- One of the best ways to get through self-exclusion is watching gambling movies.
- The colorful history between the USGA and gambling is portrayed in “The Greatest Game Ever Played.”
- “Mississippi Grind” follows two gamblers on a treacherous road trip to a high-stakes poker game in New Orleans.
With the new year officially underway, many problem gamblers have entered into a self-exclusion agreement with their local casinos. This difficult, but necessary step toward recovery can be uncomfortable at first, especially when in proximity to a gaming floor.
Must-Visit Mi Casinos in Niagara This Winter - Niagara's Best CasinosWhether you’re physically avoiding Las Vegas, or just looking for a healthier option – streaming some gambling movies might help get through your recovery process.
There are plenty of movies that feature gambling in one way or another. Some follow professional card players in the World Series of Poker, while others dive deep into the seedier aspects of underground casino operations.
I’ve handpicked five of my favorites to share with all of you today. I hope you give them a chance, because let’s face it–you’ve probably already watched Rain Man for the hundredth time.
Best Gambling Movies of All Time
- 21
- 88 Minutes
- The Color of Money
- Rounders
- Missisipi Grind
- The Gambler
- Casino
- Ocean’s Eleven
- Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
- Calculated Moves
- Maverick
No matter what your preference may be, there is a good chance that your favorite movie involves some sort of gambling subplot. Whether it’s , poker, or even backgammon – there are several genres to choose from.
When it comes down to it, the “best” gambling movie of all time is a matter of personal preference. If you prefer sports and betting on games, then 2005’s 21 (based off the Ben Mezrich book Bringing Down the House) might be right up your alley.
Perhaps you are more interested in the world of poker? If so, there is a good chance that Rounders could become your new favorite movie about gambling.
For those of you who are fans of Martin Scorsese, his 1995 film Casino certainly deserves a watch. Despite being an incredible movie about gambling, I personally can’t rank it any higher than number nine on this list.
You might be surprised to learn that I am not a big fan of De Niro, Pesci, and Keitel’s rendition of Las Vegas casinos in the ’70s. There are several other movies which I enjoy much more, which brings us to number eight.
8. Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star (2011)
Here’s one that you likely haven’t seen, and for good reason. Believe it or not, this cinematic masterpiece starring Dick Chattenborough, Edwin Neal, and Christina Carter actually has a respectable 6.6/10 user rating on IMDb.
I’ll be the first to admit that my distaste for this movie might’ve something to do with Sacha Baron Cohen not receiving credit as a producer. After discovering this fact, I enjoyed it twice as much.
Kidding, obviously.
This story follows the journey of Bucky Larson, a young man from Pennsylvania who believes he’s the son of porn stars. Needless to say, things get a little weird after he moves to .
If you’re looking for a good laugh and don’t mind gross-out humor, this movie is available on HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu.
One of the bars they visit is called “Pound Town,” which immediately earns this movie a spot in my heart.
7. The Color of Money (1986)
Paul Newman reprises his role as “Fast Eddie” Felson 22 years later in The Color of Money. This time around, Tom Cruise is there to teach him the ways of the modern pool hall.
As it stands, The Color of Money is the only pool movie I care to watch.
Sure, The Hustler is a fantastic movie about gambling – but I’d take fast pool and bold wagers anytime but. Unfortunately for me, that doesn’t leave me with a lot of options.
In case you were wondering, The Hustler is a 1961 American academy award winning drama film about a talented pool player named “Fast Eddie” Felson. You might have heard of it.
Did you know that George Clooney was originally considered for the role of Vincent “Vinnie” Argo in The Color of Money? It’s true, and I can’t help but wonder how that would’ve changed things. Then again, I don’t think Tom Cruise could’ve made the same movie as Brad Pitt in Lawless…
Anywho, if you’re sick of poker and blackjack movies, I highly recommend giving The Color of Money a chance.
6. Mississippi Grind (2015)
It’s always exciting when two skilled gamblers share the screen together. Even if the setting is less than ideal, I will usually give a movie my undivided attention if it follows two risk takers battling against the house.
That’s exactly what we get in the 2015 film, Mississippi Grind.
Best PayPal Casinos in the UK for 2023 - Top PayPal Casino SitesPlayed by Ben Mendelsohn and Ryan Reynolds, Gerry and Curtis go on a treacherous road trip from Iowa to New Orleans in hopes of making it out with a massive pot. As expected, things don’t go according to plan.
When asking Google what this movie is about, their answer was, “the friendship between two casino gamblers.” I guess that’s one way of putting it.
Although I wouldn’t consider this movie to be overly uplifting, it does touch on the idea of camaraderie among people who understand each other on a level that most do not.
If you enjoyed Two Lovers and a Bear, there’s a good chance you’ll like Mississipi Grind as well. Both movies are available to stream on Hulu.
5. The Gambler (2014)
What would you do for cash? Would you be willing to steal from your mom, lie to the school where you work, default on your gambling debt, and risk your life to repay a loan shark?
Jim Bennett (played by Mark Wahlberg) seems like a pretty average guy to me.
If you enjoyed Two Lovers and a Bear, there’s a good chance you’ll like Mississipi Grind as well. Both movies are available to stream on Hulu.
What would you do for cash? Would you be willing to steal from your mom, lie to the school where you work, default on your gambling debt, and risk your life to repay a loan shark?
Jim Bennett (played by Mark Wahlberg) seems like a pretty average guy to me.
Theodore Levy’s 2014 drama, The Gambler, follows the chaotic life of literature professor Jim Bennett. Much like our friends in rounders and two lovers and a bear, Bennett has a serious gambling addiction. Only this time around, he owes some very dangerous people an extraordinary amount of money.
