You can’t beat a good casino or Vegas movie sometimes. Forget action movies; the thrill that high-stakes gambling movies take you on inspires you to take on the house and carve your fortune.
Here are 10 of the best casino movies we think warrant a watch to inspire your next big hustle at the casino tables over at GGBet Casino.
21 (2008)
21 is an absolute classic, and it chronicles the most fascinating of gambling techniques: blackjack card counting!
In this movie, a math professor (played by Kevin Spacey) trains a group of genius students from MIT to work together in card counting and make millions anonymously. The best part of this movie is that it’s inspired by real events that shocked Vegas and urged the industry to change its procedures to deter future card counters.
You’d be hard-pressed to find success doing it now, given the modern complexities of deck switching, but it’s a brilliant watch!
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts feature in this star-studded casino classic.
The movie isn’t about gambling but an intricate heist at three Las Vegas casinos during a prominent boxing match.
It’s a nail-biter of a crime film; just don’t get any ideas!
Casino (1995)
Directed by legendary Martin Scorsese, this Hollywood (or shall we say Vegas) classic chronicles a casino executive and a mafia enforcer competing for the riches of a gambling empire.
Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone star in the cast, and the movie is one of IMDB’s highest-rated casino movies, with an 8.2 rating.
Rounders (1998)
A reformed gambler, played by Matt Damon, returns to the power tables to help a friend pay off some bad debts.
It gets problematic when he has to balance high-stakes poker with his relationship and his studies at law school.
A captivating movie on the art of poker and the dangers of getting into debt!
James Bond: Casino Royale (2006)
Globetrotting superspy James Bond (played by Daniel Craig) has to leverage his diversified skill set in this one as he must defeat a private banker who funds terrorism at a high-stakes poker game at the lavish Casino Royale in Montenegro.
This has everything you’d expect from a Bond movie:
- Fast cars
- High-octane action
- Romance
The Cooler (2003)
William Macy plays a down-and-out loser who works for an old-school Las Vegas casino when his luck finally turns around when he falls in love with Lady Luck (played by Maria Bello).
His boss (played by Alec Baldwin) isn’t too happy about the situation when finally the house is significantly down.
A classic romantic adventure, The Cooler is well worth a watch.
The Gambler (2014)
A literature professor, played by Mark Wahlberg, has a significant gambling addiction, causing him all sorts of problems when he owes a lot of money to a loan shark.
To make things even more challenging, he falls in love with one of his students and risks it all.
The Gambler is a great film which provides a sobering reminder of the dangers of gambling if addiction is left unchecked.
Molly’s Game (2017)
Based on a true story, Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, and Kevin Costner star in this thrilling biography drama where Molly Bloom runs some of the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker games before being tracked down by the FBI.
It’s thrilling, captivating, and a great story.
Mississippi Grind (2015)
Down on his luck and rock bottom, a struggling gambler teams up with a younger, confident poker player as they set off on a road trip of the deep South, looking to make it big.
Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck direct this comedy-drama starring Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds, and Yvonne Landry.
Hard Eight (1996)
A skilled gambler teaches a younger protege the art of hustling the casinos. All is going well until the young apprentice falls for a cocktail waitress.
Philip Baker Hall, John Reilly and Gwyneth Paltrow star in this crime drama directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
