Playlist for playing money games (casinos & poker)

Music exercises the mind. According to Johns Hopkins otolaryngologists, it provides a workout that can improve memory, mood, and mental alertness. It is a construction based on relationships between notes. Even if the listener is not aware of this architecture consciously, the brain makes sense of it on a subconscious level.

Everyone knows that casinos use music as a psychological tool to create an ambiance that brews excitement and encourages patrons to stay and play. In 2007, a study titled – A Empirical Investigation of Music and Gambling Behavior, showed that music could modulate arousal and increase confidence, all of which can lead players to get more engrossed in the gambling process. Therefore, if you want to get more enthralled by online money games for the United States, here are a few tunes that can assist.

Kenny Rogers – The Gambler

Okay, so this one is a super obvious choice and a bit of a cliché one. However, it would be a shame to leave it off any list relating to gambling and music. What most people do not know about “The Gambler” is that it is not a Kenny Rogers original. It actually got recorded by several artists before him, including Johnny Cash and Bobby Bare. Yet, Rogers was the one that managed to turned it into a number one country hit and made the song chart on the pop standings. It tells the story of a gambler down on his luck, offering advice about staying successful in this pastime. It is the perfect fit for any card game and mixes in well with other country gambling classics like “Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House” by Dennis Robbins, and “A Good Run of Bad Luck” by Clint Black.

Dire Straits – Money for Nothing

Another classic. Released in 1985, “Money for Nothing” was the second track on the fifth Dire Straits album titled Brothers in Arms. It aims to convey the hardship of working-class men, but it is more known for its highly innovative music video. Most call it a pop-rock song, with clear influences by Billy Gibbon’s guitar tones. It has a very recognizable hook that most people have heard off at one point or another. Dire Straits’ style draws on folk, country, blues, and jazz. Many consider them to be one of the most original rock bands of the 1980s. Much of their catalog seems fitting when sitting at a blackjack table, particularly “Industrial Disease,” “Once Upon a Time in the West,” and “Walk of Life.”

Juice Newton – Queen of Hearts

Juice Newton is a pop and country artist that is not given her just due, despite charting 14 Top 10 hits across the Billboard Hot 100, AC, and Billboard Country charts. In 1981, she released her third solo album titled – Juice, which spawned “Queen of Hearts.” It first got recorded by Dave Edmunds in 1979. Yet, that version’s commercial success paled compared to what Newton did with the song, which reached the No. 2 spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was a Top 10 hit in multiple other countries. Some interpret “Queen of Hearts” as a metaphor for seduction that uses card terminology. It is a terrific gateway to Newton’s portfolio and other gems of hers as “Heart of the Night,” “Tell Her No,” “Ride Em Cowboy,” and “Shot Full of Love.”

B.B. King – Gambler’s Blues

B.B. King needs no introduction. Nevertheless, for those not into blues, he is one of the three kings of the blues guitar with Freddie and Albert King. Gamblers’ Blues is a song that B.B. King recorded in 1967 and which has been covered multiple times since by artists like Otis Rush, Chris Cain, and Jesse Fortune. It is not to be confused with the folk tune “St. James Infirmary Blues,” which also gets called “Gambler’s Blues.” It is not a famous B.B. King song, but an underrated one. B.B. King, in general, is an excellent choice for long card gambling sessions, as he mixes in blues rhythms and soul gospel beautifully together, creating a relaxing atmosphere with bursts of exhilaration.

Iron Maiden – The Angel & The Gambler

Time to switch pace from songs that cater to card fanatics to one that appeals to slot mavens. Iron Maiden’s “The Angel & the Gambler” is a single from their 1998 album, Virtual XI. Some fans criticized it for being too repetitive, running almost ten minutes long, but praise its 1970s rhythm feel. It is a light-hearted fare about an angel attempting to save a man from his gambling addiction. Iron Maiden’s type of heavy metal is perfect for slot gameplay. It is high-energy and unrelenting, keeping pace with fast reel-spinning action. Thus, most of Maiden’s songs are suitable as a soundtrack for enjoying internet one-armed bandits.

To Wrap Up

In short, country, blues, and retro rock are excellent for games like poker and blackjack. 1980s metal and electronic music is more fitting for slot play because those games get played at a much swifter pace and are a ton more dynamic.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com