Casino movies have been around for decades and are a popular choice with film producers, due to the lifestyle associated with them. It doesn’t matter whether or not they are an accurate portrayal of a particular game, the glitz and glamour is alluring enough. Some movies may use fictional casinos (for example, Tangiers in 1995 classic casino movie, Casino); however, some movies film in real-life casinos that you can visit and play in. Here, we list four of our favourites.
Ocean’s Eleven & The Bellagio
Ocean’s Eleven was the first in the series of four casino heist movies starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. The quadrology saw Danny Ocean (played by Clooney) hatch a plan to rob three Las Vegas hotels: the Bellagio, The Mirage and the MGM Grand. The Bellagio is first on the list and as a live fight is being staged there that night, the team know that a lot of money will be held in the vault.
The Bellagio resort is inspired by the Italian town of the same name and is famed for its elegance and dancing fountains. The casino has around 10,800m² of gaming space and a range of limits to suit all budgets, as well as a multitude of games. Professional poker players tend to play at the Bellagio Poker room (called “The Office”), where the table limits are much higher.
21 & Planet Hollywood
21 depicts the real-life story of the feats managed by the MIT Blackjack team. The team took to the casinos of Vegas on weekend road trips to employ the card counting techniques they were taught by their maths teacher, using communicative symbols and code words. The team went on to win millions of dollars over several years.
Planet Hollywood Las Vegas has only been open for 11 years but oozes that Hollywood Art Deco that you’d expect. The casino floor is 5,651m2, with plenty of options for gamers including Slots, table games and the Playing Field Race & Sports Book. More recently, skill-based slot machines have been installed – the first of their kind. The Mezzanine overlooks the casino and is a quieter spot, where guests can lounge or shoot hoops.
The Hangover & Caesars Palace
While The Hangover isn’t ultimately about gambling, the film sees Doug Billings (played by Justin Bartha) and his bachelor party head to Vegas and the world-famous Caesars Palace resort. The film follows the group’s escapades, which in some places are a little far-fetched (like when a tiger appears in the bathroom!) but it’s very much a case of ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’.
Caesars Palace has been described as a “Greco-Roman fantasyland featuring marble reproductions of classical statuary”, with its fluted columns and Corinthian pillars, and a statue of Julius Caesar in the entrance. The casino floor is a massive 11,536m2 and almost a third of that space is occupied by the 24-hour Poker room. As well as traditional Slots, there are Video Slots and Video Poker, alongside all the conventional table games.
What Happens in Vegas & Park MGM
We go back to that famous adage ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’ with this Rom-Com starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher. The couple meet by chance when they’re assigned the same hotel room and discover all that Sin City has to offer. After waking up the following morning to find they are now married to each other, there’s a rather large amount of money at stake when one of them wins big on a slot, with the other’s quarter.
The Park MGM was recently renovated and has featured numerous times in popular culture. In terms of the casino, there’s 9,500 m2 of gaming space with 1,400 Slot machines, 60 table games, and 15 Poker tables. The high-limit casino is perfect if you wish to high-roll and win the king jackpot like you’re in the movies. With its iconic Tiffany ceiling and beautiful bar, you’ll look and feel like you’re on the silver screen.
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