Top 10 Best Gambling Movies of All Time

Gambling has a lot of intrigue and can arouse several emotions. That on-top-of-the-world feeling when you make the right prediction and increase your bankroll, that gloom when you lose your bet. Besides, this is about the only venture that can turn coffee money into life-changing amounts in a couple of seconds. 

The entertaining features of the gambling industry have made it an appealing theme in Hollywood. Gambling has always been depicted in movies since the history of film. As such, one can’t determine when the first gambling movie was released. 

However, one of the earliest notable mentions is Smart Money. This 1931 movie follows the story of an immigrant Greek barber in the United States whose exceptional poker-playing skills paved the way for him in the underworld but loses all due to his undying affection for pretty blondes. 

But this is only the beginning.  

On this page, we have listed the best ten gambling movies of all time. We selected these films based on their entertaining and relatable storylines, great performance skills, and overall production. 

So, if you want to experience the fun and mystique of gambling from intense biographical thrillers, or you are just looking for a pretty great flick that depicts the seedy world of underworld gambling, you will do your eyes a favor by watching these movies:

10. The Hangover (2009)

Have you ever been to Las Vegas? If you have, you will be able to relate to some of the scenes in this movie. If you haven’t, get ready to see the crazy side of the “Sin City.” One thing is certain - The Hangover will get you cracking your ribs from start to finish. 

Doug and his three buddies decided to visit Vegas to celebrate his bachelor party. What could possibly go wrong? After a crazy night, the three friends woke up the next day with a hangover and a missing Doug. With no memory of the previous night, they had to find Doug fast to get him to his wedding, which was just a couple of hours away. 

9. Uncut Gems (2009)

Uncut Gems is another popular gambling movie that gives you a wake-up call about gambling addiction. Directed by the Safdie brothers, Joshua Safdie and Benjamin Sadfie, the film follows the story of Jeweler Howard Ratner, played by Adam Sandler, a chronic gambler, and his pursuit of the ultimate win. 

While his favorite betting sport is the NBA, Howard makes huge wagers, always thinking his next stake would set him up for life. Instead, he keeps finding himself in an unending spiral of debts.

Howard thinks he has finally won the jackpot when he discovers a rare uncut Opal from Ethiopia and a willing buyer. But then, his greediness and undying thirst for the biggest win will be his greatest loss. 

Uncut Gems is unarguably one of the best gambling movies on Netflix. 

8. Molly’s Game (2017)

It’s not every time you see a woman protagonist in gambling movies. That’s why it quickly became a hit when Aaron Sorkin introduced Molly’s Game in 2017. 

Here, Molly Bloom, played by Jessica Chastain, uses her charm and wits to rise from an Olympic-class skier to running the world’s most exclusive underground high-stakes poker game patronized by the crème de la crème of the society and the undesirable but wealthy Russian mobsters.

When the FBI comes knocking, Molly seeks the services of her criminal defense lawyer Charlie Jaffey played by Idris Elba. Together, they gamble the player’s identities from her poker game to keep her money and avoid doing time in prison. 

Like 21, Molly’s Game is based on a true story. The 2017 movie is adapted from Molly Bloom’s memoirs. 

7. 21 (2008)

At one time, every gambler that has ever lost money at the casino or sportsbook sits up and asks, “what can I do to get my money back?” “ how do I beat the house?”. While many have devised countless strategies in the past, only a few have worked. 

The story of 21 is the story of that few.

MIT students are usually known for their brilliance, but it’s not every day you see them direct this ingenuity at gambling. 21 tells the story of a math professor who turns five brilliant students from the MIT into expert blackjack card counting machines and cleaned out Las Vegas casinos to the tune of millions of dollars.

While the 2008 flick shows what brilliance coupled with luck can achieve in gambling, it also highlights the weakness of the human mind after achieving it and the futility of asking for more. 

The special appeal of 21 is that the movie is based on real events and people. Yes, you read it right, the MIT students, the blackjack strategy, and the millions they won are all real. 

