Bets picture: The 25 greatest gambling movies

casino movies

And since they’re so much fun, you’ll definitely want to see as many of these movies as you can this year. Directed by Mike Hodges and starring Clive Owen, “Croupier” is a stylish and atmospheric thriller set in the world of London’s casinos. Owen plays Jack Manfred, a struggling writer who takes a job as a croupier to make ends meet.

  • The movie is much more than a story about attempting to cheat the system.
  • The mentorship slowly evolves into a complex relationship as they navigate the unpredictable world of gambling.
  • As a result, a combination of sets and CGI are used to substitute for the casino.
  • And yet the two men’s rakish charm, in one of the high watermarks of ’70s hangout cinema, makes this not just a great buddy movie but a beautiful exploration of boys-will-be-boys friendship.
  • A 10-out-of-14 rating is more than enough for this remake to earn a spot on the list of Casino Movies to watch in 2022.
  • From professional poker players to the mafia that once ruled the casinos, this list of top gambling movies showcases the very best films ever made about this thrilling and somewhat distant world of gambling.

The 20 Best Gambling Movies to Watch if You’re Feeling Lucky

Casino is one of Scorcese’s epic American tragedies exposing the human core of the gambling illusion to unparalleled effect in terms of scope and story. Rothstein comparing running a casino to “selling people dreams for cash” is one of the most concise ways of encapsulating all that gambling is to the world. The Great Recession of 2008 made many people take desperate measures to get money and Killing Them Softly punches you in the mouth with the harsh truth that robbing a mafia poker game isn’t the way to go. Brad Pitt and the late James Gandolfini briefly team up as Jackie and Mickey, two hitmen tasked with exacting some street justice on three men who perpetrated the robbery. Pitt ends up getting the jobs done himself like an angel of death befallen anyone silly enough to gamble their lives away by messing with the mafia.

Even Money (

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 https://true-fortune.us/ 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.

Top Classic Casino Movies and Scenes

Simply tag us (@filmshortage) on a social media post with your trailer link and the hashtag #shortfilmtrailer included. Heist films are the ultimate guilty pleasure, a scheming world of cons and quips with the audience along for the ride as accomplices. His writing has appeared in NBC, FOX, MSN, Yahoo, Purewow, The Playlist, The Wrap and Los Angeles Review of Books. While not as good as Oceans 11, the line, «I don’t gamble, not with people’s lives» is maybe the best in the entire franchise. Betting has never seemed as bitterly hopeless as it does in the Safdie Brother’s intense farce about a jeweler (Adam Sandler), the mob, and Kevin Garnett.

  • Alan is a walking disaster who causes his friends nothing but problems from the moment he accidently drugs them to stealing Mike Tyson’s tiger and kidnapping a gangster named Mr Chow.
  • California Split remains perhaps the director’s most underrated classic — and its gut-punch ending is so muted, yet so perfect.
  • The year 2007 was not exactly easy for the NBA, and the Donaghy scandal made it even less so.
  • Based on a 1950s television series created by Roy Huggins, earning a box office of $183,000,000.
  • And what materializes from its slick style and intelligent script is a career-defining performance from English actor Clive Owen that dives deep into the intricate nature of the human condition.
  • No spoilers, as it’s a cracking tale, but if you come of out this the other side without asking yourself a couple of questions you’re a better gambler than most.
  • There’s the Kid, all the talent in the world and trying to be the best that ever was.

Feature List

In Atlantic City, the undefeated heavyweight champion, Lincoln Tyler, is defending his championship at a new casino, and Cage investigates the game’s seedy underbelly. Gary Sinise plays his best friend, and both actors play their roles well. With its sharp humor, playful banter, and thrilling poker sequences, “Maverick” offers a refreshing take on the classic casino movie genre. As Maverick bluffs, blusters, and charms his way to the final table, viewers are treated to a rollicking good time that is sure to leave them smiling. The feelings of a gambling addict are portrayed perfectly, as Toback himself has had gambling addictions in the past and tries to convey his feeling through the movie.

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Let’s delve into these noteworthy mentions that deserve their moment in the spotlight. We are a free service that gives you access to casino reviews, a wide array of bonuses, gambling guides & blog posts. We have financial deals with the operators we present, but that does not affect the results of our reviews. As long as you follow the expert’s advice, you will be having a healthy and safe gambling experience. CasinoAlpha’s leadership in the industry is meant to make a change for a better future. In the Army of the Dead, you get to see Las Vegas in a different light, in a thrilling setting just as dangerous as a game of Russian Roulette.

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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.

ATLANTIC CITY (

Directed by David Mamet, this heist film follows Lindsay Crouse’s character Dr. Margaret Ford as she meets a criminal figure named Mike Mancuso — played wonderfully by Joe Mantegna. She’s a psychiatrist who recently finished a book on obsessive-compulsive disorder, and one of her patients seeks help from her regarding his involvement with and debt owed to the aforementioned crime lord. This is also notable among fans today for being the first film in its franchise to feature Daniel Craig as the titular character. He would reprise the role four times, the most recent of which — No Time to Die (2021) by Cari Joji Fukunaga — marked his last appearance in the series.

