Gambling is glamorised to the max in movies, songs, books, artwork, and lore beyond counting. Movies themed around gambling are a dime in dozen. Some of these are rather good and classics in their own right. Sometimes, when you take a break from playing at an Internet casino website, it is good to watch any of these movies.
The best gambling-themed movies of all time are as follows:
- High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story– this movie is all about one of the greatest gamblers of all time-Stu Ungar. The guy was so good that he was able to win no less than 3 WSOP Main Event tournaments. This movie is brutal in its honesty, chronicles the meteoric rise and shocking fall of a great man and can teach gamblers everywhere a thing or two.
- The Cooler– this stars the famed William H. Macy in the role of a cooler. Coolers are occasionally used in casinos to change the luck of players who are on a very lucky streak. Things take a sudden, comedic turn when rather than being very unlucky for players, the presence of the character played by Macy gives them all the luck they need to break the bank. Needless to say, the casino that employs him is not pleased.
- Seabiscuit– while not strictly about casino gambling, Seabiscuit deserves an honourable appearance on this list. It is a stirring movie about an apparently useless horse that turns out to be the equivalent of Pegasus on the track. Ridden by a down-on-his-luck jockey, Seabiscuit ends up winning just about every event in sight. As we said, it sure is inspirational.
- Mississippi Grind– this about a couple of gamblers embarking on a road trip. Pretty normal eh? Except that one of those gamblers happen to be Ryan Reynolds. Anyway, the character played by Ryan takes a trip with his partner to New Orleans, with both dreaming of winning enough to be able to retire to some island paradise. What happens next? Watch it and see.
- Rounders– Matt Damon appears in this movie looking impossibly youthful. He plays the role of a very skilled gambler who pays the bills by gambling. Eventually, he gets in a winner-take-all poker game with possibly the best poker player of all time. This movie is a must-watch for all poker fans who want to see accurate depictions and explanations of strategies and perhaps wish to up their game.
- Molly’s Game– this is actually based on an autobiographical book, by the name of Molly’s Game: The True Story Of The 26-Year Old Woman Behind The Most Exclusive, High Stakes Underground Poker Game In The World. Anyway, the film tells of the fun and adventures that Molly has, as celebrities and other famous folks attend her poker parties and gamble as their lives depended on it. All seems to be going super, till the FBI guys arrive and bust her.
- The Gambler– frankly, The Gambler is depressing. It is all about a university professor who is addicted to gambling. His luck is not that good and he soon finds himself descending into the abyss of self-destructiveness.
- 21– hard as it might be to believe, this movie is actually based on historical events. 21 is set during the 1970s and involves a maths professor who gathers a group of very bright students and gets down to the job of schooling them on all aspects of card counting. Soon enough, they visit casino after casino, walking away with tons of cash. All goes well till their secret winning ways is discovered. 21 is a high-octane masterpiece.
