Seven Movies to Give You That Casino Thrill
Casinos are always exciting, from the noise to the thrill of people winning and losing, each drowning each other out. At home, that feeling is hard to be replicated. However, we’ve got the next best thing with a list of seven great movies you can download that will capture that classic high-stakes casino feeling.
The Gambler
Another blast from the past, The Gambler, was released in 1974, a golden year for movies with a focus on casinos. The film follows literature professor Alex Freede as he struggles with his vice, gambling. Freede pawns most of his possessions, borrows money from his girlfriend and mother, and even uncouth members of society. Despite his constant borrowing and the dangers it leads to, he can’t stop gambling.
Be a gambler yourself when you visit Spelpressen to find an online gaming house that’ll immerse you in the movie. To stay alive, Freede has to make one big score and pay everyone back or risk his life with the loan sharks he’s borrowed from.
California Split
Released in 1974, this classic film tells the tale of two gamblers who befriend each other. The main character, portrayed by George Segal, befriends and starts to imitate the life of a professional gambler. With the co-lead starring Elliott Gould, the film offers a shocking blast from the past and is likely a movie you’ll be wondering why you haven’t seen yet.
Experience this feeling at one of the many casinos without a Swedish license. Gambling is a heavy theme in this movie, especially as the main character, Bill, follows down the path of his new friend. Encounters are made, and stakes rise ever higher.
Uncut Gems
Starring a familiar face, Adam Sandler portrays the lead character, Howard Ratner, a jeweler whose debts are closing in on him. The debts come from Ratner’s array of gambling loans totalling hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yet, Ratner keeps his eyes ready for the next big bet, ready to continue taking chances.
The big bet we follow in the movie is an uncut Ethiopian Opal with an invested high-profile buyer. However, the closer Ratner gets to success, the more he’s forced to realize the consequences of his actions.
The Card Counter
A more recent film, The Card Counter, released in 2021. Following William Tell, an ex-military interrogator, the film portrays the tale of someone trying to lay low instead of winning it big. However, this narrative changes when Tell takes on Cirk, a young man with a shared enemy. Tell takes Cirk on the gambling circuit in hopes of turning the young man away from violence.
However, things don’t turn out as planned, and the stakes become higher than Tell expected. However, explaining that would be spoilerful.
Casino
Shooting back almost three decades, Casino released in 1995 and starred Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone. The film depicts the splendor of Las Vegas, from its glittery shine to its brutal cruelty.
The film follows Ace Rothstein and Nicky Santoro, two mobsters who try to make their stand in the city of sin. The two foil each other as we see the world through their eyes and the world of mob involvement in casinos back in the late 20th century. However, the twists come as one spirals into drugs and the other into love.
Ocean’s Eleven
Released in 2001, this film has become known as a thrilling heist and casino film. While the heist is a focal point of the plot, the casino is where most of it takes place. Follow the story of a crew robbing three of Las Vegas’s casinos simultaneously.
A high-stakes heist is never without its tension. Slice it with a knife and claim a part of it as yours when you find an online casino that you enjoy. While you won’t be George Clooney or Brad Pitt, you can carve out your own place on the couch.
21
One of the few casino films inspired by a true story, 21 follows six MIT students trained to count cards. If you have a favoritism for Black Jack or a fancy of card counting, this film explores how one could potentially take the Vegas Strip for all it’s worth.
The film explores many scenes with its cast of characters, including how they’d bypass security to ensure they weren’t banned. It also looks at the dynamics of card counting and how a group works best to identify the ideal blackjack tables to play at. However, beneath these themes, the characters soon face themselves as one member is quickly consumed by his greed.
For Movie Night or Poker Night
Whether you’re looking to learn a few tricks for your next poker night or find the perfect film for your next movie night, these options will entice and keep you glued to the screen.
