Five Gambling Movies That Were Based on a True Story

Gambling has been around since almost the dawn of time. It’s evolved massively throughout history, especially in recent years. The rise of the internet has made gambling more accessible all over the world, with hundreds of betting sites, online casinos, and poker rooms available on the web nowadays.

It’s only natural that gambling has a special place in the world of popular culture as well. We’ve seen so many books, movies, TV shows, and even advertisements that are somehow related to the topic. Many of them are not exactly realistic and depict a glorified vision of gambling.

Others are based on a true story and are far closer to the real world. Today, we decided to take a look at five excellent gambling movies that are based on a true story. If you like the genre, you will surely enjoy watching these classics.

Casino

Most people believe that Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece Casino is only loosely inspired by the Las Vegas crime scene and doesn’t have much truth in it. That’s actually not the case, as the director used a bunch of facts and real stories in the movie.

The majority of the plot revolves around characters that were involved in the foundation of Sin City, the way we know it today. If you haven’t watched Casino for some reason, you will be shocked by the origins of Las Vegas.

Owning Mahowny

The critically acclaimed Canadian movie Owning Mahowny can’t compare to the popularity of the first entry on this list, but it’s certainly worth watching. It features actors like Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Hurt, and Minnie Driver.

The movie is about the story of Dan Mahowny, a banker with a gambling addiction and access to many people’s funds. Let’s just say that’s not the best possible combination.

21

As the more experienced in gambling will instantly recognize, 21 is a movie about Blackjack. One of the most popular casino games in the world can be beaten, if you learn how to count cards and know math well.

That’s exactly what the story of an MIT professor and his six students proves. While there are some differences to the real-life events, 21 was inspired by a true story and the excellent cast makes it a fascinating experience.

High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story

Stu “The Kid” Ungar is a legend in the poker world and many believe he was the most naturally gifted player to ever grace the game. The problem is, the Kid was addicted to drinking and drugs. His story was told by director A. W. Vidmer in 2003.

The film wasn’t a major success, but it’s certainly worth watching. It shows the best and the worst of the gambling world, through Ungar’s short but wild life.

Molly’s Game

One of the more recent gambling movies that make the list is Molly’s Game. The production was released in 2017 and features stars like Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, and Michael Cera.

The story is based on the memoir of Molly Bloom II. She starts her life as an ambitious skier, but an injury puts an end to her career. Molly enters the circle of high stakes poker and ends up with the FBI and the Russian mob getting involved.