The concept of gambling has existed for years. From people traveling distances to play games to the introduction of online platforms that have now made this activity easier and accessible, it is even more apparent that casino gambling is here to stay. But what’s more fun than playing your favorite poker, roulette, or blackjack game in a Vegas casino? Watching actual shows where these games are effortlessly played by characters who are not afraid to lose it all in pursuit of that one big score!
Over the years, several casino movies have been made to depict the thrill and tension of this activity. In the following paragraphs, we will discuss the best gambling movies and highlight why you should watch them.
Casino Royale (2006)
Bond, an M16 operative, was promoted to 00 agent status and gained his license by killing Dryden, a traitorous M16 chief selling information about the organization to the enemies for profit. Le Chiffre, a private banker to terrorist groups worldwide, has just secured investment with Steven Obanno by promising to manipulate stocks and give him a 100% return.
To stop their criminal activities, Bond kills Mollaka and Dmitrios, spurring a ripple effect that causes Le Chiffre to lose over $100 million. To recover the money and exonerate himself, Le Chiffre organized a high stake Texas Hold’em for ten players at $10 million each per entry fee plus a $5 million buy-back should they lose all their money.
In this thrilling show, we feel the thrill at the table as Bond takes a risk greater than ever to save his country and organization.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
This is another thrilling movie that depicts high-stake thrills and tension. It tells how Danny Ocean violated his parole by traveling to California to meet his friend Rusty Ryan a few days after his release. Together, they propose a heist and go down to Vegas to pitch their plan to the former casino owner, Reuben Tishkoff.
The plan was to simultaneously rob the Mirage, the Bellagio, and MGM Grand, all owned by Terry Benedict. Reuben agreed to fund the plan because Benedict was a rival.
Due to an impending boxing match, the men guessed the vault would have up to $150 million as required by the Nevada Gaming Commission, and after careful investigation and research, they struck. The lineup of casino actors in this show is thrilling, which is why they could convey the action and emotions in a highly suspenseful manner. When you see actors like Julia Roberts, George Clooney, and Robert De Niro in a gambling film, you know it’s about to be legendary.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
If you’re a fan of careless gambling films, you might want to look at this show based on Hunter S. Thompson’s novel of the same name. It tells the wild tale of two men, Duke and Gonzo, who drove across the Nevada Desert to Vegas to cover a motorcycle race. With them, they have a bag of drugs to help their journey. By the time they reach their hotel check-in, they are in full throes of the drugs.
The next day, when Duke arrives at the event, he becomes irrational, believing they are in the middle of a battlefield, so he returns to the hotel. He meets Gonzo, and after consuming more mescaline, they head to the Bazooko circus casino and have a wild adventure that will leave the audience on the edge of their seat.
The Hangover (2009)
In this movie, we see Doug drive to Vegas with his father-in-law’s Mercedes-Benz two days before his wedding. He was accompanied on this trip by his friends Phil, Stu, and Alan. They got an expensive suite at Caesars Palace, and to celebrate; they snuck to the hotel rooftop with a bottle of Jagermeister.
When Phil, Stu, and Alan wake up the next day, they have no memory of the previous night. Doug was nowhere to be found, Stu was missing a tooth, their suite was a mess, a Bengal Tiger was in the bathroom, and their mattress was impaled on a statue outside.
To make things right, the men retrace their steps, eventually discovering they were drugged with Rohypnol the previous night. In their search for Doug, they ran into Chow, a gangster boss who accused them of stealing $80,000 worth of poker chips. To save their lives, the men must use their knowledge of blackjack card counting to recover $82,400.
If you think this is a stunt, you are in for a surprise. Blackjack has some of the best game odds and fair house edges. There are some renowned online casinos in NJ that offer the most exciting blackjack variants where you can place wagers to win thousands of dollars. These platforms have been tested and trusted to provide safe and responsible gambling to users from NJ and across the globe.
The Gambler (1980)
This is another gambling movie that tells the life of Jim Bennett, an LA literature professor who suffers from chronic gambling addiction. He ends up owing $200,000 to Lee, the owner of a high-stakes underground ring, and another $50,000 to Neville, a loan shark. Lee gives Jim seven days to pay off his debt or lose his life. The following scenes explain the desperation of not knowing what to do and still making a bad decision because of a passion you cannot control. He gathers some of his students and uses them to get what he wants.
Vegas Vacation (1997)
This is an exciting blend of gambling and comedy. When Clark Griswold earns a sizable work bonus, he announces that he is taking his family on a trip to Vegas. Although his wife, Ellen, and daughter had misgivings about it, they soon packed their luggage and went with him.
After the first few days of adventures, Clark falls into a terrible addiction, costing him about $22,000 worth of family savings. Disappointed, his family leaves him. By the time Clark realized his mistakes, it might be too late.
Croupier (1999)
As an aspiring but unsuccessful writer, Jack Manfield takes up a job as a dealer at a local den. He was gradually drawn into this world and started to slowly lose touch with his reality. One player, Jani, tries to befriend Jack and asks him to be an inside man for a planned robbery at the den. Jack accepts a £10,000 advance and another £10,000 if the operation goes well.
After a series of problems that foiled their plans and got his girlfriend killed, Jack published his novel, and it became a huge success. However, at this point, he had lost all his zeal for life and chose to remain broke.
Summary
When you are bored and need an interesting film to watch, you can check out some of these for an exciting and thrilling time. We recommend Casino Royale because it features every genre that will make movie time an unforgettable experience. If you are a gamer, professional or aspiring, this show will also feed your thrill and show you a few tricks for the book.
