There are many movies about casinos, but not all of them are realistic. Most feature cartoonish characters and don’t offer a behind-the-scenes look at a world filled with lights. However, there are also movies that approach casinos from a very realistic perspective, without resorting to clichés, and if you’re curious about what this world is really like, you should definitely watch them.
Here, we’ll help you do this by sharing a top 3 list of realistic casino movies. Let’s reiterate that our main selection criterion is realism: these movies may not have won any awards, but they offer a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes. If you also want to try your luck at a casino, you can choose a brand from the no-verification casinos USA list and do it right away. But don’t forget to visit the Roulette77 platform first and check out the available strategies and tactics.
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21 (2008)
| Director | Robert Luketic |
| Main Stars | Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Jim Sturgess |
| IMDB Score | 6.8 |
You’ve undoubtedly seen blackjack players trying to gain an advantage by counting cards in other movies before: Rain Man was among the films that popularized this technique. However, you don’t need to be a savant to count cards; anyone with a little mathematical acumen can do it using the right techniques. 21 is proof of this: it tells the story of Micky Rosa, an MIT professor, and his team.
Micky Rosa assembled a team of six math students to count cards in blackjack, and he wasn’t just doing it as a hobby: they used these techniques to visit different casinos over the years, winning hundreds of millions of dollars. 21 tells this story and is based on a book called “Breaking Down the House.” This term means to bankrupt the casino.
Why is this film realistic?
There are several reasons why 21 is a realistic film:
- It’s based on real life: Micky Rosa and his team actually existed and were known as the “MIT Blackjack Team”
- The movie shows card counting techniques used in real life
- You can also see what safeguards casinos have in place against cheaters
Since it focuses solely on blackjack, you’ll need some knowledge of the game, but it’s a good option for anyone interested in the subject.
Casino (1995)
| Director | Martin Scorsese |
| Main Stars | Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone, Robert de Niro |
| IMDB Score | 8.2 |
In the 1970s, Las Vegas was largely run by the mafia. They used loans from the Teamsters to buy casinos or build new ones. However, they needed someone familiar with both this world and their own to run their Vegas operations. Sam Rothstein was therefore chosen and assigned to manage the Tangiers Casino.
He wasn’t technically a manager, but nothing could be done without his permission. Along with Nicky Santoro, who was sent to guard him and the money, they ran Tangiers for years, sending bags of money to the mafia every week. Things went well for a while, but when Rothstein fell in love with a woman named Ginger McKenna, everything came crumbling down like a house of cards. Casino tells this story.
Why is this film realistic?
Casino may be one of the most realistic gambling films ever made because:
- All the events in the film actually happened
- Las Vegas was truly run by the mafia for decades, and very few movies exist about this era
- It gives you a glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes not only of the games but also of the casinos themselves
Even if you’re not into gambling, you should definitely watch this as a gangster movie: Casino won numerous awards, including a Golden Globe.
High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (2003)
| Director | A.W. Vidmer |
| Main Stars | Michael Imperioli, Andrew Glazer, Al Bernstein |
| IMDB Score | 6.0 |
Professional poker players are treated like superstars in the US and they are like rock stars. These people gamble for a living, so they are the very definition of a professional gambler. They can win millions and lose millions, and just like rock stars, most of their lives (or careers) end tragically.
Stu Ungar was one such gambler, and one of the most famous. In the movie, we witness his life story, told in his own words. Ungar had a tragic life: the son of an abusive bookie father, he saw the true meaning of gambling (and how it can change a person) even at a young age. Stu played not only poker but also gin, and he enjoyed being a high roller in both. (This term is used to describe someone who gambles with very high stakes.)
Stu Ungar was one of only two people to win the prestigious World Series of Poker tournament three times in a row, a record that has yet to be broken. Unfortunately, his personal life wasn’t as successful as his professional career: drug addiction and a messy divorce left Ungar nearly bankrupt. When he died alone in a cheap motel room, he had only $800 in his pocket, despite having earned millions throughout his career.
Why is this film realistic?
This is one of the most realistic films about professional poker because:
- It tells the true story of one of the most famous professional gamblers
- It gives you a glimpse into how organizations like the WSOP actually work
- It shows with striking clarity why there are no rich gamblers
Even if professional poker isn’t your thing, we highly recommend watching it as an engaging biopic.
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