George Kennedy won a well deserved Oscar for his portrayal of the bookie, Wisconsin, in this movie. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to pay $200,000 in chips just to win $50,000, then you should probably give this movie a chance.
I won’t spoil it for you, but needless to say – Things do not go as planned for Professor Bennett.
4. Rounders (1998)
Speaking of Mike McDermott, have you seen Rounders?
If you said yes to both of those questions, there’s a pretty good chance you understand my gambling movies in rehab dilemma. On one hand, I don’t want to enable my own addiction by watching these films.
Best Free Slot Machine Games Online - Play Demos for FreeOn the other hand, they are really freaking good. Especially Rounders.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with this classic, allow me to enlighten you. Matt Damon and Edward Norton star as two college buddies with a talent for cards. When Damon’s character is released from Harvard Law after his third year, the two team up to earn some quick cash on the Texas Hold’em circuit.
Unfortunately for them, Norton’s character gets in over his head with the wrong people. To make matters worse, Damon’s character is barred from a high stakes poker game featuring the notorious “Texas Cowboy” (played by a young Famke Janssen).
Can Mike McDermott resist the allure of high stake poker? Do Worm and Mike ever get their revenge on the Cowgirl? You’ll have to watch the movie to find out.
Fun Fact: The final hand between Damon and Janssen took four months to film.
3. The Departed (2006)
Martin Scorsese’s 2006 Academy Award winning film, The Departed, tells the story of the undercover officers inside a criminal organization and the moles planted by the criminal organization inside the police department organized by the Special Investigation Unit.
No Deposit Bonus Casinos in the USA for 2023 [Free Bonuses]Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, this movie is based off of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. Although it received largely positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, many were shocked when it took home four Oscars in 2007 – including best picture, best director, best film editing, and best adaptive screenplay.
Despite the controversy, there’s no denying that this is one of the best gambling movies ever made. At the very least, it’s one of the top three.
If you’ve already watched Goodfellas and Casino (which you should have done already), there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy The Departed. The fact that it revolves around a sophisticated gambling ring operated by Jack Nicholson is just icing on the cake.
Is Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) going to get caught? Will Staff Sergeant Sean Sommer (Damon) be exposed before he can take down the mole in the police department? Again, you’ll have to watch this movie to find out.
2. Calculating Bets (1937)
Gambling has been a popular subject in Hollywood for decades. Believe it or not, one of the earliest known gambling movies was 1937’s Calculated Bets.
Spencer Tracy stars as Joe E. Louis, a professional gambler who uses a horse racing tip sheet to win big at the track. After being chased out of town by the mob for counting his winnings too slowly, he heads to Reno to wait out the divorce required by his wife.
Of course, someone has to tip him off on the local horse race results while he’s there.
Melvyn Douglas plays the role of William Remington, a mathematician and compulsive gambler who enlists Joseph’s aid in breaking a bad losing streak at roulette. Long story short, they come up with a system using statistical probability to predict where the ball will land.
Although this movie is quite old, it remains one of the most influential gambling films ever produced. Many of today’s advantage players can thank Joseph and William for popularizing the concept of getting an edge at the casino.
I highly recommend giving Calculating Bets a chance, even if it means watching it on YouTube since it’s not currently available on any major streaming platforms.
1. Maverick (1994)
James Garner originally played the role of Bret Maverick in the late 1950s on ABC’s Maverick television series. Nearly four decades later, Mel Gibson slipped into the role of the slick gambling protagonist in 1994’s Maverick.
Set ten years after the “Maverick Reunion” television film, Gibson’s Maverick travels to Mexico to prevent a duel, avoid jail, and play in a high-stakes poker tournament. Along the way, he acquires a new sidekick in the form of James Garner’s character’s illegitimate son.
As you would expect from a movie with Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson, there’s a bit of romance thrown into the mix as well.
The fun part about gambling movies is that they don’t necessarily have to be based on real events. Sure, it’s great to watch di caprio’s epic bluff against matt damon in rounders, but fibonacci sequences and erratic behavior can also lead to big wins at the poker table.
That’s exactly what happens in Maverick.
If you’re looking for a funny, action packed, romantic comedy set in the wild west – there’s a very good chance you’ll like this movie.
Other Movies About Gambling
Whether it’s sports betting, playing the ponies, or shooting it out at a poker table – there is no shortage of gambling movies to choose from. I could easily make a top 15 list, but nobody in their right mind is going to read that.
For this reason, I am going to keep my list of the best gambling movies at ten. Not only was it difficult enough coming up with that many, but anything beyond that starts to water down the message I am trying to send.
Maybe one of your favorite movies of all time is missing from this list. Maybe 21 is the greatest movie about gambling, and all these other films are garbage. I can’t argue with your opinion, because everybody is entitled to their own beliefs.
Personally, I feel that all ten of these flicks do justice to the art of gambling. They do not promote or encourage destructive behaviors, and might even provide inspiration for some viewers.
In some cases, people struggling with a gambling addiction can draw strength from observing the consequences experienced by characters in these movies. Knowing ahead of time what can happen when you start down the path of irresponsible gambling can serve as a powerful motivator to stay away from casinos and online betting sites.
Sometimes, all it takes to resist the urge to gamble is a simple reminder of where that path leads.
If you’d like to share your thoughts on the topic, or recommend a few of your favorite gambling movies, please don’t hesitate to drop a comment below. I love engaging in friendly debates with fellow gambling enthusiasts.
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Footnotes:
- provided that Bucky Larson trivbit.
- IMDb pages for , , and .
Anthony is a sports writer for GamblingSites.com covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more. He also covers other various topics such as entertainment, general sports betting tips, and more.
His favorite teams are the Chicago Bears, Bulls, Cubs, and Blackhawks. He also will be a temporary fan of any team if it means winning him bets.
