Gambling is not something great if one is addicted to it, but it is also a game of pure skill and sometimes luck. While some games are completely based on luck, others, like poker, require some great skill. These games give you the ability to comprehend the other person’s next moves and analyze when they are bluffing.
Well, while some people are natural at it, others learn with experience and practice, yet others always struggle to get a good grasp of these skills. The film industry has given us various entertaining and accurate movies, through which a number of people learn these skills impeccably or at least learn when their opponent is bluffing.
Top Gambling Movies
In the era of casinos on mobile, an ocean of hundreds of gambling movies, some of which are really good, while others are not so much, there are excellent gambling skills to be learned. Click here to see a complete list of all the top gambling movies out there which can potentially teach you a few things about the art:
- The Gambler: Bringing forward the most authentic nature of gambling addiction and what one goes through in such a scenario is Karel Reisz’s The Gambler. Narrating the story of Mr. Axel Freed, a literature professor by day and a gambling addict by night, Axel finds himself having lost all he has.
His addiction then leads him to borrow money from his girlfriend and mother. When he loses it all, he borrows money from some terrible guys, who chase him to recover all their dues. However, the gambler, despite all that, cannot seem to stop gambling.
- Intacto: Talking of Luck, this movie revolves around lucky people trying to beat each other in a competition to find out who is the luckiest. Set in a fictional world where luck can be snatched from anyone at any time from persons who are luckier, a group of pretty lucky people compete in challenging, life-altering, and even fatal contests to find who lady luck favors the most.
Directed by leading Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, this multi-starrer is the stuff that unpredictability is made of.
- Owning Mahowny: Based on a series of actual events, the movie Owning Mahowny is the story of the biggest one-man bank fraud that took place in Canada. Having access to a multimillion-dollar account and a gambling addiction, this story of a bank manager who gets into a sticky circumstance will take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride.
Released in 2003, Owning Mahowny, directed by Richard Kwietniowski, and starring Philip Seymour in the lead role, is a crime thriller that will keep your eyes hooked on the screen.
- Mississippi Grind: Who says gambling and casino-themed movies all need to be serious and show some crime? This Ryan Reynolds starrer movie brings an element of comedy to your regular gambling movies pool.
In this movie, a washed-out person facing a severe financial crisis teams up with a young and enthusiastic poker player to win big. Together the two men embark on a road trip in hopes of winning everything they lost and much more. Directed by Anna Boden, this gambling comedy drama will have you in stitches.
- The Hustler: The Hustler is a story of a rookie pool player competing against a pro snooker champion. A high-stakes game, hustling the other party, and some surprise twists are all highlights of this mega-hit of a film. While not strictly casino games, this movie is all about gambling and how to play your opponent.
With a multi-starrer cast that never ceases to amaze, including Paul Newman, George Scott, Piper Laurie, and Jackie Gleason, Robert Rossen has created a cinematic experience for people to enjoy.
Beyond these fantastic movies, there are hundreds more that revolve around gambling and casinos. With the variety of movies out there, there is something for everyone to choose from. Anyone taking an interest in these movies is sure to get hooked to their screens and perhaps even take a chance at playing casino games or gambling at least once in their life. Bringing to the light the reality of gambling, these must-watch movies require your undivided attention.