Best Gambling Movies on Netflix
Netflix is widely considered to be the leading streaming service of popular movies and television series. The provider has a variety of different genres to choose from, including comedy, drama, action, animation and other types of films. One of the most interesting categories of movies for gamblers are films about the different games of chance. In this article, we look at the best gambling movies on Netflix that you can see in 2022.
The Best Gambling Movies on Netflix
There are thousands of different movies on Netflix. That is why sometimes it can be difficult to pick a single one to watch. If you are in that position, or have been there before, you will know exactly how frustrating it can be to find a movie. Well, to make your life a little easier, we have included our favourite gambling movies on Netflix.
Before we start looking at the various gambling movies on Netflix, we would first give you an insight on the history of gambling movies in cinema. Once you have familiarized with gambling movies in cinema, we will divide these gambling movies into sections based on the genre. The genres that we have divided them into include comedy, drama, action and crime. That way, you will be able to find exactly what kind of gambling movie you are looking for. If you want to play gambling games instead of watching movies, have a look at our latest jackpot ratings for your options.
A Brief History of Gambling in Cinema
The earliest gambling movie in cinema can be traced back to 1931. In Smart Money, a Greek immigrant arrives to America to showcase his swift and smooth poker skills. From that moment on, there have been many gambling movies over the course of the rich history of cinema. That includes movies from all genres, showing both the fantastic and alluring side of gambling, to the ugly mafia and addiction side of it. Two of the most popular gambling movies of all time are The Hustler and The Gambler, released in 1961 and 1974 respectively.
The great thing about gambling movies on Netflix is that they show the best and worst sides of the game. Viewers can be taken to the classiest most luxurious casinos in the world or to underground seedy poker rooms. As there are many different gambling games, there are also a variety of different gambling movies. These can show different popular casino games such as blackjack, poker, roulette and others. Many of these movies are set in Las Vegas, although there are casinos based around the world.
Over recent history, Netflix has also produced some of their own gambling movies. An example of this is Uncut Gems, which we will review a little later on. It is a popular movie choice that shows another side of gambling, to keep you entertained.
Gambling Crime Movies
To begin our list of gambling movies on Netflix, we start off by covering the movie genre of crime. There are a variety of different gambling crime movies on Netflix. Below, we have included a number of these popular movies.
Croupier
One of the most popular crime gambling movies on Netflix is the 1998 Croupier. It was directed by Mike Hodges and features a young Clive Owen in the main role. Croupier tells the story of a casino croupier that becomes involved in a casino heist at his workplace. It is one of the best gambling movies ever as it shows a realistic representation of how casinos work and operate.
In this tense crime thriller movie, viewers can see many different aspects of the gambling world. It is a true gambling movie classic, with unexpected twists and turns along the way.
Bugsy
Another popular gambling movie that can be found on Netflix is Bugsy, which is a biographical drama about Bugsy Siegel. It is based on the book, “We Only Kill Each Other”. The movie shows the story of gangster Bugsy Siegel and his relationship with actress Virginia Hill. In the movie, Siegel is the main character, with his operations in various betting parlors across Nevada. The dream of Siegel is to build a hotel and casino in Nevada. It is known as the birth of Las Vegas.
Siegel had a dream to build a hotel and casino in Nevada and this led to the construction of Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel Casino. Whilst the casino did eventually stand and open its doors, Siegel was killed before he could witness his dream become a reality.
Casino
One of the best gambling movies of all time is Casino starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone. The movie was directed by Martin Scorsese and is incredibly similar to Goodfellas, which was released a few years prior. Casino took to the cinemas in 1995 and has proven to be a classic crime-related gambling movie.
In the film, De Niro acts Ace Rothstein, the manager of Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas. The casino is a crime outfit for the mafia. It has an incredible background story and is celebrated as one of the best gambling movies of all time. The soundtrack is also a classic.
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Ocean’s Eleven
An incredible representation of the gambling industry is seen in the 2001 release of Ocean’s Eleven. Steven Soderbergh was in charge of directing the movie that featured a number of top-rated actors and actresses in Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon and Bernie Mac. The movie is a remake of the original Ocean’s 11.
In Ocean’s Eleven, the main action follows the former con, Danny Ocean. He is fresh out of prison and has already begun plans of robbing three Las Vegas casinos at once. Furthermore, he also wants to win back his ex-wife. The movie is known for its incredible visuals, awesome one-liners and impressive performances from the big actors.
The Ocean’s Eleven movie is based on the original Ocean’s 11, which was released in 1960. Directed by Lewis Milestone, the original movie featured Sinatra, Davis Jr and Lawford. It was so successful, that the movie became a trilogy of films. Ocean’s 12 and Ocean’s 13 were released in subsequent years and were also successful box office films.
The Gambler
One of the most incredibly gambling movies of all time is The Gambler. The reason why it is so successful is because it shows the ugly side of gambling. The Gambler shows a story of a university professor that is addicted to gambling. In between his days, he often goes in search of high stakes poker games and eventually becomes involved with the underground mafia.
The Gambler was originally released in 1974 but there has also been a remake in 2014. The movie is incredibly popular and shows a side of gambling not many are familiar with. Besides all the razzle-dazzle, there is certainly a very costly and dangerous side of gambling that should not be underestimated.
