We're going to take a look at 10 of the best gambling-themed films of all time. Some of these have motifs based on casino games, sports and poker (or a combination of more than one), but they all have something important going on that's related to gambling in general.
1. Owning Mahowny (2003)
This movie is about a banker from Canada who ends up stealing an amount of money in the eight-figure range as the result of gambling addiction. The late Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the lead role of Dan Mahowny, a man who is respected in one part of his life and a total degenerate in another.
2. Rounders (1998)
Starring Matt Damon, Ed Norton and John Malkovich, this movie follows the results of the hero Mike losing everything in a high stakes poker game while making a run at the World Series of Poker. It's widely considered to be the best poker movie ever made, and it has a massive cult following.
3. The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
This is another poker-themed movie that isn't liked by poker players all that much because of poor technical play in many of the hands. However, it's filmed beautifully, and it's an extremely solid film about men who want to become the best at what they do, even if they have to go through each other to do it.
4. Casino (1995)
In one of the most popular Scorcese films of all time, Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone play the lead roles. This movie follows actual events relatively closely, and it's all about a mafia-operated casino and how it went down in the end.
5. Oceans 11 (2001)
In a bit of an action-oriented film that's focused less on the actual gambling than many others on this list, this movie had no shortage of talent. Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Bernie Mac, Don Cheadle, Andy Garcia and many other star in this raid-based story.
6. Poolhall Junkies (2002)
In a story that is based around the high-stakes world of pool, Christopher Walken has to help a young man to rise up against the odds when everything is against him.
7. High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (2003)
Michael Imperioli plays Stu Ungar, the only man to win the World Series of Poker Main Event three times, in a fairly accurate version of his incredible life.
8. The Hustler (1961)
Another pool-based movie, filmed in black and white The Hustler is considered to be one of the best gambling movies of all time.
9. The Color of Money (1986)
The sequel to the Hustler this movie features Paul Newman and Tom Cruise that helped the former to win an Oscar for Best Actor.
10. Maverick (1994)
More of a comedy than a serious poker film, this movie follows Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster as they try to take on a rigged poker tournament on a ferryboat.
