Casino Games in popular books and movies

There are few activities as universal as casino games. They are played in practically every country in the world, at least in some form, and as such constitute an enormous part of culture. So it makes sense that casino games would have found their way into various forms of entertainment, including movies and books.

Of course, games of chance provide an exciting background from which interesting stories can be spun. The same is true of books in which countless novels use gambling as a plot point.

However exciting gambling games may be, especially when someone is involved in their own adventure in online casinos, the act of gambling itself is not always depicted very accurately, which is obvious because as tense as a poker game can be, the flow of play itself is not always cinematically captivating.

Let us look at a few examples, analyse and see what can be learned.

21

Nowadays it is very difficult to cheat in casino games online. Since every step of the player is monitored by an unblinking algorithm, even the smallest questionable step is safely flagged. In land-based operations, there are no vigilant algorithms, meaning that cheating is a little more viable.

At least it is more practical depending on how the cheating is implemented. However, when we watch this movie, we should remember that cheating certainly not promoted as an option. Casino security has come a long way.

Based on true events from the pages of a best-selling book, Bringing Down The House. The narrative tells the true story of a group of MIT students who cheated on blackjack and won for years. It is lauded as one of the most interesting works on casino games, examining how an elaborate cheating system was developed and put into practice.

The film, on the other hand, hardly does justice to the reality of the situation. Much of what makes the story so compelling is left to tired Hollywood tropes, predictable plots and an unnecessary romance. It's a pity, considering how fascinating cheat mathematics is in the real world.

Maverick

When playing casino games online, even live dealer versions, it is impossible to stand out from the crowd. Even land-based establishments won’t flinch if the most charming person in the world shows up to play.

But back in the Wild West, the casino games were much less regulated, only the players themselves acted as watchdogs. Thus, we have the 1994 film Maverick starring Mel Gibson. Gibson plays a charming card shark who fights his way through numerous interesting situations, many of which involve poker.

Maverick is certainly not what you might call a realistic version of poker, especially since it seems that the hero even has the power to materialize cards by sheer willpower alone. However, what Maverick is pretty good at is showing just how deceptive, manipulative, and downright sneaky card sharks really can be.

Casino

From whimsical and silly to a cold slice of reality, 1995s Casino is not for the faint of heart.

Starring Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, the film largely focuses on how Las Vegas gradually became more law-abiding over the course of a decade. Fortunately, those who gamble in online casinos today don't have to worry about shady activities, at least assuming that the site in question is licensed! Old-school Las Vegas, on the other hand, was a little rough around the edges.

Casino is steadfast in its depiction of the criminal underworld, with horrific murders, brutal torture, sinister dealings, and degenerate behaviour. It may not be for everyone, and the real Las Vegas has come a long way since then, but it is still fascinating to know that the events portrayed in the film are in line with reality.

The Sting

The Sting, 1973, is pure fun. Considered by many to be the ultimate casino games film, it focuses on Robert Redford and Paul Newman as they attempt to invent the wrath of their lives. The couple equips themselves to cheat a murderous gangster out of his fortune, engaging in all manner of light-hearted swindles. Who but the incredibly charming Paul Newman could play a washed-up alcoholic so endearingly?

There are numerous scenes in The Sting in which casino games are used as key plot points, although in this case the audience is actually on the lookout for the fraudsters. The trick is that the gangster deserves to be cheated, and every time another fraudster robs him of a little more money, it is as satisfying as you could wish.

The climax of the film takes place in a betting shop and becomes somewhat confusing, but of course the heroes win, in this case the fraudsters.