Whenever a filmmaker wants to inject drama into a movie and doesn’t quite know how, a casino scene is always a reliable way to achieve it… provided the scene fits into the story, of course. Casinos attract people from all walks of life who have stories to tell and lots of money to spend. Whether the casino guest is a casual gamer or a high roller, they all have one thing in common: doubling their money.
Movies are a form of escapism and casino scenes create drama as they involve characters putting their money on the line. The audience gets to experience the thrill of the gamble without risking any of their own cash, which creates scenes that stick in their minds. Below is a look at some of the best casino scenes and what anyone wishing to learn about playing casino games might learn from them.
The Hangover
In this hilarious movie about a group of friends who decide to spend a bachelor party in Las Vegas, one of the friends steals some casino chips from a gangster who is in debt. One of the friends, Alan, who is somewhat the loose cannon of the group, happens to be good at card counting, so the friends ask him to help them win the money.
Card counting in casinos is frowned upon in casinos, and the staff in the movie start to notice how much Alan is winning and make to remove him from the table but a distraction holds them up and Alan makes his exit. Anyone wishing to learn to play casino will observe how calm Alan is in comparison to the people around him, despite the vast amounts of money he’s winning. When playing casino games, you have to remain calm and composed whether you’re winning or losing to avoid making bad decisions or getting too confident.
Swingers
“Swingers” is a classic comedy about a struggling comedian who is finding hard to move on from the breakup with his girlfriend. His friend, played by a young-looking Vince Vaughn, persuades him to take a spur-of-the-moment trip to Las Vegas. There the comedian gambles the best part of his stake at a high(er) rollers blackjack table after following his friend’s advice to double down. Then, to add insult to injury, when they move to a lower stakes table, they witness a pensioner enjoy a sizable win at the table.
This hilarious scene teaches two main lessons. First of all, when playing in any casino, it’s easy to let your environment influence you. There will be people watching and possibly commenting on what your next move should be. Stay focused and make your own decisions. The second lesson is all about managing your bank roll. Decide how much you’re comfortable wagering and stick to it.
Casino
“Casino,” starring Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, is all about low-level mobster Sam Rothstein, who ends up running the Tangiers Casino. Things are going well, but problems with loose cannon enforcer Nicky and other dubious characters put Sam in greater and greater danger.
The scene that features Nicky, who is abusive to the croupier and to other members of staff around him and is complaining about payout terms, teaches casino gamers a couple of lessons. One is to stay calm and controlled while at the table, no matter how you might be feeling inside. Nicky, in his annoyed state, could easily have made bad decisions.
The other lesson is to check the terms and conditions of payouts, whether you’re playing online at Bally’s Casino UK or elsewhere. Some casinos can take longer to pay out large winnings. If you’re not satisfied with the terms and conditions, you may wish to play somewhere else. While making a nuisance of himself, Nicky was complaining about the length of time it took the casino to pay out.
Wildcard
In “Wildcard,” a lesser known movie, Jason Statham stars as Nick Wild, a tough Las Vegas bodyguard who lands in trouble with the mob and uses his knowledge of casino gaming to try and get himself out of it. Things are going well for Nick. He enters the casino with £25,000 and manages to win as much as half a million. However, he can’t resist one last large bet and goes all or nothing. It’s a tense scene and, the audience — likely expecting a “live happily ever after” type moment — witness the cards go against Nick.
Clearly gutted by the loss, Nick walks away from the table empty handed. The lesson here is obvious: decide how much you can afford to lose and at what point you’re willing to walk away. Also, regardless of what happens, don’t blame yourself. Learn the lesson and you can come back another day to play better.
Casino scenes always add interest and drama to a movie. Other films that feature good casino scenes include “Rain Man” and “Casino Royale.”
