Best Songs About Gambling: Country, Rock, Hip Hop, and More

1. The Gambler by Kenny Rogers

• • Genre: Country
  • Year: 1978
  • Album: The Gambler
  • Highest Spot on Charts: #1

This classic song was penned by Don Schlitz in 1976 and made famous by Kenny Rogers. He used it as the title track for his popular 1978 album, which hit #1 in the Country charts. Rogers even earned a 1980 Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.

The classic line “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, Know when to fold ’em” has become iconic. The song’s popularity, great lyrics, and appropriate title make it an obvious choice for any list of popular gambling songs.

2. Ramblin’ Gamblin Man, Bob Seger System

• • Genre: Rock N’ Roll
  • Year: 1968
  • Album: Ramblin’ Gamblin Man
  • Highest Spot on National Charts: #17

This song was written by Detroit native Bob Seger. The original studio version was actually released in mono and was never available to the public until 2011. This masterpiece was Seger’s first Top 20 song and was off the popular album bearing the same name.

3. Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley

• • Genre: Rock N’ Roll
  • Year: 1964
  • Album: Released as single
  • Highest Spot on Billboard Hot 100: #29

“Lady Luck please let the dice stay hot, Let me shoot a seven” Elvis sings on this classic. A curious fact is that the The King never sang this one live

The gambling anthem was released as a single with his classic film Viva Las Vegas back in 1964.

4. Poker Face by Lady Gaga

• • Genre: Synth-Pop/Dance-Pop
  • Year: 2008
  • Album: The Fame
  • Highest Spot on Billboard Hot 100: #1

This catchy Lady Gaga song reached #1 in at least 20 countries and was the debut single from the singer’s second studio album. Poker Face written by Gaga herself and was the b-b-b-best-selling single worldwide in 2009.

5. Ramblin’ Man by The Allman Brothers Band

• • Genre: Country Rock
  • Year: 1973
  • Album: Brothers and Sisters
  • Highest Spot on Billboard Hot 100: #2

Written and sung by group guitar player Dickie Betts, Ramblin Man was the Allman Brothers Band only single to ever reach the Top 10. It was  inspired by the song with the same title by Hank Williams back in 1951 and topped at #12 on the Easy Listening chart.

6. Dead Flowers by The Rolling Stones

• • Genres: Country Rock, Rock N’ Roll
  • Years: 1971, 1972
  • Albums: Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street

Written by the Glimmer Twins, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Dead Flowers was recorded at Olympic Studios in London in April 1970. It was influenced by Gram Parsons, a friend of Richards’ at the time when the the Rolling Stones dabbled in country music.

7. Ace Of Spades by Motorhead

• • Genre: Rock N’ Roll
  • Year: 1980
  • Album: Ace of Spades
  • Highest Spot on UK Singles Chart: #15 (November, 1981)

The title track of British rockers Motorhead 4th studio album, Ace of Spades, certainly is a classic poker song. It’s part of the album of the same name, which made it as the #408 best in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

8. Vegas by Doja Cat

• • Genre: Hip Hop
  • Year: 2022
  • Album: Elvis

One of the modern gambling sites that made the list is Vegas, Doja Cat. It’s the lead single from the 2022 Elvis Presley biopic, “Elvis”. Vegas contains a sample from the song “Hound Dog,” recorded in 1952 by Big Mama Thornton, but also covered and made famous by Memphis native Presley.

9. Mo Money, Mo Problems by The Notorious B.I.G.

• • Genre: Hip Hop
  • Year: 1997
  • Album: Life After Death
  • Highest Spot on Billboard Top 100: #1

This song about gambling went all the way to #1 for two weeks and was the Notorious BIG’s second posthumous #1 (Hypnotize). It’s one of hip hop’s best contribution to the gambling theme.

10. Vegas by Kendrick Lamar

• • Genre: Hip Hop
  • Year: 2015
  • Album: To Pimp A Butterfly

This unreleased gem is one of the original 40 songs recorded for Lamar’s album “To Pimp A Butterfly”. The track is about casino games and involves a love story.