Sometimes music and gambling can be worlds apart, but they serve the same purpose: entertainment. It is important to not make too much of a difference and remember that the right music can enhance the casino experience. It is no surprise that live music is a common feature in casinos. Many times, gaming venues are used as stages by well-known musicians or newcomers. Thus, gamblers enjoy an online casino because of the background music and other features.
Next, we will learn a bit more about the role of music in casino games. Also, we will talk about a few songs about gambling. Finally, we made a short list of musicians who like gambling. Let’s get started.
Music in online casino games
Music is crucial for online casino games. Imagine playing a great game but without any sound. Players would find it boring, right? Music makes these games more interesting. Let’s take the Mustang Gold game, for example. The reel and big win sounds are accompanied by a whistling soundtrack. This music is delightful and features dirty steel guitars, an enchanting whistle, and a tune that takes you to Monument Valley on horseback. It just makes the game more alive.
International hits about gambling
The fact that numerous musicians also have a soft spot for games of chance makes headlines from time to time. An interest in gambling can also be a source of inspiration for many hits. The following titles are some of the most popular songs that are related to gambling:
Poker Face by Lady Gaga
Sin City by AC/DC
The Winner Takes It All by ABBA
Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley
Roulette by Bon Jovi
The Gambler by Kenny Rogers
Russian Roulette by Rihanna
Roll of The Dice by Bruce Springsteen
Musicians who like to go to the casino
The second connection between music and gambling can be found in the private lives of some musicians themselves. Some of them have a penchant for poker and other casino games and have no problem admitting it openly and pursuing their passion on a regular basis. We would like to give three concrete examples at this point.
Gladys Knight
The US soul singer Gladys Knight, who has been on stage since the 1950s, loved card games, for example. While most people might know her more for her success with “License to Kill,” the theme song to the 1989 James Bond film “License to Kill,” some casino operators know that Gladys Knight just had other hobbies besides singing.
Knight allegedly played various card games at the casino for a total of over ten years. A friend initially got her into blackjack and persuaded her to play a round once after she had a gig at the casino in question. Although she was also quite lucky on the said night, she later admitted in her biography that there was no chance of winning everything.
Nelly
US rapper Nelly, who had his greatest successes in the 2000s, also has a passion for gambling. He is particularly fond of poker.
In 2007, Nelly even took part in the Main Event of the World Series of Poker, the biggest poker tournament in the world. However, Nelly was not able to achieve any success worth mentioning there. In addition to the WSOP, Nelly also repeatedly participated in the PokerStars European Poker Tour, which was replaced by the PokerStars Championship and Festivals in 2017.
Despite his regular participation in quite a few poker tournaments, Nelly managed to collect only a few thousand dollars in prize money. So, his music is by far his most profitable activity.
Scott Ian
Scott Ian is the guitarist, additional lead singer, and the last founding member of the metal band Anthrax. He was a part of many successful songs, and his lyrics are also very good. He used a wide range of amps to deliver intense thrash metal music. He is also interested in activities such as snowboarding and casino gaming. He plays poker games and is considered a casino pro.
Scott also finished 637th in the World Series of Poker event and won a huge amount of around $21,365. He learned his poker tricks from Phil Hellmuth, one of the world’s best poker players.