The 10 Best Poker and Gambling Songs Ever

AC/DC – «Jack» 

The iconic rockers from Australia, AC/DC, kick off the list with their song “The Jack.” The lyrics depict a poker “hand.” A guy and a girl face off in a heads-up game. The poker variant is “Deuces Wild” (where Deuces act as wild cards and can substitute for any other card).

The girl shuffles the deck and deals the guy a Queen and a King — a great starting hand. Meanwhile, she deals herself a pocket pair and lands a full house with a Jack on the flop. The song’s narrator begins to suspect that the girl is cheating. And now, he’s not so thrilled about sitting down to play with her.

In an interview with rock journalist Murray Engleheart, Malcolm Young recalls that he was playing with Bon when he got a note from a girl who accused him of giving her gonorrhea: “We were having a sing-along with the guitars and I got this note from this chick in Melbourne accusing me of giving her a dose of the clap or the jack, and I never had it. So I thought, ‘Hang on a minute, this chick’s fucking given it to me then, if anything!’” He gave the note to Bon and began playing the blues. In that moment the singer, who was still laughing about what had just happened, began teasing Malcolm by singing along: “She’s got the Jack, She’s got the Jack…”

The thing is that in Australian slang “Jack” means “gonorrhea”. And “full house” in the lyrics is “venereal bouquet”. The song was originally called “The Clap”, but with such a title and lyrics the song would not have been allowed on air. So the rockers encrypted the lyrics into a card game.

So “Jack” is not always a Jack.

Motörhead – «Ace Of Spades» 

Another cult composition, this time from the British rockers, the trio “Motörhead”. This is one of the most poker and driving songs:

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

In the first lines, the lyrical hero invites us to play with him. He is not a regular, not a grinder. He is someone who passionately loves the game and plays from the heart. He is more of a ludomaniac (or, as we would call it, a “recreational player”). He plays for pleasure, for emotions.

The song is permeated with references to poker:

Pushing up the ante

I know you got to see me

Read ’em and weep

The dead man’s hand again

I see it in your eyes

Take one look and die

The only thing you see

You know it’s gonna be

The Ace of Spades

The Ace of Spades

Who won and who lost in this crazy hand remains a secret. And it doesn’t matter. We can’t help but praise the references to ante and “dead man’s hand”.

Subjectively, “Ace Of Spades” by Motörhead is not the kind of composition that you should tune in to a serious, multi-hour grind with. But listening to it during a break, or when the cards are not going well, or in moments of fatigue can give new strength. Especially to metal lovers.

KSHMR – «Wildcard»

An EDM hit from Indian DJ KSHMR. This is the Big Room House style track “Wildcard”. This song references not only poker but also other games:

Wanna take a spin?

Wanna take a roll?

You know you’re dealin’ with a wildcard

If you go all in

I’ll make your troubles fold

Might take your diamonds, but I’ll steal your heart

The song’s heroine is a femme fatale with a devious plan in mind. She’s a “wild card” — a joker who can take on the value of any other card. She doesn’t need wealth; she’ll steal your heart instead.

This track contains references to poker:

«If you go all in, I’ll make your troubles fold»

There are also references to card suits and their meanings, as well as card ranks:

«Might take your Diamonds but I’ll steal your Heart»

«Stop looking for your Queen and sip on Jack instead» (means Jack Daniels)

Who said that dance music is boring, stupid and uninteresting? This track will appeal to everyone who loves EDM. It has a plot, excitement and Indian flavor.

Lady Gaga – «Poker Face» 

With over 1,400,000,000 views on YouTube, a Grammy Award, and a spot in Rolling Stone’s Top 100 Songs of the 2000s, this is the track that poker players around the world use to get in the zone.

The iconic pop hit “Poker Face” did as much to popularize poker as the Moneymaker boom. Thanks to the song, even people far removed from the poker world learned that a “poker face” means a completely emotionless expression.

