Gambling movies are always thrilling because, by definition, they involve many risks. Movie gambling characters are like a close-knit group of criminals who go for a big score before disappearing into the sunset. Things can quickly become tense and dangerous.
The popularity of online casino games such as Poker and Roulette has also helped these movies to be more popular. So, if you wager on real money Australia internet pokies, you also need some time to relax and watch other bettors do their thing. There is no better way to do this than to watch a gambling movie based on real-life events.
Most gamblers featured in the best films and TV shows are merely figments of the writer’s imagination. However, truth is often stranger and more fascinating than fiction. True-life events inspired some must-see movies. Let us look at a few of them:
Best Gambling Movies Ever made
5. Casino (an incredible gambling movie released in 1995)
Credit: Universal Pictures
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Martin Scorsese’s 1995 dramatic thriller Casino draws heavily on the lives of Las Vegas casino owner Frank ‘Lefty’ Rosenthal and Chicago mobster Anthony Spilotro. Scorsese, like most filmmakers, combines fact and fiction. Casino investigates the Rosental’s ties to the criminal underworld via his childhood friend Spilotro. In the 1970s, the couple ran four illegal and unlicensed casinos. It went through a thrill ride of love, murder, vengeance, marriage, and adultery.
It’s also shocking to see how the mob eventually lost control of the money-making tree it’d nurtured. Today, bettors can easily register at a casino, not on Gamstop, because verifying licenses and finding reviews is much easier. Sharon Stone’s award-winning performance alongside Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and James Woods, on the other hand, will keep you on your toes.
4. High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (released in 2003)
Stu Ungar is one of the most talented gin rummy and poker players after winning the World Series of Poker’s Main Event, a record three times. Such talent and accomplishments would be enough to make an interesting film or documentary, but the story gets even more intriguing.
Stu Ungar’s life was full of every vice imaginable, such as gambling, alcohol, drugs, and parties. He made many bad decisions and died young, but Kid Poker’s legend will likely live forever. A.W Vidmer’s film isn’t a high-octane thriller. However, Michael Imperioli performs well as Ungar, portraying his hedonistic highs and terrible lows. High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story is both heartbreaking and entertaining.
3. 21 (released in 2008)
Credit: Columbia Pictures
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The movie focuses on Ben Mezrich’s nonfiction book Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions, published in 2008. The film is of a group of MIT students who pursue a professor as he takes down Las Vegas casinos using blackjack card counting techniques, as the book title suggests.
The film contains a healthy mix of fact and fiction to add drama and appeal to moviegoers, but the story is close enough to true events to make a list. When the casino owners decide to retaliate, the plot takes enough twists to merit a special place in Hollywood. 21 has an impressive cast, including Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, and Jim Sturgess.
21 is a brilliant movie for it offers an insight as to how sound education and brilliant young minds can be used to ace the gambling arena. Counting cards is illegal, but some brilliant young students from MIT are able to find a way to override the system and make millions of dollars. It is a classic narrative between ambitions and morality. You can catch 21 by downloading the movie from sites like RarBG today.
2. Broke (released in 2016)
Broke is a sports-betting-themed film about match-fixing scandals in Australia in the early 2000s. The film also addresses many issues confronting the gambling industry, such as addiction and the road to recovery. BK, a former rugby star turned match-fixer, runs into financial difficulties and seeks assistance from an ex-fan, Cec. BK is finally able to reclaim his former glory.
1. Molly’s Game (2017)
Credit: STX Entertainment
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Molly’s Game is a recent true-life story-inspired gambling film. The film follows the life of Molly Bloom, a 26-year-old former Olympic hopeful whose life worsens after a skiing injury.
Molly begins organizing LA’s largest underground poker games until she runs into trouble and relocates to New York. The hotel suite games even attract some A-list celebrities, whose identities are unknown. The story and stellar performances from Jessica Chastain, Kevin Costner, and Idris Elba are compelling enough on their own. They throw in some Russian mobsters and the FBI, and you’ll be glued to your seat until the end.
Are there any gambling movies that you think we forgot in this list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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