If you are an avid blackjack player, it is important to keep learning new tricks to up your game. In this age of digital technology, there’s a lot of information on gambling on the internet. Easy access to gambling learning resources has contributed to the surging popularity of online casinos. You can even visit live dealer casinos that allow you to play blackjack in person via a video stream without needing to leave the house. Analysts anticipate the global online gambling market to be valued at more than 94 billion U.S. dollars in 2024 from the current 46 billion U.S dollars.
But there’s another factor that has contributed to the popularity of casino games such as blackjack over the years, and that’s Hollywood. Movies depicting gambling are always a hit in the film industry. While the storylines are not always true, the glitz and glamour depicted attract many people to the casinos.
If you are keen to improve your blackjack game, you should watch some of these movies. They depict how to improve your strategy while at the same time cautioning you on the pitfalls to avoid.
1. 21 (2008)
When talking about moves based ion card games, 21has to appear on the list. The storyline is from bringing Down the House, the real-life best-selling book by Ben Mezrich.
It revolves around an MIT Blackjack Team led by their professor played by Kevin Spacey. Other Hollywood stars in the movie included Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth and Laurence Fishburne.
There’s a lot of authenticity in the movie as it depicts true gambling scenes on location at The Red Rock Casino, Planet Hollywood, and the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas.
The highly intelligent MIT students undergo intense training to try and beat the house. The card counting strategy that these players used might have worked, but like all underhand schemes, things don’t work out in the end. However, the movie still offers important blackjack tips.
2. The Cooler (2003)
This is another popular gambling movie by Wayne Kramer. The cooler (William H. Macy) is an experienced player used by the casinos to cool players’ hot streaks. The movie tries to show how some unscrupulous land-based casinos try to increase their edge in blackjack.
It is an entertaining movie and includes great blackjack scenes where you can learn some of the most effective blackjack betting strategies used by professional players. This is one of Macy’s best performances, which is a bonus if you love movies.
3. The Hangover (2009)
The Hangover (2009) remains one of the greatest comedies of the last decade. The cast by Todd Phillips included film stars Bradley Cooper, Heather Graham, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, Zach Galifianakis and Jeffrey Tambor. The movie is the tenth-highest-grossing worldwide film of 2009.
In addition to great comedy, the movie also depicts Las Vegas in all its glamour. After losing 80K of an Asian Gangster’s money, the friends have to recover it. Allan played by Zach Galifianakis, gets an idea to count cards at a casino.
The movie depicts card counting as a simple game of maths. While the players win the 80k they needed, this should not be part of your blackjack strategy. After all, their story had to have a happy ending for the storyline to continue.
4. Rain Man (1988)
The Rain Man is a 1988 classic playing Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise as brothers Charlie and Raymond. While it is not exclusively a blackjack movie, Rain Man includes one of the most memorable blackjack Hollywood scenes.
Raymond is autistic and his memory is fantastic. Charlie, his brother decides to bring him to the casino and get him to count cards to repay debts. The brothers win a lot of money at the casinos eventually suspect them of foul play.
The movie went on to win multiple Oscars back in 1989. These included the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor in a Leading Role. It is a fantastic movie and gives you an idea of how to play blackjack.
5. Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card Counting Christians (2011)
Should Christians frown at gambling? Well, Colin Jones and Ben Crawford didn’t and these staunch Christians used their conviction to win big at casinos.
Over five years, the team won more than $3 million through card counting. Well, you don’t have to spend a lot of time trying to hone your card counting skills because this might never work. You are better off learning and building a workable strategy to win money at blackjack.
Wrapping Up
Hollywood has created some impressive films based on blackjack. While the ideas in the movie might not be real, you still get an idea of the thought system of the best players.
