There are many movies about gambling and casinos that have been made in the past. These gambling movies can be used to help you connect with the thrill and excitement of gambling for money, whether you are someone who regularly visits Las Vegas or your local casino. These gambling movies will help you get ready for your next trip to the casino or play bingo and slots.
1. 21
Ben Campbell is a student of MIT. Ben Campbell is an exceptional math student, but he can't afford the huge tuition cost. Kevin Spacey's Professor Micky Rosa teaches Ben and his classmates how to count cards at the Blackjack table.
The students travel together to Las Vegas as a team. The danger increases as the stakes rise. Ben and his friends must face aggressive casino bosses as well as their professor, who may be using them to his advantage.
2. Mississippi Grind
Gerry is down on luck and owes everyone he knows money. Gerry faces real hardships in his personal and professional life when he meets Curtis. Curtis is a younger poker player who becomes a kind of lucky charm. Curtis and Gerry embark on a road trip in the hope of regaining all of their money on trips to the casino riverboats and other boats from the South.
3. Ocean's 13
George Clooney plays Danny Ocean again in the Ocean's series. Danny is back with his team of highly skilled masters to stop Willy Bank, the cruel casino owner. The bank is not going to get the prestigious Ocean's Team five Diamond Casino Award. The group's second goal is to manipulate the slot machines so they can pay out more than $500 million and turn the tables on the Bank.
4. Casino Royale
James Bond, Agent007 is played by Daniel Craig in one of the most successful and grossing gambling movies ever made. Bond must play against La Chiffre, Mads Mikkelsen's private banker who provides financial support to terrorist groups at the Casino Royale Montenegro.
Bond is undoubtedly the best player on the planet, and MI6 and the UK Government are ready to finance Bond at high stakes tables. However, 007 losing would mean that the British government would be directly financing terrorism you can!
5. Two for the money
Matthew McConaughey plays Brandon, a college football star who is injured in the middle of his career. Brandon is offered a job in handicapped football games when he catches Walter Abrams' (Al Pacino) eye.
Walter shows Brandon a bigger potential through sports booking. Brandon decides to let his intuition guide him instead of researching which teams have the best chance for victory. Brandon is unable to maintain his high-rolling lifestyle and his good relationship with Walter.
6. Mahowny ownership
Based on a true story, this movie follows Dan Mahowny (Canadian bank manager), who is given a lot of money at his bank. His bosses are unaware that Dan has a compulsive gambling addiction.
To afford weekly trips to Atlantic City, he spends more money and skims smaller amounts. He's already more than $10million in debt by the time things get really bad in his personal relationships.
7. The cooler
Some people have a knack for gambling and can hit hot streaks without much effort. Bernie is played by William H. Macy, "Cooler" who works for a casino. Everyone thinks he is unlucky. When he falls in love, Bernie's luck changes. Alec Baldwin plays Bernie's boss at the Casino and is disappointed that Bernie's friends have all started to gain big.
8. Uncut Gems (2019)
This is one of the most entertaining gambling movies on Netflix. Adam Sandler gives a stellar performance as Howard Ratner, a New York City jeweler who can't resist the dangerous business of high-stakes betting on sports.
Uncut Jewels is far from the typical Adam Sandler film. It's darker than comical, but it's still funny. Howie's chaotic descent in financial turmoil and his knack for associating with himself will make for some intense viewing.
NBA betting plays a central part of the storyline, with former Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets center Kevin Garnett excelling in a support role, playing a fictionalized version of himself (the film is set in 2012 when Garnett was a star player for the Celtics).
While the intensity might be intense for non-gamblers, it will not be overwhelming for those who love sports betting. Those of us who do enjoy the thrill of betting on sports will be able to sympathize with Sandler, no matter how degraded a gambler he may be. Another stark reminder is that you shouldn't gamble more than what you can afford.
9. Molly's Game (2017)
Aaron Sorkin is a well-known screenwriter and has been best known for A Few Good Men. The West Wing, Moneyball, and Moneyball. He made a great debut as a director at Molly's Games. This 2017 film, based on Molly Bloom's memoirs, tells the story of Molly Bloom and her underground poker club for high-rollers wealthy.
The movie stands out because the female lead character is a woman in the male-dominated gambling industry. Jessica Chastain's portrayal is, however, as impressive as any. Idris Elba excels in supporting roles, and cameos by Joe Keery (Stranger Things) and Chris O'Dowd (Stranger Things), add a welcome sense of humor.
The film will make you wonder who celebrity poker players took part in Bloom's games in New York and Los Angeles in the mid-2000s. This is one of the best gambling movies of all time.
10. Casino
For the fifth time in 1995, Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro teamed up to create Casino. Five years had passed since their acclaimed gangster epic Goodfellas had taken the world by storm. It was directed by Martin Scorsese - Casino.
Casino, a less well-known gangster movie, has similar themes, plot, and casting. However, it was filmed entirely in Las Vegas. It is perhaps the most famous gambling movie. It's not for the faint-hearted.
It's not a movie about tense poker hands or pool hustle, but it is widely regarded as one of the most popular Vegas gambling movies.
This film tells the story of greed, deception, and money. This action-packed portrayal of Vegas in the last years of its gangster rule makes it easy to forget that gambling is not the film's main theme. It is just the common denominator that brings all the elements together.
11. Rounders (1998)
Rounders, even though The Stu Ungar Stories was a little too young to make it big screen, is a great movie. This 1998 film stars a young Edward Norton and Matt Damon, a baby-faced actor. It tells the story of a law student who plays poker at night to pay his tuition fees.
Rounders was filmed long before online poker had become a global phenomenon, and so the backdrop to this film is seedy New York clubs with a single visit to the Taj Mahal's card room in Atlantic City.
This dark film features a great cast and a relatively small budget, despite John Malkovich & Martin Landau playing large roles. The script will have you cheering on Damon's "good guy" character right from the beginning. The storyline is not for poker players, but you will appreciate the authentic poker scenes.