The work was the second of four recordings released by the couple and received positive reviews from critics and commercial success on several Billboard charts.

[2] Editors at AllMusic rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, with critic Thom Jurek writing that the musicians' "organic, relaxed, unforced approach is deceptively high in performance skill, yet resonates with an emotional depth that rings true throughout".

[3] Jim Caligiuri of The Austin Chronicle rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, writing that the singers "prove themselves greater together than apart on Cheater's Game".

[5] Steve Horowitz of PopMatters gave this release an 8 out of 10, stating that "the duo also have good taste in other people’s songs, which they make their own through their distinctive interpretations";[6] editors at the site named this the 10th best Americana album of the year.

[7] In The Washington Post, Jeff Wisser called Cheater's Game an album of "breezy harmonies, subtle shadings of acoustic sounds and Robison’s knowing story-songs blended with expertly chosen covers make for a winning country formula".