Gambling Comedy Movies
As we shift away from crime, we look at a new genre in comedy. There are a number of comedy gambling movies on Netflix that are definitely worth watching. Below, we look at the list of comedy gambling movies you may want to have a look at.
Vegas Vacation
Vegas Vacation is a comedy gambling movie that is centred around Clark Griswold played by Chevy Chase. The movie was released in 1997 and directed by Stephen Kessler. It featured Chevy Chase in addition to Beverly D’Angelo.
In Vegas Vacation, both Clark and Ellen Griswold head on over to Las Vegas to renew their vows. However, as expected in comedies, many unexpected hijinks unfold as the movie progresses. It is one of the best casino movies on Netflix, as many will recognize the MGM Grand Vegas and The Mirage Resort. The movie is set in the 90s, meaning you will get a glimpse of how 90s Las Vegas looked like.
Win it All
The Win it All movie was released in 2017 and stars Jake Johnson and Kris Swanberg in Joe Swanberg’s movie. It is the story of a gambling addict that takes a duffel bag filled with cash for a friend heading to prison. However, the temptations of the gambling addict get the better of him. He ends up placing a big bet.
The movie has these two-star roles at the centre of the action. It is an incredible movie that had a minimalistic direction. The movie is probably the best indie gambling movie on Netflix to watch.
Lay the Favourite
Lay the Favourite is an American comedy-drama that is based on the writings of Beth Raymer. It tells the story of how she moved from Florida to Las Vegas. In Nevada, Raymer worked as a cocktail waitress and met a professional gambler. The gambler hires her as his assistance, asking her to place big bets for him. Lay the Favourite is the story of how Raymer rose to become a massive sports bookmaker.
Drama Gambling Movies
As we move on from comedy gambling movies, the next genre to review is drama. On Netflix, many viewers will find loads of drama gambling movies. Although, to narrow it down, we have included our top picks. One of them is even based on a true story as well.
21
Perhaps the greatest blackjack movie of all time is 21, as it is based on a true story. It shows the story of a group of MIT students that use mathematics to swing the odds in their favour. The movie features Kevin Spacey as the brains behind the operation. He was in charge of the four MIT students and made sure that they used their advanced way of thinking to his advantage. Moreover, he took the biggest cut of their successful gambling acquisitions.
21 shows how a group of MIT students use card-counting for blackjack to their advantage. The climax of the movie shows that even though their card-counting techniques were successful, corrupt casino managers would not let them get away with it. They chase the group of students and try to put an end to their team. Instead, they catch Kevin Spacey, who is a wanted man for his gambling card-counting activities and give him a true Vegas beat down.
Uncut Gems
Uncut Gems is a Netflix original movie that was released in 2019. It was directed by Josh and Benny Safdie and stars Adam Sandler in a drama role. Surprisingly, we get to see Sandler play this drama role fantastically, as opposed to his standard comedy movies.
In Uncut Gems, the viewer follows Sandler who acts as Howard Ratner, a New York jeweler. He is caught in a spot of both when he amounts a massive gambling debt. The movie has a great surprise ending that will stay with you for a long time. It is definitely worth watching.
Molly’s Game
One of the more popular drama gambling movies on Netflix is Molly’s Game, which was the first movie directed by Aaron Sorkin ever. It features Jessica Chastain as Molly Bloom, a former professional skier that has since developed a knack of playing at high-stakes poker tournaments. The movie was released in 2017 and is a classic already.
Molly Bloom is the lead role of the movie and becomes involved with all sorts. That includes billionaires, celebrities, mobsters and eventually the FBI. The movie is certainly worth watching if you are looking for an interesting gambling movie to watch on a rainy night.
Rounders
An intriguing gambling movie is called Rounders. In gambling terminology, ‘rounder’ refers to a player that travels around a casino looking for high-stakes card games. The movie focuses on two friends that travel around the underground poker world to search for high-stakes games. Their mission is to pay off an incredibly large debt.
Eventually, they fall deeper in debt and the mob gets involved. The climax of the movie ends as they head off to the World Series of Poker, where they will need to win everything or else they will lose everything.
Mississippi Grind
Another poker movie that focuses on two friends is Mississippi Grind. It is a 2015 poker movie that tells the tale of two friends as they journey along the Mississippi River. Their goal is to reach a high-roller poker game in New Orleans.
Gambling Action Movies
Last but not least, we have one final category with a single movie in it. If you are into car chases, guns, secret services and casinos, you are going to love this section of Netflix. Below, the best gambling action movie of all time is listed.
Casino Royale
The best gambling action movie of all time is definitely Casino Royale. The movie, starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, was released in 2006 and is directed by Martin Campbell. It puts Bond, commonly known as 007, at the centre of the action. However, he also finds himself in Monaco, playing at the most luxurious casinos in the world.
Casino Royale is the ultimate action movie as it has thrills, chills, drama, fights and unexpected twists. Daniel Craig plays the lead role of James Bond, whilst the ice-cold villain, Le Chiffre, is played by Mads Mikkelsen. He is the owner of the casino yet also has his own terrorist operations ongoing in the background. It is up to Bond to bring peace to the world and bring the villain down.
The Bottom Line
Thus, to conclude, we hope that you have enjoyed reading about the best gambling movies on Netflix. There are a variety of different picks that viewers can choose from. However, we have listed our favourite gambling movies above. Furthermore, we have categorized them, so that you can find these movies from different genres of movies.
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