The film is adapted from the book, Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich. It is a must-watch for every player dreaming of winning big. 

6. The Cincinnati Kid (1965)

This list won’t be complete without adding the all-time classic, The Cincinnati Kid.  

The Cincinnati Kid is a story of how an up-and-coming young poker player Eric Stoner tries to prove his mettle against a legendary veteran Lancey Howard in a high-stakes poker game. 

Having had it rough, Eric “The Kid” Stoner believes that the best way to achieve recognition as the master of the game is to beat the best player who happens to be in town. 

The scenes between the Cincinnati Kid and Lancey as they probe each other, looking for openings and advantages no matter how small they may be, make this film unique. However, the suspense and unpredictability of this movie endeared it to many.

Other notable mentions include Hard Eight, The Card Counter, The Color of Money, Win It All, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, and several others.

5. Casino Royale (2006)

Some people play poker for fun, and some for real money. But there are others that sit at the table for a different cause; honor, security, and their lives. 

Le Chiffre, a banker, mixes with the wrong crowd and has to win money in a game of Texas Hold’em in Montenegro to save his life. But he is out of luck because at that particular table sits James Bond, whose purpose is to ensure Chiffre loses. 

To achieve his goal, Bond must deploy his best poker skills.

This movie comes with the usual elements you will find in a Bond franchise, including the most loved spy’s girls, Q’s gadgets, M’s assignments, and more. 

4. Rounders (1998)

If you love playing poker, you will certainly enjoy watching this movie. Rounders belongs to the league of the most popular poker movies of all time. The movie was directed by John Dahl and featured Matt Demon as the main character, Mike McDermott.

A reformed gambler and a law student, Mike swore off gambling but had to return to the big-stakes poker table to help his friend pay off loan sharks. 

Here, you experience a mix of thrills and suspense as Mike balances his commitment to his friend with his law school and relationship with his girlfriend. 

3. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

Ask any punter their list of favorite gambling movies, and the Ocean series will rank high on that list. Yet, you will be surprised to know that the movie is not particularly about gambling. Instead, it’s a story about “the biggest heist of all time” carried out by gangster Danny Ocean and his band of eleven daredevils. 

The location of the heist is the three biggest casinos in Las Vegas, which also happened to be owned by Danny’s rival, Terry Benedict. Will they succeed? You have to watch this movie to find out.

Get ready, though, to be on the edge of your seat. More times than once, you will also find yourself supporting the “bad boys” over the good cops. 

But what do you expect from a star-studded cast lineup of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, and more?

Not all heroes wear capes; sometimes, some just play poker. 

2. The Gambler (1974)

Playing games at a casino can be fun, but what happens when you move to the darker side of gambling? When you don’t stick to your budget, and you start chasing your losses? The Gambler is one of the earliest and best movies about gambling addiction.

It follows the character of Axel Freed, an English professor, and author who appears to be living an exemplary life. 

However, deep down, Axel is battling a severe gambling addiction that soon saw him borrowing from friends and families to fuel and clear his debts. He borrows from loan sharks and becomes a target when he can’t pay back. 

The Gambler promotes responsible gambling by focusing on gambling addiction and showing viewers and, more importantly, casino players how one can become addicted without even realizing it. 

1. Casino (1995)

Directed by Martin Scorsese, Casino is a gambling movie everyone needs to watch before they die. Here, you get to see the glitz and glamour of mob-controlled Vegas in the full glare and the seedy and cruel activities behind the scenes. 

Ace, an operator with mob ties, gets hired to run casinos on the Las Vegas trip. However, his dreamy life is threatened by his old friend, now mafia enforcer Nicky, and his wife, Ginger McKenna. 

The activities of the two closest people in his life start birthing complications, and in the old mob-controlled Las Vegas, complications can be very deadly. It might even involve taking “a trip to the desert.”

A perfect mix of deceit, money, greed, and murder, Casino is one film you can not get tired of watching.