They Loved Music and a Game of Chance: The Most Famous Musicians and Composers who Loved to Gamble

Celebrities are just like us, right? Only with more fame and most of the time fortune, of course. So, they often find similar ways to have fun like ordinary people. And one of them is gambling. It’s only logical considering that fortune we mentioned.

Throughout history, people who created and produced music were among the most loved celebrities. From Ancient Greece’s hymn writer Athenaeus to modern time’s pop stars like Madonna, people who do music for a living were always loved and praised by the masses. And many of them just happen to share the love for games of chance.

In the next few lines, we will mention the most famous composers and musicians that loved to gamble. Continue reading to see how many of them come as a surprise to you.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Vienna genius

Mozart was a composer of classical music who lived in 18th century Austria. He is known as one of the most prolific creators of all time. He originated from a musical family. His works include Symphony No. 40 and Eine kleine Nachtmusik. You probably know them and have heard of them even if you never knew that that’s how they are called.

Back then, an ideal position for a composer was to work on the court. Young Amadeus however, disagreed with this. It seems he enjoyed traveling as a child and teenager on tour and he found it impossible to settle in one spot, even though he had a position as a court musician when he was around 20.

This led him to work as a freelancer. His salary was still pretty good but it was unstable. It also seems that he and his wife had a pretty lavish lifestyle, so it's no wonder he gambled from time to time to make up for the time he wasn't working or earn extra from the family, right?

The records show that Mozart gambled. We, however, do not know his actual reasons. Whether it was because he enjoyed it, or he saw it as an extra income or it was simply popular at the time and he used it to be in the company of people who could hire him.

Frank Sinatra, the Las Vegas icon

Frank was a singer, actor, and producer who lived in the United States in the 20th century. He is often described as one of the greatest musicians of his time. One of his most loved songs is New York, New York, and he was originally from New Jersey.

And yet, his connection to Las Vegas, the gambling capital of the world, is probably the strongest. He had a residency there and performed as a part of the Rat Pack for years. Together with the Pack he also made movies. The most famous is Ocean’s 11, whose entire plot is happening in Sin City.

His personal life was very much attached to the gambling scene as well. Apart from being an amazing entertainer, he is most famous for his temper and his love of gambling. Many are the stories about him snapping at casino managers where he performed. Most of the time the reason for this argument was his gambling credit.

One of Sinatra’s favorite games was baccarat, but he could also give a poker tutorial if asked. And he loved the games of chance so much that at one point he owned a share of a casino. Reportedly, his mob ties cost him his gambling license which led him to eventually sell the place.

Jay-Z, the rapping legend

Jay-Z is an American rapper and songwriter. He is one of the biggest music stars of today, and his stardom is worldwide. HIs better half is the famous and loved singer Beyonce and together they make one of the biggest power couples in history.

Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Corey Carter, is already a legend in the music world, even though he is only 52 years old. On top of that, he is a very successful businessman and a passionate player of the games of chance, who describes himself as an almost professional gambler.

He says that he particularly enjoys playing poker in London clubs because they are hidden from the public eye. He is also very good at playing blackjack. But losing money is something he's also very familiar with. Luckily he has earned enough money to be able to handle it.

To conclude

These men are the biggest music stars of three different eras. For sure they had many things in common, such as love for music and performing. But apparently, they also shared a love for poker and other games of chance. Mozart could be the biggest surprise on our list, although, in his time, gambling was very fashionable and pretty common.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes