The 5 Best Gambling Movies of All Time! Features Film Threat

Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, this is The Social Network (2010) of gambling films — which makes sense, as the biographical drama about the founder of Facebook was also written by Sorkin. Here with Molly’s Game (2017), though, the screenwriter took his directorial debut and chronicled the life of Molly Bloom, a former Olympic skier. Whether it’s a gritty depiction of a gambler’s descent into obsession or an exhilarating ride with card-counting geniuses, each film on this list offers a unique perspective on the alluring yet dangerous world of gambling. Directed by Robert Altman, “California Split” follows the friendship between two gamblers played by George Segal and Elliott Gould. The film is an insightful exploration of the gambling lifestyle and the different forms it can take. This film is one of our top movies about poker because the world of gambling can serve as both a refuge and a battlefield for personal demons.

• In 1986, the bosses, finally fed up with Nicky’s recklessness and attempt on Sam’s life, order Frankie and his crew to kill Nicky and Dominick.
• The movie features Tom Cruise and his brother Dustin Hoffman who try to rebuild their relationship after the death of their father.
• Whether you’re in it to learn how to beat the house or just want to hear the soothing sounds of chips stacking and slots spinning, these are the best gambling movies to put you right in the action.
• It is a sequel to the 1961 movie ‘The Hustler’ with a 7/10 rating on IMDb and 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.
• Each concludes that the choices and risks one takes have consequences, but if you can handle those, you might just pull off a casino heist.
• It chronicles the tale of Phil, Alan, Stu, and Doug as they travel to Las Vegas for Doug’s bachelor party.

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Since debuting in Western cinema in the 1942 French flick, Gambling Hell, the gaming hub has not looked back, having welcomed such iconic characters as James Bond and Indiana Jones. No, you can have the same fun when you try the Polish online casino sites that offer a variety of games. This classic film from Martin Scorsese features an enticing duo in Robert de Niro and Joe Pesci. We get to see the glitz and glam, as well as a cruel, seedy underside that’s packed with mobsters. Based on a book by Nicholas Pileggi, “Casino” offers a thrilling crime drama that’s sure to draw you in. We’ll kick things off with “Croupier,” an intriguing movie starring Clive Owen as Jack Manfred, an aspiring, down-on-his-luck writer.

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Jessica Chastain embodies the real-life Molly Bloom, an Olympic skier who reinvents herself as the “poker princess” of Hollywood. This iconic film takes us back to the time of the Great Depression when poker wasn’t just a game but a way of life. Steve McQueen delivers https://true-fortune.us/ a stellar performance as an up-and-coming poker player seeking to establish his reputation by challenging a seasoned pro. Our list begins with a modern classic, “Casino Royale,” where the world of espionage intersects with the equally risky poker realm.

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Set in the heart of Las Vegas, the film portrays the rise and fall of a casino empire, unraveling the darker realities behind the glittering façade. It’s a whirlwind journey that navigates the dazzling highs and devastating lows of the casino and mobster world, making it one of the best casino-related movies of all time. Just like many other good casino movies, Croupier emphasizes the psychological toll of juggling luck, chance, and avarice. The 1961 original is less concerned with a swaggering Tom Cruise–Paul Newman movie-star face-off and more focused on loyalty and integrity and ambition. Newman’s Fast Eddie Felson is like a more interesting version of Cruise’s character, and his battle to take down Jackie Gleason’s Minnesota Fats follows a more human, soulful narrative than a typical sports-movie arc. It’s better the less it is about the pool hustling … which is great, but keeps it lower on this list.

• From director Paul Schrader, the writer behind Taxi Driver, The Card Counter is a dark and intense ride through the ideas of redemption and the tight grip of the past.
• But his best friend, a poker player named Worm, needs McDermott’s gift to help him pay off a dangerous debt.
• And a large part of that was due to its cast — aside from Newman, it also featured the likes of Tom Cruise, John Turturro, and Forest Whitaker.

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The memorable casino scene is when Tommy DeSimone approaches the craps table with lots of money to place bets. Tommy is one of the main characters, and he brings an atmosphere of excitement to the audience. The hilarious movie features a group of friends who decide to spend a night out in Las Vegas at a bachelor’s party.

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James Toback based the screenplay on his own gambling habits, which might explain why he’s been hit with so many allegations for problematic behavior. Sean Connery lays on the charm at the Craps table in Diamonds Are Forever. But if we’re going to include a Bond film (and how could we not?), it’s gotta be Casino Royale, which features a poker game in which Bond goes head to head with a terrifying villain, Le Chiffre. He doesn’t even seem interested in casinos, which is weird since the movie is called Casino .