Interestingly, as is often the case, the song with poker references isn’t actually about poker. Its storyline is rather intricate. According to Lady Gaga herself, the song is tied to her bisexual experiences. The heroine hints that the man should figure out, from her “poker face,” that she’s imagining a woman while being intimate with him.

I wanna hold ’em like they do in Texas, please

Fold ’em, let ’em hit me, raise it, baby, stay with me (I love it)

Love game intuition, play the cards with spades to start

And after he’s been hooked, I’ll play the one that’s on his heart

Can’t read my, can’t read my

No, he can’t read my poker face

(She’s got me like nobody)

In general, Lady Gaga dedicated this composition to her rock-n-roll friends who waste their time on sex, drinking and gambling.

Sting – «Shape of my heart»

Some songs are timeless, the kind you never skip when they come on the radio. Instead, you even turn up the volume. “Shape of My Heart” is one of those songs.

At first listen, it might seem like this track has nothing to do with poker. The narrator isn’t playing a hand, placing an ante, or chasing losses. He might not even be part of the game. In fact, it feels like he’s completely alone.

Listeners have shared various interpretations of what the song is about. Some say Sting sings about fortune-telling cards. Others seriously claim it’s about a spy from British intelligence. And then there are those who see it as a story of a love triangle.

When the song was first released, Sting told the story about wanting to write a song about a “card player, a gambler who gambles not to win but to try and figure out something; to figure out some kind of mystical logic in luck, or chance; some kind of scientific, almost religious law. So this guy’s a philosopher, he’s not playing for respect, and he’s not playing for money, he’s just trying to figure out the law – there has to be some logic to it. He’s a poker player, so it’s not easy for him to express his emotions; in fact, he doesn’t express anything, he has a mask, and it’s just one mask, and it never changes.”

So, the song is about poker. And even the poker face is visible in it. Each line is a reference to cards and the game:

He deals the cards as a meditation

And those he plays never suspect

He doesn’t play for the money he wins

He don’t play for respect

He deals the cards to find the answer

The sacred geometry of chance

The hidden law of a probable outcome

The numbers lead a dance

I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier

I know that the clubs are weapons of war

I know that diamonds mean money for this art

But that’s not the shape of my heart

It’s worth noting that Sting correctly revealed the meanings of the suits (hence the reference to fortune-telling cards). And if you remove all the lyrics and thereby destroy the magic of the song, it turns out that the lyrical hero is trying to figure out the RNG algorithm. So, it makes sense to listen to this song every time your opponent catches one of the two outs on the river — perhaps you will be able to figure out how this happens.

Elvis Presley – «Viva Las Vegas»

The rock-and-roll single “Viva Las Vegas” was released in 1963, seven years before the WSOP came into existence. The song was recorded for the film Viva Las Vegas. While poker is mentioned only briefly among other games, this track remains a favorite for many.

At its core, it’s a song about a gambler who has just arrived in Vegas, singing an ode to the world’s entertainment capital.

Viva Las Vegas with your neon flashin’

And your one arm bandits crashin’

All those hopes down the drain

Viva Las Vegas turnin’ day into nighttime

And turnin’ night into daytime

If you see it once, you’ll never be the same again

The narrator has plenty of money and is ready to play 24 hours a day (and would play for 40 hours if the day were that long). He’s carefree but still tries to seek Lady Luck’s blessing. Even knowing he might lose, he remains optimistic. He’s sure he’ll have a great time:

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 up well

I’ll always remember that I had a swingin’ time

I’m gonna give it everything I’ve got

Lady luck, please, let the dice stay hot

And let me shoot a seven with every shot

Viva Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas

Viva Las Vega, Viva, Viva Las Vegas

Despite the fact that “Viva Las Vegas” was released 61 years ago, it still retains its energy. The song has been covered and even remixed. Just play the track, close your eyes, and you’ll see everything Elvis sings about: neon lights, roulette, blackjack, poker, victory, sleepless nights, and endless parties. Let’s make a wish that next year, we all get to visit Vegas.

