4 Casino-Related Movies That Are Based On Real-Life Events

It’s hard not to find yourself suddenly fixated on a movie once you know that it’s based on real-life events. While there may be some extra dramatization for production purposes, the fact that the events transpired in real-life adds a rich realistic layer to the movie. Gambling happens to be one interesting real-life topic that has been made into countless movies. From crime overlords to mathematical geniuses, we’ll be listing the top 4 casino-related movies that have true stories behind them.

1. 21

Launched in 2008, 21 is a movie that’s based on a book called “Bringing Down the House”. What’s interesting is that the book is printed as a fictional story, but the reason behind that is to avoid legal repercussions. In fact, the events of the book, which are also portrayed in the movie, were almost all real events that actually took place. The story follows a young MIT student who was encouraged by the enigmatic and eccentric persona of his professor to join a little project. This project was the attempt to swindle a famous Las Vegas casino out of their money by using complex card-counting techniques. Excellent acting performances by Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess, and Micky Rosa.

2. The Hustler

A true classic that never gets old; released in 1961, directed by Robert Rossen and led by Paul Newman. The era where the story unfolds would have viewed the online slots at Winbig as the equivalent of living on Mars. Paul Newman’s eagerness to take on the pool legend Minnesota Fats in a series of pool games led to a terrible experience that had Newman out of money and luck. The events that transpired later on are a true portrayal of gambling in pool-halls and smoky back rooms that the modern casinos were built on.

3. Casino

Casino (1995) is a Martin Scorsese classic that’s still relevant to this very day. It involved the thrilling underworld behind Las Vegas back in the 70s, where the mob ran a considerable number of operations and casinos in the city. The performances of Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone truly showed the colors of such a dark and complex layered world. It was based on a book by Nicholas Pileggi, Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas. The movie approached the real-life events of infamous mobsters like Rothstein in a fictionalized manner that allowed it to take a few liberal edits to enhance the drama, but it still remains a very straightforward and honest portrayal.

4. Rounders

Those who are interested in understanding the dynamics of a high-roller poker game must watch Rounders (1998). The movie portrays complex poker techniques that are used in high-stakes games. The producers of the movie didn’t market it as a movie based on real-life events, but 10 years later the truth unfolded, as it was based on Norm MacDonald. Matt Damon and Edward Norton were two friends who tried to make as much money as possible quickly to pay off their huge debts.

Naturally, we’re more interested in movies that are related to actual events. There are often numerous topics related to gambling that are discussed, commentated, or narrated in such movies. Whether you’re watching these movies to get a glimpse of the underground gambling world or just to have fun, you’re in for a ride.