Poker is all about mystery, romance and intrigue, so it should come as no surprise that some of Hollywood's best directors can't resist the game. And when it comes to maintaining a ‘poker face', a few acting chops could come in handy when an inscrutable expression can make all the difference between winning and losing.
We've put together a list of the top 10 poker movies of all time. These are the movies that captured the drama and intrigue, and highlighted what it is about the game of poker that makes it one of the most famous casino games, as well as one of the most popular online casino games, in the world.
10 – Bet Raise Fold
The top 44 films, all appearing on 4 or more 'Best Gambling' movie lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 250+ movies, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page. When it comes to playing mobile games on the go, the best gaming tablets have the last word. Sure, the best gaming phones are more portable. But the bigger screen, increased battery life,. Casino games: The best hobbies for movie buffs. If you consider yourself a movie buff, then there is nothing better than settling in to watch a film, but you might find that you need another hobby or two to enjoy in your free time, especially when many films are close to two hours.
Bet Raise Fold: The Story of Online Poker (2013) follows the origin story and the development of the online poker industry during the 2000s. The documentary follows a generation of new online poker professionals and, if you remember the glory years of online poker back then, it can be an emotional ride at times.
- A list of movies related to Gambling and/or poker. This list is made for the users of the Gaming community www.GamingHill.com where you can find a lot of more Gambling related stuff (tools, reviews, entertainment, games, forums etc). Some of the movies I haven't seen myself, they were placed on the lower half of the list.
- CoolCat Casino Entertainment Top 5 Gambling Movies to Watch. If you can't take a trip to the casino, watching a casino film is the next best thing. Casinos provide the perfect cinematic venue for loads of action, drama and suspense.
Bet Raise Fold puts its attention on a few online poker players but really focuses on two players in particular. Following the lives of these poker players during a time when the game they based their income on was being shut down right in front of them, can hit very close to home.
9 – Mississippi Grind
Mississippi Grind (2015) tells the story of Gerry, a down and out poker player, who meets a traveling gambler by the name of Curtis. The two quickly become good friends and they eventually decide to take a road trip to New Orleans, playing poker along the way.
Curtis, who appears initially to be acting as Gerry's guardian angel, ignores every one of his instincts and stakes Gerry in his poker games. He knows Gerry is a terrible investment, and he sees red flags in his character often. But Curtis needs a friend, so he decides to keep Gerry around anyway.
New Gambling Movies
8 – California Split
California Split (1974) takes a closer look at the degen lifestyle that is so often glamorized by poker culture, particularly in movies. The story follows Billy Denny, who hates his job but loves to play poker, and his chance encounter with world-class degen Charlie Waters in a card room while playing Razz.
California Split does an amazing job of putting the spotlight on the degen, or degenerate, lifestyle. It showcases the fun and free-spirited living and mentality of the characters as they embrace their lives as professional gamblers in 1970's America.
7 – Maverick
Maverick (1994) is a lighthearted and funny-at-times action-comedy, starring Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, and James Garner. The story follows gambling man Bret Maverick who is a few thousand dollars shy of paying the entry fee to a winner-takes-all poker tournament. Maverick, now teamed up with Annabelle Bransford, turns to the way he knows how to make money: gambling.
Movies On Gambling
Along the way, to earn the money he needs to enter the tournament, Maverick and Bransford end up in some funny and sometimes dangerous situations. And because the film doesn't focus entirely on poker, this is a film that you can watch and enjoy regardless of how much you know about the game.
6 – Molly's Game
Molly's Game (2017) tells the story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier, who had been running the world's most exclusive and private high-stakes poker game for 10 years. Frequently seen at the table of one of Molly's games were sports stars, celebrities, entrepreneurs and even members of the Russian mob.
After being arrested, the only person who sticks by Molly is her criminal defense lawyer, who knows something about Molly that the newspapers don't. Moon festival games.
Gambling Movies List
5 – Shade
Top Gambling Movies
Shade (2003) is a classic poker story set in the world of cheaters and martini bars in Las Vegas. The story is centered around Tiffany, Charlie, and Venom — con-artists who are becoming restless with their work, wanting to take on more and more elaborate heists.