Rounders ( – The Underworld of Poker

casino movies

The plot revolves around a pair of aspiring musicians who travel around Nevada playing slot machines in the hopes of winning the lottery. These cinematic gems are a must-watch, not just for the gambling connoisseur but for anyone who appreciates powerful storytelling that deals with the high stakes of life and the risks we take. While our top picks showcase the very best of the casino genre, there are a few more films that didn’t make our list but offer compelling portrayals of the casino world and the multifaceted characters who inhabit it. This rollercoaster ride of a film showcases the downward spiral of gambling addiction and the desperate lengths one will go to chase euphoria. 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. Invited to attend a meetup in a remote Illinois cornfield, they are brutally beaten with baseball bats upon arriving, stripped of their clothes, and buried alive in a shallow grave.

The Gambler (

Those who used to visit the land-based casinos changed gears and enrolled in online gambling platforms. Well, William H. Macy plays a loser who is so good at losing that a casino highers him to sit at a craps table and ruin everyone else’s luck. It won two of its nine nominations at the 34th Academy Awards, and has since been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry. And as Fast Eddie seeks to test his pool hustling aptitude against the professional player “Minnesota Flats”, the stars of this sports show in Newman and George C. Scott lead the project to utter greatness.

Part II is the best example of a sequel outperforming its predecessor, making it one of the best films of all time. The film also depicts America’s corruption accurately while providing a glimpse into New York City’s underground. Furthermore, the film’s usage of Vegas as a plot device is clever, standing out from other places in the film. In 1970s Las Vegas, Sam “Ace” Rothstein is riding high as front man for the mob’s multibillion-dollar casino operation. It’s a winning hand—Ace’s brains and Nicky’s muscle—until wild card hustler Ginger McKenna gets between them.

Bets picture: The 25 greatest gambling movies

Unfortunately, the scene doesn’t last long, as English and his co-agent quickly head over to Hong Kong. This category is for films about gambling, or in which gambling is important to the plot. “Rain Man” was a massive hit, earning over $354 million worldwide at the box office. A selfish, debt-laden Los Angeles car salesman, played by Tom Cruise, learns that his wealthy father left millions to someone else in a trust fund.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (

If you’re interested in classic casino films, you should try watching Rain Man, which stars Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. The plot revolves around an autistic man with a million-dollar trust fund. His estranged brother is an autistic savant, and he uses his talents to help his younger brother count cards. The film explores family ties and the murky limits of legality in Vegas.

While the casino’s glory days are well and truly over, plans are currently underway to transform the vessel into a dining and shopping attraction. “Mississippi Grind” is a bit divisive, earning a 91% rating from critics and just 55% from audiences. “Ocean’s Eleven” grossed $183.4 in the U.S. and had a great reception, with an 83% rating from critics and 80% from audiences. This movie holds up well, with an 86% rating from critics and a 78% from audiences. Chastain and director Aaron Sorkin were nominated for several big awards for “Molly’s Game,” including an Oscar, a BAFTA and two Golden Globes. Other big stars in this movie include Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera and Jeremy Strong.

casino movies

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. 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. Paul Newman may seem like the greatest billiards player of all time in The Hustler, but that doesn’t make his high stakes pool games feel any less like he’s about to lose it all. His rival is Minnesota Fats, one of the coolest named characters in gambling film history. In this action-packed heist film, Danny Ocean, played by George Clooney, gets a skilled group together to rob the biggest casinos in Las Vegas.

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The plot centers on buddies Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), who scheme to steal $160 million from Terry Benedict (Andy García), the owner of a casino, and Ocean’s ex-wife’s lover. Hard Eight follows a professional gambler named Sydney (Philip Baker Hall) who teaches a homeless man, John Finnegan (John C. Reilly) how to win his money in Vegas. However, John is doing well until he develops feelings for cocktail waiter Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow).

New York becomes a manic monstrosity full of bookies, sad sacks, and noise; the entire city seems to reflect Sandler’s down-on-his-luck, out-of-options plunger. The ’90s were the Wild West of fantasy films, rife with experimentation before the genre found its way to Middle Earth. If you’re looking for thrillers, these underrated features on Netflix are guaranteed to deliver the tension you seek. And it was of course a massive success in theaters, raking in $469.3 million on a $35 million budget. It chronicles the tale of Phil, Alan, Stu, and Doug as they travel to Las Vegas for Doug’s bachelor party.

Mikkelsen plays the role of an arrogant terrorist banker, who ends up playing at Casino Royal for his life. It is a game of life and death, where the characters are gambling for their lives; that is why it is number one on our lists. When the protégé becomes the mentor, that’s when things get interesting. Reprising his role from 1961’s “The Hustler,” Paul Newman plays retired pool player Fast Eddie Felson, who takes Tom Cruise’s character, Vincent, under his wing as a pool shark-in-training.

One of the most popular casino movies of the last decade was «21», which was based on true events. Jim Sturgess plays Ben Campbell, an MIT math student who learns to count cards with the help of a professor. He then recruits a group of brilliant young people to become part of his team.

But it’s fun, light-hearted and full of gambling, so it earns its spot. Most gambling movies focus on the casino’s glamor and excitement, but what about the unsung heroes that work the tables? Clive Owen plays Jack, a writer-turned-croupier who gets caught up in the underbelly of the gambling world. Between infidelity and deceit, his aspirations as a writer and his involvement in a robbery, his life as a croupier is way more complicated than he’d anticipated. With is faithful representation of the casino vibe and neo-noir style; “Croupier” paints an accurate picture of life on both sides of the table.

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