The thrill of gambling is often seen in the risk and reward nature of the games. The chance to beat the odds and come out on top.

Movies have captured this excitement, and some have been truly remarkable, enticing, and fascinating to watch. They have portrayed the thrill you can get and produced it in such a way we become engrossed.

The best films will capture our interests in gambling, and we can follow that passion in both film and gaming. Many of the most popular gambling films have a poker background, with the skill element and the nerves of steel. At home we can also enjoy poker through the various online providers, many offering poker no deposit bonus games in order for us to enjoy the games as much as possible.

Some of the most notorious gambling movies you must watch include:

Casino

Possibly the greatest gambling film ever made, and even one of the best movies of all time. Directed by the legendary Martin Scorsece it has a host of some of the most notorious actors of all time including Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci and James Woods.

Released in 1995, this tale of greed, deception, money and murder centres around a mafia enforcer and a casino executive. It shows the mob involvement in Las Vegas as well as the glamourous side of the city in the 1970’s and 80’s.

The two sides of the film see each other as direct competition and cope with the difficulties in very different ways, as well as finding different flaws and vices which could bring all they are working for to a crumbling end.

The film grossed a remarkable $116,112,375 worldwide and made just shy of $10 million on its opening weekend in the US and Canada, November 26, 1995. A massive profit made on a film which cost around $52 million to make.

The Card Counter

In 2021, the Paul Schrader directed thriller is based on the story of a former military interrogator who turns to gambling while being haunted by past troubles.

While spending eight years in prison William Tell, played by Oscar Isaac, teaches himself to count cards. He sets out looking to bet small to avoid attention and fame but soon finds his lonely and simple life turned upside down when he meets Cirk, played by Tye Sheridan.

Tell goes on the road with Cirk and La Linda (Tiffany Haddish) going from casino to casino with plenty of adventures which drag Tell back into the dark ways he’s desperate to move on from.

After costing a little over $2.5 million to make, the film has so far brought in slightly north of $5 million, just over $1 million was from the opening weekend, September 12, 2021.

Oceans 11

The first in the series of Oceans films brought to us by director Steven Soderbergh has a group of 10 accomplices brought together by Danny Ocean, played by George Clooney, in a bid to rob three Las Vegas Casinos simultaneously.

As well as having an incredibly daring and thrilling script, the film also contains a cast of the most talented and popular actors available. Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, and Carl Reiner all feature alongside a host of household names.

Released in 2001, Oceans 11 is a cool and slick action/comedy with twists and turns which keep you on the edge of our seat and second guessing every decision that’s being made.

It brought in around $450,000,000 in gross worldwide revenue after costing around $85 million to make. In its opening weekend in the US and Canada it brought in just over $38 million (December 9, 2001).

California Split

The story of a casual gambler befriending a professional one. George Segal plays Bill in this 1974 classic where he befriends Charlie, played by Elliott Gould, and begins to mirror his life.

Directed by Robert Altman, the film sees Bill and Charlie sending each other into the ever sleazier and more dangerous world of gambling where the stakes get higher and higher.

The two set of together to Tijuana via casinos and racetracks, partying and gambling all the way, before heading up to Reno for the poker game of a lifetime.

California Split has grossed nearly $11 million in the US and Canada.

Croupier

Mike Hodges directed this 1998 film about an aspiring writer who finds a job as a croupier. His experiences in the role make him realise his life as a croupier would make a great novel.

Clive Owen plays Jack Manfred, who as a croupier, becomes drawn into the casino world before being proposed with a life changing opportunity with plenty of risk.

Croupier has grossed over $7 million worldwide since its release and remains a fans favourite of those who enjoy gambling movies filled with crime and drama.