In the meantime, Tepper is also part of a bizarre poker game in which the players agree to each purchase a lottery ticket and throw it in the pocket. 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. 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. Philip Baker Hall plays surly gambling pro Sydney; Gweneth Paltrow plays waitress/prostitute Clementine; John C. Reilly plays gullible loser John Finnegan; Samuel L Jackson plays slick-talking, no-nonsense casino security personnel Jimmy.

The Cincinnati Kid

There were also a flush and two full houses–all in the same round– which is close to mathematically impossible to achieve in the first place. Such scenarios, though exceptional for creating cinematic suspense, could mislead audiences about the real odds and strategies involved in poker. A deeper look into the mechanics of the games depicted in gambling movies reveals another layer where fiction often diverges from reality.

Molly’s Game

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. Which makes sense, as lead actors Paul Newman and Robert Redford had previously worked with director George Roy Hill on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). The performers share a tangible chemistry with the filmmaker, and that dynamic pops out through the screen of every featured frame.

Watch these Top Gambling Movies and then Play at the Best Online Casinos!

Thus, he recruits Curtis on a cross-country road trip to New Orleans to partake in a high-stakes poker game. Gamers watch gambling movies to get an idea of how celebrities play and win. Our expert Jacek Michalski takes us through the eleven movies with realistic casino scenes.

Kenny Rogers as The Gambler: The Adventure Continues

Except for Hoffman, that is — although, his one scene in the film almost managed to steal the entire show. Spacey is particularly checked-out here, and the movie was criticized for “whitewashing” in its casting, turning the mostly Asian-American real-life players into generic white people. But for a brief moment, before Spacey is being kidnapped and beaten in a hotel room, it’s an interesting look at the science behind smart gambling.

THE COLOR OF MONEY (

• But for a brief moment, before Spacey is being kidnapped and beaten in a hotel room, it’s an interesting look at the science behind smart gambling.
• This is not just a gambling movie but a character study of a man betting everything to stake his claim in the world.
• The film holds an 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it garnered $450.7 million on an $85 million budget.
• The film lurches from one extravagant set piece to the next, at times feeling like a guided tour through the seven deadly sins.
• As far as true gambling addiction goes, James Caan’s titular character in The Gambler (1974) portrays the mental illness better than perhaps anyone in the history of the silver screen.
• Another history lesson, Steve McQueen is basically Mike McD from Rounders decades earlier.
• While Rothstein’s fetishistic attention to detail rivals Scorsese’s own, he is unable to keep the casino’s corruption under wraps as he juggles an ultra-violent mafioso sidekick (Pesci) and a defiant wife (a standout Sharon Stone).
• Spacey is particularly checked-out here, and the movie was criticized for “whitewashing” in its casting, turning the mostly Asian-American real-life players into generic white people.

As the British secret services seem to be out of their depth, they cannot outright go and arrest Le Chiffre, but what they can do is get close, play with the man’s hand, and beat him at a game of poker. Of course, there is no better-qualified agent to embark on this task than 007 himself. Our selection of Netflix gaming movies includes action, drama, thriller, and documentaries, along with a few international picks that will make for a great watch no matter what your preferred genre is. With this said, let’s plunge right into our Netflix must-watch gambling movies list.

The 5 greatest gambling movies of all time

The lasting phrase from the film may be a delusionally confident Howard exclaiming, “This is how I win,” but the tragic irony of it all, gambling is ultimately how he loses everything. The film follows Hall’s character Sydney as he takes Reilly’s character John under his wing and shows him the ropes of professional gambling in Las Vegas. 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. But it also had an intriguing premise, with Newman’s character now a retired pool hustler who takes a new gambler (Tom Cruise’s character, Vincent Lauria) under his wing. The result was an absolute pleasure of a plot that fully realizes its main players.

The 6 Best Movies About Gambling Addiction

The poker is treated with real love and there is even some genuine discussion on pre-internet poker theory, while there are some truly iconic scenes including one involving an Oreo cookie and a bizarre tell. Give it a spin and try and resist opening up an online poker table immediately after it finishes. Our team of experts https://true-fortune.us/ has gone through each movie, scene by scene, to provide a comprehensive and authentic depiction of casino culture. We have highlighted the crucial elements of casino wit and gameplay nuances to give you an immersive experience. This classic film from Martin Scorsese features an enticing duo in Robert de Niro and Joe Pesci.

