Which are the best Gambling Movies

The theme of gambling has been a long favourite of the movie industry. The elements of luck and risk have created some legendary characters, despite the fact that their end is usually not the happiest one. The adrenaline runs high, and thousands of dollars come and go in mere minutes. Most of these movies are set in Las Vegas, since it is the Mecca of land casinos, but lately gambling movies are filmed all over the world.

Whether you enjoy playing at online casinos in Canada or prefer to visit a brick-and-mortar casino, here are the best gambling movies of all time. Just don't try to copy the wagers of the protagonists.

Top 5 Gambling Movies

5th Rounders (1998)

A classic movie about poker, it has become a cult among gamblers, even though it was not commercially successful when it was released. Matt Damon and Edward Norton are childhood friends who meet again after several years and decide to play poker to pay off some debts. Things take a turn for the worse as one of them has different plans.

4th 21 (2008)

Loosely based on a true story, this movie has Kevin Spacey as an MIT professor who recruits his six best students and teaches them how to count cards. Soon enough, they go to Las Vegas, and they make millions on blackjack tables. It shows in a pretty realistic way not only the science behind gambling but also where greed can get you.

3rd Ocean's Eleven (2001)

An all-star cast of Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Julia Roberts, among others, is teaming up with a gang of some criminals specialising in casino heists to rob the three largest casinos in Las Vegas: Bellagio, MGM Grand, and the Mirage. The movie was a massive box office success, grossing $450 million around the world.

2nd Casino (1995)

If you want to jump into the madness of Las Vegas in the '70s, Casino is a masterpiece of Martin Scorsese, with Robert DeNiro, Sharon Stone (who won an Academy Award for Best Actress), and Joe Pesci delivering some outstanding performances. Filmed at the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas, it represents the atmosphere of the era to the perfect degree.

1st The Sting (1973)

So, you want to watch just one movie about gambling? Good, The Sting is the most acclaimed and popular film, holding a rating of 93% at Rotten Tomatoes and winning seven Academy Awards. Paul Newman and Robert Redford are some high-level con-artists, who want to get revenge on a notorious mobster for killing one of their friends. A legendary film that inspired dozens of similar movies, yet none came even close.