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They set out to sharpen their skills, with Vincent eventually out-hustling the original hustler. Bolstered by an Academy Award-winning, tour-de-force performance by Newman, this Martin Scorsese film deftly navigates the dank pool halls with ease, ensuring the audience is racking up right beside his layered characters. Rosa himself is banned from entering casinos as his card counting skills are known to the establishments and they are not happy to be losing that much money to a trick. This gambling movie on Netflix is probably one of the most realistic ones as well, as card-counting systems in blackjack do exist and casinos need to be extra careful not to allow a player to take advantage of a weakness in their security.

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Another pool-based good gambling film about casinos is The Color of Money. 1986 American drama directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Helen Shaver & Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. It is a sequel to the 1961 movie ‘The Hustler’ with a 7/10 rating on IMDb and 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. Following Fast, Eddie Felson, a former pool hustler, decides to admit a pupil & return after retirement. He encounters Vincent Lauria, a talented & green player, proposing a partnership. Casino depicts the epic story of the traditional casino gambling culture in Las Vegas.

Molly’s Game

• You can put yourself in there amongst the action without taking any risks, and you get to see some of the most iconic casino games in the world in all their glory.
• She relies on gambling the people’s identities from her poker game to keep her money and avoid prison when the FBI comes knocking.
• This is one of the lesser-known films on the list from a modern perspective — and that isn’t to say that The Cooler (2003) was well-received upon release with millions of dollars accrued in theaters.
• As other casino gambling movies of all time, Atlantic City is a 1980 romantic crime film starring Burt Lancaster & Susan Sarandon, directed by Louis Malle.
• The debut film by Paul Thomas Anderson, Hard Eight starts off as a free-wheeling film about a casino pro (Philip Baker Hall) and his new protege (John C. Reilly), who start winning big at the casino.
• Daniel Craig’s performance as James Bond in Casino Royale was nothing short of brilliant.
• Chastain’s character, Molly, quickly learns how to appeal to the ego of the high-roller players, earning more tips in the process.
• The script for the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie is nearly done, according to creator Steven Knight, and fans couldn’t be more excited to see the Shelby boys back on screen.
• The Chicago bosses are arrested, get ready for trial, and arrange the murders of anyone who might testify against them.

Revolver is a 2005 action thriller starring Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Vincent Pastore & Andre Benjamin, written & directed by Guy Ritchie. Jake Green, a gambler, seeks revenge against a crime boss who sent him to prison unjustly. A famous casino movie quote is, ‘Change the rules on what controls you, and you will change the rules on what you can control.’ Its IMDb rating is 6.3/10, but it has 15% Rotten Tomatoes.

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However, the documentary needs to be taken with a grain of salt, because it mostly portrays events as told by Donaghy. Ben Campbell, a maths major at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology wants to study medicine but he cannot afford the tuition fee. He is then recruited by one of his professors Micky Rosa, who asks him to solve the Monty Hall Problem, which Campbell does. The movie (Jack’s Casino) is just another version of this wonderful fairy tale, and it reflects the rampant corruption in some parties and the backstage of American politics. After a decade of success, the situation suddenly turned, and her bank balances were frozen, and she found herself required to appear before the American court.

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Caan manages to make his character, who steals from his own mother to pay his gambling debts, one that the audience can still root for. The Cooler embeds itself into the casino milieu, showing the techniques that casinos use to get all the money they can from gamblers. In addition, the film sheds a light on the change in casino policies as the movie’s setting is forced to undergo changes to keep up with modern casinos.

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As other casino gambling movies of all time, Atlantic City is a 1980 romantic crime film starring Burt Lancaster & Susan Sarandon, directed by Louis Malle. A gangster & aspiring blackjack dealer becomes involved in a dangerous scheme. Sally Matthews (Sarandon) relocates to Atlantic City, becoming a prominent blackjack dealer.

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Directed by Robert Rossen and starring Paul Newman as “Fast Eddie” Felson, this is of course the film that sparked Scorsese and crew to create The Color of Money. And although that film was well-acclaimed in itself, The Hustler (1961) has almost gone down as a classic. What’s worth noting off the bat about this project is its utilization of interior monologues to emulate the neo-noir or detective style of film that screenwriter Paul Mayersburg and director Mike Hodges drew inspiration from. But Croupier (1998) also provides great insight into the ins and outs of casino work, with technical jargon around every corner of the British gambling house in which the film is set.