The Gambler ( – The Philosophy of High Stakes

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. It is an exhilarating ride from start to finish and definitely worth watching if you are a fan of gambling movies. 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.

• 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.
• These movies go into the lives of various gamblers, their struggles, and their obsession with gambling.
• Digital Celluloid, a comic strip by artist Chris Cirillo, pokes fun at the films of today, tomorrow and yesterday.
• The immersive plots and stunning visuals of these casino movies cause viewers to become fully invested in the characters and their gripping stories.
• The opulence of the casino, with its glitzy surface, acts as a stark contrast to the harsh realities that lurk beneath – organized crime, addiction, betrayal, and an insatiable quest for power and recognition.
• From star-studded casts to award-winning stories, casino movies have it all.
• It’s easily one of the top casino movies you could watch, packed with action and thrills.

#6: “The Color of Money” (

And Ladyfingers, of course, who has seen it all so many times that the story has played out before it even begins. It’s probably been a few years since I’ve seen The Cincinnati Kid, a while since I’ve seen it for maybe the fiftieth time. But it’s a still a movie that I can guarantee you I would never ever go past if skipping channels and lucking into a classic rerun on TMC, as I’ve done many times. What the A’s do in the film, and actually did, was find a way to win by analysing the data that mattered and ignoring the noise. If there is a better lesson to winning at sports betting we’d love to know what it is.

• Campbell quickly finds out that by counting cards he can win hundreds of thousands of dollars – enough to pursue his medical studies and not have to worry about the money coming in.
• Sunday was Stroud’s eighth game with multiple passing touchdowns and no interceptions, tying Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson for the most by a player age 22 or younger in NFL history.
• Let It Ride still gets a lot of comedic mileage out of Dreyfuss’s mania and goes a long way on some very fun supporting performances from Teri Garr, Jennifer Tilly, and David Johansen.
• Things finally fell into place when Martin Scorsese came aboard as an executive producer.
• Although Peaky Blinders would not be the first TV show or movie to show gambling in all its complicated glory, it has been lauded as one of the best.

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After she’s fired from her gig of overseeing the games on behalf of a local tycoon, Molly takes her professional contacts and creates an underground ring on her own. But Molly gets caught up in an outside scandal that sheds light on her poker ring, and the film follows the decisions she makes along the way. The advantage is that this motion picture is based on the real story of a group of students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The idea is that they were trying to rob one of the casinos in Las Vegas. 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.

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. 8 — Although Collins is Stroud’s top option, Stroud has done a good job of spreading the ball around and eight different players had at least one reception Sunday. Ogunbowale had an important guest at Sunday’s game in sister Arike Ogunbowale, who plays for the WNBA’s Dallas Wings.

Some of these movies use gambling as a backdrop for intense storylines and thrilling action. Others focus on the psychology and satisfaction that comes with dominating the tables. From the genre’s heyday in the 1960s and 70s to the modern feature films produced today, there have been many brilliant movies about gambling. The movie was released in October 2010, and it stars Kevin Spacey, Pepper Barry, and Lovitz John. The biographical movie combines comedy and crime, where the well-known American actor Kevin Spacey embodies the role of (Jack Abramoff) the prominent politician and an influential member of the republican party.

#5: “The Gambler” (

• If you’re looking for the best movies about casinos to get ready for the slots and games, we’ve got you covered.
• And with the rise of online streaming platforms, gambling movies on Netflix are literally just one click away.
• After a hot start, Eddie’s pride gets in his way and the game continues for a grueling 25 hours.
• The “big hand” that results in a massive pot of $20,500 – remember it takes place in 1880, so that’d be equivalent to about $550,000 in today’s dollars – is a lot of fun, though today’s poker audience might take issue with the betting.
• It’s probably been a few years since I’ve seen The Cincinnati Kid, a while since I’ve seen it for maybe the fiftieth time.
• In the purest sense this isn’t a gambling film at all, but it contains more lessons about how to win at sports betting than all all the other films on this list combined.

