Top 5 Sports Betting Movies of All Time
Sports betting is a common occupation and pastime for numerous individuals, and over the years, the movie industry has presented betting enthusiasts with content to fuel their appreciation for the action.
This article aims to present you with the top five sports betting movies of all time, allowing you to view this sector from a more interesting and entertaining perspective. Also, you can stay up-to-date on sports betting at www.betphilly.com; nevertheless, below are the best sports betting movies worth watching.
1. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
The first on this list is “Silver Linings Playbook,” an amazing movie that received numerous awards after its release, including an Oscar. This 2012 movie not only kept betting fans hooked to their screens but the mainstream audience as well.
The story is based around the Eagles, the NFL team for Philadelphia, with Robert De Niro playing as one of the main characters. Robert is a dedicated fan of this team; however, he finds himself betting more on them than they should while going through their toughest spells.
Essentially, this award-winning story shows the viewers the effect of gambling on him and his family, emphasizing gambling responsibly; else, face financial ruin.
2. Two for the Money (2005)
Based on the true story of Brandon Lang, Two for the Money is a rags-to-riches story, focusing on a former college football star turned sports handicapper. Lang worked excessively at a telemarketing job until Walter Abrams poached him for his rare talent of accurately picking the winners.
This impressive movie stars the super actors Matthew McConaughey and Al Pacino, using them to explore the emotions of expert sports bettors more than the technical and mechanical side of the business.
It’s worth noting that Two for the Money is a fun and light-hearted take on the ambitious and strange figure in the sports betting industry. Essentially, it makes the daily lives of “sharps” relatable and does this better than most movies available.
3. Eight Men Out (1988)
Eight Men Out is a sports betting movie that tells the story of the most widespread controversy in all of sports history, the 1919 World Series. It focuses on the eight Chicago White Sox players who receive a lifetime ban for involvement with an illicit gambling ring.
This film is impressive because it doesn’t directly condemn the players for throwing the series in 8 games, despite being heavily favored. Instead, much of the blame is levied at the owner of the Chicago White Sox, Charles Comiskey, and how he treated his team and players.
In Eight Men Out, many of the vilified Sox players are treated as sympathetic figures, intimidated by forces beyond their influence, and a young John Cusack and Charlie Sheen turn in terrific, measured performances. Essentially, this film speaks about the need for effective regulations and integrity on sports betting and sports.
4. Casino (1995)
Cashion is loaded with an exceptional cast, including Sharon Stone, Robert De Niro, James wood, Joe Pesci, etc., helping to create an impressive classic in this genre. The film follows Ace Rothstein, a gambling handicapper who oversees the Tangiers Casino operations in Vegas as per the request of the Chicago Mob.
Throughout Casino, Ace struggles and fights to maintain his composure, ethics, and relationships while managing the Casino with armed Mafia involvement. As expected, the movie gets violent and dark in some scenes; nevertheless, it brings an engaging perspective to the changes in Vegas sports gambling in 1970. It’s worth noting that this film is based on a true story, making it a more worthwhile watch.
5. The Gambler (1974)
Last on this list is the Gambler, which is generally considered an impressive classic that tells the tale of Axel Free. Alex is a Harvard professor who ignores and discards his perfect self due to his rapidly growing gambling addiction.
After going down big to his bookie, Alex opts to convince his student, also a star basketball player, to shave points off the upcoming game.
What makes this movie is that as time progresses, you begin feeling sorry and start to care for the character as Caan plays his role perfectly. In fact, this performance resulted in his nomination for the Golden Globe for Best Actor, and even after over 50 years, this movie is still referenced as one of the best on sports betting.
If you’re interested in movies in general, we have a lot of movie reviews where we rate all kinds of films across genres.