SrslySirius & DRybes – «Seiborg»

We have two questions:

1. Are you familiar with tracks dedicated to real poker players?
2. Do you know any tracks from a decade ago that are still relevant today?

We know one. It’s the track “Seiborg” by SrslySirius & DRybes, dedicated to the legendary Erik Seidel.

The song was released in 2011, when Erik Seidel surged to second place on the “All Time Money List” from 174th. That year, Erik Seidel made ITM earnings totaling $5.4M. Here are his biggest victories:

• Aussie Millions Poker Championship SHR ($2,4M),
• NBC National Heads-Up Championship ($750K),
• Five Star World Poker Classic SHR ($1M)
• Epic Poker League Main Event ($604K)

Who knew that the lyrics to this song would still be relevant 13 years later:

You might believe that you knew Erik before.

But now he’s better, faster, stronger and he’s comin’ for more.

And you’ll be running for your life when you see Seiborg.

Did you know?

Oh no…

The track reveals Seidel’s biography. The lyrics mention key facts from his life: moving to New York, the heads-up match in the WSOP Main Event against Johnny Chan, and playing with Andy Bill.

And here are a couple more cool lines:

He has no need for PT3!

His positronic brain’s got a HUD!

He’s plus EV when he’s UTG.

You down with OOP?

“Yeah, you know me.”

Dave Van Ronk – «Losers»

Frankly speaking, we get goosebumps listening to «Losers» by folk blues legend Dave Van Ronk. It’s all because of Dave Van Ronk’s incredibly soulful vocals.

I blew my wad playing seven-card-stud

I was playing for money, they was playing for blood

On the way back home the big winner got mugged

Now he’s just another loser like me

In the first verse, the song’s narrator plays Seven-Card Stud. He loses, goes back home, and feels like a total failure. But it turns out that the big winner of the game was robbed that night. Now, he’s just as much of a loser as the protagonist of the song.

By the way, Dave Van Ronk was the inspiration for the creation of the film Inside Llewyn Davis by the Coen brothers – this movie definitely deserves your attention.

Kenny Rogers – «The Gambler»

The narrator of this song is traveling on a train going nowhere on a warm summer evening. He meets a gambler who shares his wisdom with him after just a few sips of whiskey:

You 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.

The video sequence on the Muppet Show adds atmosphere to this track. Many people first heard this song as children, and only as adults understood its essence.

Leonard Cohen – «The Stranger Song»

Canadian poet, writer, singer, and songwriter Leonard Cohen is best known for his song “Hallelujah”. Leonard Cohen passed away in 2016, but his tracks remain popular to this day. For example, in 2023, a remix of his song “Everybody Knows” by Sigrid was released, remixed by Mahmut Orhan.

But you may not have known that Leonard Cohen has a song with poker references, “The Stranger.” This song is about a man and a woman and their complicated relationship:

It’s true that all the men you knew were dealers

Who said they were through with dealing

Every time you gave them shelter

I know that kind of man, it’s hard to hold the hand of anyone

Who is reaching for the sky just to surrender

Who is reaching for the sky just to surrender

And then sweeping up the jokers that he left behind

You find he did not leave you very much, not even laughter

Like any dealer he was watching for the card that is so high and wild

He’ll never need to deal another

He was just some Joseph looking for a manger

He was just some Joseph looking for a manger

More Poker and Gambling Songs

This article could have been twice as long, because we have 9 more songs about poker, gambling and players. We invite you to check them out for yourself.

• Townes Van Zandt – «Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold»
• Chris de Burg – «Spanish Train»
• Clint Black – «A Good Run Of Bad Luck»
• Blood, Sweat & Tears – «Go Down Gamblin’»
• OAR – «That Was A Crazy Game of Poker»
• Marcel Luske – «Pokersong»
• Corb Lund – «All I Wanna Do Is Play Cards»
• The Grateful Dead – «Deal»
• The Animals – «House of the Rising Sun»

Didn’t find your favorite poker song in our article? Share the track in the comments.