The world has never been more interested in Netflix and chill. Without spending too much time on the exact meaning of the expression, let’s just stick to the Netflix part of it. At least for now.

Movies about casinos and gambling already have an advantage over many other themes. Why? Because they are literally about risk and if you’re making a movie about it, it’s not going to be about playing it safe. Instead, the one and only focus is the big score which is something we all want.

Whilst there are a ton of movies on the subject, we can’t talk about them all. So, we have narrowed it down to 5 of them and not necessarily in any particular order.

Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

You can’t have a casino movie list without Ocean’s Eleven. Call it David vs Goliath if you will but when Brad Pitt, George Clooney and the rest take on Andy Garcia and his Casino – we want to see it!

We have seen people pulling off heists in Las Vegas before, but not quite like this. Not on this scale.

Impeccable outfits, great characters with swagger up the wazoo and a lot of scenes shot in locations that are normally off-limits for the common man, it’s simply the full Vegas experience. Now add to that an incredible amount of money, an amazing cast of A-list actors and this is why Ocean’s Eleven is such a hit.

There are as many as 4 sequels but none of them reached the same height as the first one. If you haven’t seen it, you’re in for a treat!

21 (2008)

The movie “21” is based on the true story about a group of MIT students that managed to beat the house in Las Vegas for millions.

Faced with a massive $300,000 tuition fee for school, a math genius joins a group of students led by Kevin Spacey. Learning how to master card counting and the game of Blackjack, with pockets full of fake id’s the group spend their weekends in Vegas trying to beat the house.

The movie gives you an interesting look at the science behind smart gambling and living the Vegas life as a high roller. A temporary high or can they turn it into a long-lasting solution? You’ll have to watch the movie for all twists and turns but if you enjoy a good adrenaline rush then you should set aside 123 minutes and watch it.

Molly’s Game (2017)

Sometimes life takes a turn that you could never see coming and that’s what happened to Molly Bloom. A true story about how a bad accident while trying to make it to the Olympics as a skier turned into a life of underground poker games.

As the queen of organizing high-stake poker, Molly hosted games for Hollywood royalty, star athletes, business titans and even the Russian mob. Sooner or later your luck will run out and that’s what happened when 17 FBI agents came kicking down her doors.

It’s an incredible story and Jessica Chastain plays the part of Molly extremely well according to people involved in the games.

Casino (1995)

This movie is considered the best casino movie ever made by many. Yes, it’s a great movie and with names like Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone, how can it not be. After all, it is a Martin Scorcese movie.

Who knew gangsters running a mobbed-up casino while turning a corner and wanting to do things “the right way” would mean drama and more drama, right? The fact that De Niro’s character is called Ace and runs a casino is just too funny.

Has there ever been a movie where Joe Pesci doesn’t deliver an epic performance as a hot-headed gangster?

Perhaps it’s the fact that it was made in 1995 that makes it feel outdated and less appealing than say Ocean’s Eleven. However, it definitely up there in terms of best Casino movies and is a must if you haven’t seen it.

Rounders (1998)

One big reason behind the success of Rounders was the cast and this is when Matt Damon and Edward Norton were young stars on the rise.

Rounders focuses on high-stakes poker and the drama between two best friends. When Damon has to get back into the poker world he once left to help his best friend settle a score, you know it’s not going to be pretty.

Losing money to a Russian gangster is definitely not on our bucket list, especially one like John Malkovich. We will gladly watch how it all plays out on the screen though.

Get the Popcorn Ready!

This is casino action at its finest! All of these movies are perfect for a cozy winter night at home, especially if you haven’t seen them yet. Even if you have, they are all worthy of a second run so get the popcorn ready, snuggle up to your loved ones and press play.

Other movies worth mentioning: The Gambler (Mark Wahlberg) and Runner Runner (Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake)