Our Favourite Movies Embarking in the Mysterious World of Gambling
Just because the latest James Bond release keeps getting postponed doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy other fantastic casino movies. 007 may know how to get around a poker table, but so do a group of mathematicians from MIT and a group of con artists spearheaded by Brad Pitt. Learn more in this post dedicated to the best movies embarking in the mysterious world of gambling.
Why We Love Casino Movies
High stakes and vicarious living through prodigious poker players, these are just a few of the reasons why we love movies based in the world of gambling. From the glamorous world created by Scorsese in Casino to the edge of your seat mystery in Levinson’s Rain Man, gambling has been a compelling theme in cinema for decades. Gambling is a great fit for the big screen because it naturally draws excitement, glamour and anticipation as the action plays out.
But, if you’re not quite ready to hedge your bets against a scowling Robert DeNiro on the casino floor, then Unibet poker is a great alternative. In the meantime, here’s a list of our favourite casino movies.
Our Favourite Casino Movies
1. The Hangover
The Hangover is not entirely about casinos and gambling, but it is set in Las Vegas and has a lot of high-risk themes. If you like gambling movies that are set in Vegas and like to laugh out loud, this is a film for you. Even if you’ve seen the wolfpack trying to find their best mate before, it’s always worth a second, third and maybe a fourth watch.
2. 21
The film 21 tells the story of a team of clever mathematicians who want to try and beat the casino with fast mental arithmetic and clever tactics. The film is actually based on a true story about the MIT blackjack team.
This team would have serious investors who would hand over cash to the students who would then help make these investors rich. Some of the students got caught and spent a night or two in jail (although their technique is not officially illegal) and other members of the rumoured 70+ team have never been identified. They could be still winning at the blackjack table right now.
We can’t decide if this is an inspiring movie for students or not…
3. Ocean’s Eleven
Ocean’s Eleven and its sequel movies are arguably the greatest gambling movies ever made. The first film tells the story of a con artist who wants to break into the most heavily guarded casino in the world. It looks impossible, but is it? The cast of this movie is also exceptional with names like Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Matt Damon.
4. Casino Royale
We couldn’t create a list of the best casino movies and not include one from the James Bond series. The natural choice was Casino Royale, a unique Bond movie because it rewinds time back to when the Martini-drinking agent was still trying to obtain his license to kill. The plot centres around Bond trying to take down a terrorist, which involves beating him in a game of poker.
5. Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
The last casino film to make our list is Guy Ritchie’s Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. It is a film with an ensemble cast of well-known names getting equal screen time. The ties to the casino are a little looser in this film but all of the trouble that ensues in the film is because of a three-card brag scam with high stakes. If you like movies with lots of action, this casino film is ideal.
Other Gambling Films Worth a Mention
Other casino movies that you should not scoff at include:
- Vegas Vacation
- Let it Ride
- Lucky You
- Molly’s Game
- The Cooler
- Casino
Grab your popcorn!