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But Mississippi Grind eventually ends up being Hollywood’s archetypal tragicomic casino movie. Like other gambling films, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas takes us into the rotten world of gamblers and drug dealers. Accompanied by his friend, the Samoan lawyer Dr. Gonzo, Hunter Thompson is headed to Las Vegas with a writing assignment to cover a motocross event for a magazine. Directed by Martin Scorsese, Casino includes an A-list cast led by Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and blonde bombshell Sharon Stone. Whip it all up with a lot of gambling and you get one of the most popular gambling movies of all time.

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During the night out, one of the friends steals casino poker chips belonging to a gangster. However, they all request one of the friends who happens to be good at counting cards to help them win the money needed. The movie features Tom Cruise and his brother Dustin Hoffman who try to rebuild their relationship after the death of their father.

There is, of course, the obligatory love story sub-plot and it loses its way a bit towards the end but it’s well worth two hours of your time. Forget the suspense and drama that most gambling movies on Netflix seem to focus so heavily on. Win It All is a refreshing change with the flick being a comedy more so than the gutting plot of Uncut Gems or even the tantalizing seductive action-packed plot of Casino Royale. No, Win It All is a comedy at its heart, and although some of the situations do get serious quickly, they have a happy resolution – and it may just be the type of gambling movie you want to see for the nonce. The main character of Axel’s weakness for gambling ranges from betting on basketball to hot shot casino games, showing that the protagonist is entrenched too deep in his addiction to think logically.

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This classic dramedy often tops the list of the best casino movies, offering a stellar performance from Elliot Gould, who plays a casual gambler. He and his seasoned friend, played by George Segal, head on a gambling streak to win big. They have their ups and downs as they take on the betting world in this Robert Altman film. Based on a true story and one of the MGM casino movies, “21” portrays the thrilling account of a group of MIT students who become experts in blackjack card counting and subsequently win millions in Las Vegas.

The Card Counter is a revenge thriller about an ex-military interrogator turned gambler who is haunted by his past. One of James Caan’s best movies, The Gambler focuses on a literature professor with a gambling vice who must avoid loan sharks when they begin to circle. A perennial down-on-his-luck guy works as a gambling jinx, known as a cooler, in an old school casino until his luck changes for the better when he becomes smitten with a cocktail waitress, much to his cutthroat boss’s frustration. The script for the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie is nearly done, according to creator Steven Knight, and fans couldn’t be more excited to see the Shelby boys back on screen.

• Let’s delve into these noteworthy mentions that deserve their moment in the spotlight.
• The film takes in many iconic locations, including Monument Valley, the Hoover Dam, and Hope Memorial Bridge in Cleveland, Ohio, before the family descends on Vegas.
• Beyond that, you’ll need to pay to rent the film, but there is a wide choice of services where it’s available for a small fee.
• And Ladyfingers, of course, who has seen it all so many times that the story has played out before it even begins.
• These two con men decide to take down a no-good mobster (Robert Shaw), and their elaborate grift involves card games and horse racing.
• Give it a spin and try and resist opening up an online poker table immediately after it finishes.

As Jack becomes increasingly embroiled in the world of high-stakes gambling, he finds himself drawn into a web of deceit, danger, and betrayal. If you have not watched some of these yet, roll under your blanket and get ready for a thrilling ride full of gambling, betting, and drama. Blackjack remains one of the few “skill” games at the casino and one where given the right conditions and the ability to fly under the radar of the watching staff a skilled team can still beat the house. But as you will find out from the film this doesn’t come without some serious consequences. The shady world of professional tipsters is pretty well laid bare here, but it also conveys the tension, adrenaline rush and mentally bruising nature of sports betting with real heart.

By age 10, he won millions thrice playing card games and the World Series of Poker. Michael Imperioli plays Stu Ungar, plus various cameos from prominent figures in sports and poker, including Vince Van Patten, Al Bernstein, and Andy Glazer. As in the best films about gambling and casino, famous saying is, ‘See, life is a people game too.’ The rating is 6/10 on IMDb and 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.

He suspects his newly discovered older brother, who has autism and lives in a mental institution. Cruise’s character breaks his brother out and uses his savant-level math skills to win big in Las Vegas. Go watch some movies in the meantime.For more information see /r/ModCoord. A 25-year gap between two films in the same franchise usually means it’s a cash-grab, but Paul Newman’s return as Fast Eddie is anything but.

