• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • FMTV
  • Socials
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • TRENDING TOPICS:
  • Star Wars
  • Marvel
  • DC
  • Physical Media
  • Write for Us

Gambling Movies 101

July 10, 2015 by Gary Collinson

It is ironic that people want to escape risk all the time but at the same time a large part of the populace is fascinated with gambling. The foremost example of this fascination is the spate of gambling movies which hit the screen every year. Some become part of pop culture, some win critical acclaim, and some set the box office on fire. But one thing is for sure: gambling aficionados watch them with great eagerness, sometimes in the hopes of catching a trick or two. Rain Man is one movie which comes to mind where the autistic lead character counts cards at a casino, but that one is not a gambling movie.

Now, there are different kinds of gambling. Some of them involve gambling as the main plot point while others have gambling going on in the background while the story takes its course. Casino is one example of a film based on the Mecca of gambling, Las Vegas, but in its essence is a crime/ gangster/ drama movie hybrid, helmed by the great Martin Scorsese. But this is gambling movies 101 so let’s move on to the definitive list of gambling movies:

The Casino Movies

Perhaps the most popular genre in crime movies is heist, and particularly casino heist. The climax of Ocean’s Eleven features the titular gang of criminals breaking into a casino vault and stealing the winnings of not one by three Vegas casinos. Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, and Andy Garcia, with a huge ensemble, the film does not focus on gambling but you get to view a number of nifty casino tricks, not to mention there is some trivia on Las Vegas casinos as well.

The two sequels to the movie, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen, also belong to the genre. Other casino movies you can check out are:

* The Cooler

* 21

* Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

* The Hangover

* Leaving Las Vegas

* Bugsy

* Revolver

* Easy Money

The Poker Movies

Poker has almost become a sub-genre of cinema, given the number of movies which focus on this game in particular. Havana and Deal are two fairly recent examples of the genre, but both movies failed to make a mark with critics and audiences alike. The best of the lot are:

* Lucky You

* Luckytown

* Rat Race

* Atlantic City

* House of Games

* Bad Lieutenant (not the Nicolas Cage one)

The Sports Betting Movies

One of the best illustrations of sports betting is in an episode of Seinfeld and you probably would have seen it, given the way they rerun that show. When it comes to movies, Silver Linings Playbook is a recent example of the genre where one of the main characters runs a book. The movie went on to Oscar-winning acclaim and emerged a box office success as well. Other movies which feature sports betting are:

* Big Shot

* The Gambler

* The Hustler

* Let It Ride

* The Color of Money

* Bookies

* Two for the Money

So, this is the definitive list of gambling movies. Check these out if you are into gambling and you will get an adrenaline rush which might have you running to the nearest casino (or to an online casino).

FacebookTwitterFlipboardRedditPinterestWhatsApp

Filed Under: Movies, Special Features

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

13 Underrated Horror Sequels That Deserve More Love

The Best Super Mario Ball Bearing Games

The Most Overlooked Horror Movies of the 1990s

Not for the Faint of Heart: The Most Shocking Movies of All Time

20 Great Performances from the Past Decade

Ten Reasons Why Predator Is Awesome

10 Essential Whodunnit TV Shows to Check Out

The Most Disturbing Horror Movies of the 1980s

Forgotten Brendan Fraser Movies You Need To See

The Sandler Paradox: Seriously… Adam Sandler Could (and Should) Win an Oscar!

FEATURED POSTS:

Underrated Movies from the Masters of Action Cinema

Every Major Horror Movie Coming Out In 2023

The Essential Revisionist Westerns of the 21st Century

Trending Now

  1. Movie Review – Children of Sin (2022)
  2. Blake Lively to headline adaptation of the bestselling novel It Ends With Us
  3. Adam Driver battles dinosaurs in new trailer for sci-fi 65
  4. Movie Review – Fear (2023)
  5. Lifeforce: A Film Only Cannon Could Have Made
  6. 2023 Oscar Nominations: Reasons to Cheer and Reasons to Jeer
  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • FMTV
  • Socials
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© 2009-2022 Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.