen to

Somebody once said that love makes the world go round, but music makes it much more enjoyable. 

There are billions of songs out there, made by millions of artists, covering thousands of genres – and what that means is that no matter what you are doing you can find a playlist that is perfect for your activity.

Feeling sad? There’s a playlist for that. Getting your pump on in the gym? You can prime yourself with pumping rock anthems. Working hard on an essay or needing to concentrate on a project? Low-fi beats have you covered. 

What that also means is that when you want to get in the right frame of mind for gambling, there is a playlist for that too! Once you have decided which casino site you want to play at from the list of best sites available online, you can create the ultimate soundtrack that just works.

With so many songs available, finding the right ones that combine a catchy tune and a great rhythm, but are also about playing cards, poker, or any other game in the casino can be tricky (especially when other sites include Poker Face by Lady Gaga or Waking up in Las Vegas by Katy Perry, neither of which are actually about gambling). 

So, here are ten songs that you need on your ultimate gambling playlist. 

Ace of Spades – Motorhead

Let’s start with the obvious one – this is the title track of the album Motorhead released in 1980, and the lyrics are all about different forms of gambling. 

The driving beat and crazy guitars in this will get you pumped up – but if it is just too hard rock for you, then there are some excellent covers that might be a bit gentler. 

The Gambler – Kenny Rogers

Another obvious choice thanks to both the title and the content, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an excellent song. 

This song was a number one country hit when it was released in 1978, and the storytelling nature of the lyrics coupled with the catchy country style will get your foot tapping.

Beatin’ the Odds _ Molly Hatchet

This underrated Southern rock band knows how to put together a good tune that will have you moshing along – and this one is no different. 

Released in 1980, this song is about ‘Victory’ tempting a man to play the ‘game designed for fools’ – the heavy gambling metaphors could be about anything where chance and luck are integral to success. 

Easy Money – Billy Joel

The theme song for the film of the same name that was released in 1983, this is Billy Joel at his full range. 

Written specifically for the film, this song is a story told from the perspective of a hopeless gambler, and it has the catchiest groove that harks back to 1950’s doo-wop and soul.

Casino Boogie – Rolling Stones

A little bit of a cheat here, as the nonsense lyrics don’t have anything to do with casinos or gambling – in fact, they don’t really have much to do with anything, because they were devised from random phrases on torn paper. 

However, the blues progression that gives this tune the boogie groove in the title is so catchy you’ll be humming along while you play your hand. 

Viva Las Vegas – Elvis

Ah, the glitz and glam of Las Vegas embodied in one man (and one song). This one had to make the list because nobody does sparkling ostentatious like Elvis, and the casino is where the luxury is. 

If the original is too upbeat and pop for you, then you can find numerous covers in different styles that will fit your personal tastes a bit better – but the original still rocks. 

The Card Cheat – The Clash

The album that this song is on has a dark theme about outsiders, and this song is all about counterpoints. 

Released in 1979, the upbeat and almost jaunty piano and rhythm belies the dark lyrics about a gambler who cheats and is murdered – such an interesting listen and one of the lesser-known Clash songs. 

Gamblin’ Man – Lonnie Donegan

Lonnie Donegan was a world-famous skiffle artist, and he recorded Gamblin’ Man live from the London Palladium back in 1957.

This is pure old-world skiffle, and the melody is almost too catchy – with the lyrical content from Woody Guthrie that encompasses the gambling man. 

Waiting for an Alibi – Thin Lizzy

Released back in 1979, the Irish rockers Thin Lizzie were ahead of the game when it came to talking about addiction – and while the song used gambling metaphors to represent heroin addiction, it is the music that will speak the most to you. 

Featuring a driving beat and bass line, with epic duelling guitar solos and typical Thin Lizzie vocals, this is a hard rock experience. 

Shape of My Heart – Sting

The last track on the list is a slower one, and it has been covered and sampled so may times it seems familiar even if you have not heard it before. 

The premise of the lyrics is that a card player is looking for the mystical logic that rules the games, but it is the sweeping melody that uses classical chord progressions that you might expect to hear in a Bach concerto that makes this more than just another ballad.