And that’s hardly scratching the surface of what makes Croupier so great. Directed by Robert Altman, this gambling saga tells the tale of its two primary characters, Bill Denny and Charlie Waters — played by George Segal and Elliot Gould, respectively. A friendship between the two blossoms after a fellow gambler gets angry at them for beating him and taking their money.

Fun to watch and an Oscar darling, “The Sting” is about playing to win. Another great documentary series on Netflix, Untold takes a good hard look at some of the biggest scandals in sports – from match-fixing to doping and performance-enhancing substances. The episode we have in mind has to do with the story of Tim Donaghy, an NBA referee who was caught red-handed betting on his own games, and seriously putting the integrity of the game at risk. The movie follows the story of a young player, Jermaine Slagter, who ends up addicted to gambling and raking in steady gambling debts.

James Caan plays an English professor with a dangerous penchant for betting who’s consumed by his obsession. Through their portrayal of triumphs and downfalls, gambling movies remain a powerful lens through which we view and understand the complex tapestry of casino culture. Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci, “Casino” is a gritty and immersive portrayal of the inner workings of a Las Vegas casino empire.

With its intricate plot, dynamic characters, and stunning cinematography, this film is a must-watch for any casino enthusiast. That rough and beautiful city, complete with funeral jazz processions, gold teeth ladies banging the blues, and the poker games out behind the railroad tracks or in a back bar or the catered suite of a fancy hotel. People like to point to the hand dealt in the scene near the end as too against the odds to be true, but everything else in this movie when it comes to gambling is spot-on. Every gambler that I’ve ever known can find their story in here, perfectly expressed. There’s the Kid, all the talent in the world and trying to be the best that ever was. There’s the Man, unloved and unfriended and maybe past his prime, who knows that it always comes to character in the end.

Starring Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn, this comedy-drama was directed by American filmmaking duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, and it was released by A24. It’s almost a road film of sorts, as Mendelsohn’s character — a gambling addict named Gerry — befriends Gosling’s character Curtis, and deems him a good luck charm. Thus, he recruits Curtis on a cross-country road trip to New Orleans to partake in a high-stakes poker game. Next on our casino movies list is an evergreen classic called “The Sting,” which brings together Paul Newman and Robert Redford in a brilliant story about elaborate cons and cunning wit, all centered around a dangerous betting plot. Set against the backdrop of a complex horse race gambling operation, the film ingeniously weaves a tale of deception and redemption. If you’re looking for a movie that captures the essence of the casino, Rain Man is definitely the one for you.

To get away with your bulls in this game show, you must be able to put on a credible poker face. It is not enough to have a budget when you want to gamble at the casino. In a parlay bet, every selection in the wager has to win to secure a fast payout. We have paid partnerships with the online casino operators featured on our site. However, these partnerships do not affect our reviews, recommendations, or analysis.

Have you ever had one of those days at the race course where you can’t stop winning? If there is one film that both transports viewers to Las Vegas and reminds them of Casino, it’s Bugsy. But unlike a typical gangster movie, this one also features a unique tale of equals falling in love, a depiction of a dreamer, and a cast of intriguing underworld characters that viewers cannot help but mesmerize. It was also a time when elaborate cons seemed like a perfectly acceptable way to earn a living. Paul Newman and Robert Redford play a couple of grifters who set up an elaborate ploy to scheme a crime boss out of half a million bucks. As the film unfolds, so do the layers of the scam, with the audience finally being let in on the very complicated con.

Money, Explained may not be your typical movie about gambling on Netflix, but there is a good reason why we have included it here. Gamblers are often tempted by the idea of making money and a living by just playing casino games. Money Explained though is a documentary that goes deep into the institution of money and how it works. Adam Sandler plays Howard Ratner, the owner of KMH, a jewelry store in New York, but he also has some problems on the side. For one, Ratner is a gambling addict who has raked in massive amounts of debt, and he owes money to many people – not all of whom are willing to cut Ratner a break.

We at GamblingCollective take betting seriously, and as fun as it is we understand that it can cause a lot of problems. That’s why we urge all our readers to only bet with the money they’re willing to lose. Remember to bet responsibly and as dull as it is, consider the possibility of losing prior to placing each bet. Whether you go for the original 1974 version of The Gambler or you decide to watch the contemporary remake, this cautionary tale deserves a place on your to-watch list. Casino revolves around Sam “Ace” Rothstein, an ex-gangster managing a great casino in Vegas. Everything is going fine until an ambitious woman named Ginger joins the game.