I am a roving gambler I gambled all around
Whenever I meet with a deck of cards
I lay my money down
Lay my money down, lay my money down

I had not been in Washington many more weeks than three
I met up with a pretty little girl
She fell in love with me
Fell in love with me, fell in love with me

She took me in her parlour, she cooled me with her fan
She whispered low in her mother's ear
I love that gambling man
Love that gambling man, love that gambling man

Oh daughter oh dear daughter how can you treat me so?
Leave your dear old mother
And with a gambler go
With a gambler go, with a gambler go

My mother oh dear mother you can not understand
If you ever see me a coming back
I'll be with a gambling man
With a gambling man, with a gambling man

I left her here in El Paso and I wound up in Maine
I met up with a gambling man
Got in a poker game
Got in a poker game, got in a poker game

We put our money in the pot and dealt the cards around
I saw him deal from the bottom of the deck
And I shot that gambler down
Shot the gambler down, shot the gambler down

Well, now I'm in the jailhouse got a number for my name
The Warden said as he locked the door
You've gambled your last game
Gambled your last game, gambled your last game

I am a roving gambler I gambled all around
Whenever I meet with a deck of cards
I lay my money down
Lay my money down, lay my money down