If you like gambling movies then look no further. On Netflix right, there are lots and we’ve put together ten you need to see.
Gambling often serves as a great backdrop for a movie. There’s natural drama when large sums of money are being risked at the table. Sometimes our heroes take a risk and win. Sometimes the opposite happens. Either way, gambling flicks have all the makings of a thrilling tale and at times some of them even teach us valuable lessons about gambling.
We’ve scoured Netflix to bring you the best gambling movies on there. As the title of this article suggests, there were supposed to be ten. However, after an epic search, we were only able to find eight – and one of those is a series and one a documentary. Oh well, eight is meant to be a lucky number anyway, right?
Win It All (2017)
Win It All is the tale of a small-time gambler named Edward Garrett. Garett is asked to look after a mysterious duffel bag whilst an acquaintance of his is in jail. He’s instructed not to look in it. Of course, he looks in it. It turns out it’s full of cash.
Garrett “borrows” some of the money and inevitably loses it by gambling. He then receives a call from the bag’s owner saying he’s up for early release and he’ll be coming for it soon. This prompts Garrett to embark on a frantic mission to get the money back. This involves yet more gambling on horseracing, poker, and just about everything else.
The Gambler (2014)
The Gambler is a remake of the 1974 movie of the same title. This time around it stars Mark Wahlberg and Jessica Lange. It’s the story of a university English professor named Jim Bennett. Bennett is also a gambling addict. Through his vice, he ends up in debt and is forced to borrow money off his mother and a loan shark.
The story is basically that of a seemingly endless mess of debt repayments to loan sharks and Vegas hardmen. Just to complicate things even more, Bennett ends up in a relationship with one of his students too.
The Big Short (2015)
The Big Short isn’t exactly about gambling in the most traditional sense. However, it does involve larger sums of money than any of the other movies on this list and arguably more risk taking. It’s based on the book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine. The comedy drama adaptation tells three connected stories about the prelude to the 2008 financial crisis.
The movie stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt. It tells the tale of various hedge fund managers making bets on the housing market to the tune of billions of dollars.
Cold Deck (2015)
Cold Deck is a thriller starring Stefano Gallo, Jason Layre, and Slater Jewell Kempker. It’s a Canadian movie that tells the story of a compulsive gambler named Bobby. Bobby scrapes together enough funds to play in a large buy in poker game hosted by a rich banker. As an aspiring poker player, Bobby feels that a game with some of the wealthiest guys around will be full of soft marks. However, he doesn’t bank on another decent player being at the table.
After losing his initial buy in, our hero is coerced into stealing the entire pot of the next big game at the bankers. You’ll have to watch the movie to find out what happens though!
Kid Poker (2015)
Daniel Negreanu is an absolute legend of the poker table. Kid Poker is a documentary all about the Canadian professional card shark. It’s told from the perspective of Daniel himself, as well as many other household names of the game. These include Jennifer Harman, Phil Ivey, and Antonio Esfandiari.
It documents Daniel’s early life, his epic six World Series of Poker Wins, and takes you inside the mind of one of the most likeable champion champions to ever grace the felt with their presence. This one is a must-see for all fans of the game.
KakeGurui
Here’s our wild card entry (pun definitely intended). KakeGurui isn’t a movie at all. It’s a series. It’s based on the Japanese manga series of the same name. This anime tale has just completed its first run and is scheduled for another one soon. Being inspired by manga comics, each episode is obviously a highly stylised piece of cinematography. It really is a veritable feast for the eyes!
KakeGurui tells the story of the students of a private school in which they gamble against each other. All the pupils are being moulded to be future business leaders and politicians. The plots, animation, and general artwork make KakeGurui a worthy addition to this list, despite not even being a movie.
What Happens in Vegas (2008)
What Happens in Vegas is a romantic comedy staring Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz. It involves a trip to Sin City that is typically full of debauchery.
The story is about Joy and Jack. The two don’t know each other when they arrive in Las Vegas. However, after a mix up with their hotel reservations, they both receive free passes to various night clubs around the city. They end up getting drunk together and decide to get married in typical Vegas fashion. After the wedding, Jack lands a three-million-dollar jackpot with a single quarter given to him by Joy.
After returning from the trip, the two seek a divorce. However, the judge has other ideas. They’re forced to stay together for a minimum of six months if they want to split their winnings evenly. Of course, hilarity ensues.
Think Like a Man Too (2014)
Think Like a Man Too is the sequel to Think Like a Man. It’s another romantic comedy about a trip to Las Vegas. This time it involves four couples who are attending a friend’s wedding in the global gambling capital. When they all arrive the men and women go their separate ways: the guys hit the casinos and the ladies go to the clubs.
Inevitably, the men lose heavily and are forced to recoup their losses in any way they can. Naturally, this creates plenty of opportunities for debauchery and drama. We’ll let you watch it though to fill in the blanks though!