The group finds a target in Dean 'The Dean' Stevens and sets out plans for how to cheat him. The only catch is that if they want to get a chance at taking on The Dean, they have to buy a seat at the table.
4 – Casino Royale
Casino Royale (2006) isn't your typical poker story and sees 007 going off on his first mission after being granted a license to kill. Bond, played by Daniel Craig, is on an assignment to bankrupt a terrorist financier in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale in Montenegro.
Bond's penchant for women lands him in trouble as he falls for femme fatale Vespyr Lynd (played by Eva Green), an employee of the treasury assigned to provide the bankroll he needs to play his games. Casino Royale, and the Bond character, perfectly capture the glamour and class, as well as the volatility, of the game of poker.
3 – The Cincinnati Kid
Maverick (1994) is a lighthearted and funny-at-times action-comedy, starring Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, and James Garner. The story follows gambling man Bret Maverick who is a few thousand dollars shy of paying the entry fee to a winner-takes-all poker tournament. Maverick, now teamed up with Annabelle Bransford, turns to the way he knows how to make money: gambling.
Movies On Gambling
Along the way, to earn the money he needs to enter the tournament, Maverick and Bransford end up in some funny and sometimes dangerous situations. And because the film doesn't focus entirely on poker, this is a film that you can watch and enjoy regardless of how much you know about the game.
6 – Molly's Game
Molly's Game (2017) tells the story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier, who had been running the world's most exclusive and private high-stakes poker game for 10 years. Frequently seen at the table of one of Molly's games were sports stars, celebrities, entrepreneurs and even members of the Russian mob.
After being arrested, the only person who sticks by Molly is her criminal defense lawyer, who knows something about Molly that the newspapers don't. Moon festival games.
Gambling Movies List
5 – Shade
Top Gambling Movies
Shade (2003) is a classic poker story set in the world of cheaters and martini bars in Las Vegas. The story is centered around Tiffany, Charlie, and Venom — con-artists who are becoming restless with their work, wanting to take on more and more elaborate heists.
The group finds a target in Dean 'The Dean' Stevens and sets out plans for how to cheat him. The only catch is that if they want to get a chance at taking on The Dean, they have to buy a seat at the table.
4 – Casino Royale
Casino Royale (2006) isn't your typical poker story and sees 007 going off on his first mission after being granted a license to kill. Bond, played by Daniel Craig, is on an assignment to bankrupt a terrorist financier in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale in Montenegro.
Bond's penchant for women lands him in trouble as he falls for femme fatale Vespyr Lynd (played by Eva Green), an employee of the treasury assigned to provide the bankroll he needs to play his games. Casino Royale, and the Bond character, perfectly capture the glamour and class, as well as the volatility, of the game of poker.
3 – The Cincinnati Kid
The Cincinnati Kid (1965) is the oldest film on our list. This movie follows the story of a poker player still in his early career, traveling from New Orleans to take on the best poker player in America, known as 'the Man'.
Though 'the Man' has been dominant on the poker tables for years, he is finally faced with an opponent who has the potential to take him down. The writing in this film is fantastic, though the poker games they play might not be as accurate as people think. In the 1930s, games like these were rarely played with table stakes, and the rules were whatever the players at the table decided on.
2 – High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story
High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (2003) is a story about Stu 'The Kid' Ungar, who is considered by many to have been one of the best poker players to have ever lived. This movie takes us on a journey of the rise and fall of The Kid, going back as far as his early days when he played gin rummy.
While there is plenty of poker in High Roller, the most interesting part of the film is learning about Stu's career, and his demons, which brought an abrupt end to his career and his life.
1 – Rounders
Rounders (1998) is considered by many to be the best poker movie of all time, and we agree. If there is one movie that will find its way onto every list of great poker movies, this is likely to be in the top spot on every single one of them.
With a cast featuring stars such as Matt Damon, Edward Norton, John Malkovich, and Gretchen Mol, Rounders was bound to be a great movie, and an even better poker movie. The story follows Mike (Damon), a talented poker player who lacks a few of the basics in gambling such as bankroll management. After being cleaned out by Teddy KGB (Malkovich), Mike promises himself and his girlfriend (Mol) that he will stop for good. We won't spoil any more of the story for you, except for that he eventually ends up back at the tables, for an adventure filled with the adrenaline and drama that poker is known for.
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