There are many outstanding ones to choose from, some of which narrowly missed the cut but still deserve some recognition. Adam Sandler’s Uncut Gems (2019), Martin Scorsese sports drama The Color of Money (1986), James Caan’s The Gambler (1974), and the underrated Hard Eight (1996) are all excellent films that are worth checking out. But they fell just short of the PokerNews list of top five gambling movies ever created. As part of the slick 30 for 30 ESPN documentary series this episode focuses on pro-bettor and one-time TV commentator James Snyder who was better known as Jimmy The Greek. After arriving in Vegas in the mid-50s he set up one of the first sports tipping lines on the then nascent NFL, which eventually led to him appearing on CBS to make predictions on upcoming games. This is every poker player’s favourite film and one most can quote from endlessly.

The Top 5 Gambling Movies On Netflix

An origin story of Las Vegas, Bugsy is principally a study of Bugsy Siegel, a gangster who travels to the desert, convinced he’s seen the mob’s future. Bugsy is less about gambling — although Siegel surely takes some big chances — than it is about Sin City’s messy birth, which proves fascinating, even if the movie’s glitzy, prestige-picture trappings are a bit limiting. Based on a true story, Philip Seymour Hoffman plays a Canadian degenerate gambler who embezzles millions from his bank in order to feed his gambling habit.

For those looking to these films for a true depiction of casino life and gambling psychology, it’s crucial to recognize where Hollywood’s representation diverges from real-world gambling. With a weakness for betting on sports, no gamble is too big for the larger-than-life Howard, played gamely by Adam Sandler. The movie is frenetic and chaotic, much like the character of Howard. The audience is along for the ride as they watch Howard succeed in his risks when they pay off and his failures when his gambling addiction overtakes him.

The reason you know director Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham traces back to Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, a dark comedy that is one part heist film, one part gambling film, and two parts hijinks. As a gambling film, Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels succeeds at finding the humor in people trying to cheat their way into money, only to twist their lives around to wiggle their way out of debt. Geniuses from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) can usually go on to do anything, yet a group of them decided to use their gifts to count cards. He gets robbed at gunpoint, loses friends, and has very little to show for it besides a cool story. Watching the smartest people do the dumbest things could be enough to scare anyone away from gambling because winning is always enough until you want more. Axel Freed, played by James Caan, appears successful with a good job and a generally stable life.

For a little over 90 minutes, Hard Eight Sydney takes John under his gambling wing after helping his homeless protege get enough money for his mother’s funeral. Jeweler Howard Ratner, played immaculately by Adam Sandler, will gamble anything away to crawl out of a never-ending debt spiral, including Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett’s 2008 NBA Championship and mobster money. The film is an uncompromising look into how much gambling is truly a disease that can destroy a gambler’s life and the lives of nearly anyone who touches him.

We wholeheartedly recommend watching Money, Explained in its entirety as it’s a highly educative if somewhat mass culture series. The insights are nevertheless accurate and they will definitely help you not just enjoy the institution of gambling as fiction but look at the hard facts and come back to the green felt a much smarter player. This includes assaulting Ratner at his daughter’s school and kidnapping him. The scene is gutting as Ratner is stripped naked and locked up in the trunk of the Mafiosi’s car. He then has to call Dinah, his girlfriend, who comes to his rescue, but that’s hardly all.

If you want to chill at home with a good movie about sports betting or gambling, we’ve curated a great selection of films that are currently on Netflix, as well as a few options that might make their way to the platform at some point. That said, the days of professional baseball players taking a dive to satisfy a bet are over because they’re paid millions anyway. 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. Like the hard luck Pig who must always go broke, or the Doc who still believes a system can win, or Yeller who has a joke for every hand. There’s the millionaire Slade who just wants to win so he can dance on a grave and doesn’t care how it’s done.

Based on his own short film “Cigarettes & Coffee,” “Hard Eight” casts the veteran character actor Philip Baker Hall as Sydney, a sullen gambler with a mysterious past. In this role written specifically for him, Hall plays an unlikely father figure to a down-on-his-luck John C. Reilly, who needs enough money to bury his recently deceased mother. Sydney shows the ropes to Reilly’s John, and two years later the protegé is an expert gambler married to Clementine, a cocktail waitress played by Gwyneth Paltrow. When Samuel L. Jackson’s tough guy Jimmy enters the fold, Sydney’s past unravels, driving the rest of the tragic narrative. With great impact, “Hard Eight” is foremost about character and place, and it’s quite a masterful start to Anderson’s acclaimed career.