Combining successful flicks with the great thrill of placing sports bets may work wonders when trying to chill out on your couch and just allow yourself to have a good time.
From Oscar-winning blockbusters that have made history at the box offices, to casts of actors that have taken the world by surprise with their great acting skills, see our top 4 best sports betting movies that have left a mark in the cinematic universe.
1. Silver Lining Playbook (2012)
Winner of the Oscar for the Best Performance by An Actress in a Leading Role, Silver Lining Playbook is already challenging some of the big Hollywood titles, renowned for excellent acting and groundbreaking scenography.
The story follows the story of a former teacher called Pat, recently discharged from a mental institution after a heartbreaking divorce, who moves back with his family and tries to solidify his relationship with his sports betting obsessed father.
His life path takes an unexpected turn when he meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl who helps him regain his peace of mind and maybe think of giving love another chance. In the meantime, as he is healing, he also learns to accept and encourage his eccentric father that solely wants to watch sport with his son like they used to do in the past.
We wholeheartedly recommend this movie for fans of betting that want to try something new and see how romance can work wonders when it’s combined with sports and family drama.
2. Hardball (2001)
This is the only movie from the list starring Keanu Reeves, which should be enough to make it memorable. Box office hit, the movie grossed over $43 million on its theatre release, so it was considered a big success.
Keanu Reeves’ character – Conor O’Neill – is a gambler who finds himself in severe debt with two bookies. To get out of debt, he is being offered the chance of coaching a baseball team of troubled African American kids from Chicago in exchange for a great sum, for ten weeks.
Trying to clear his debt faster, he buries himself even more in debt, thinking that his only chance of escape is running away from town. But his leave is being delayed by an unexpected connection that starts to grow between him and the children he coaches, who might just give a new meaning to his life.
We recommend this movie as a great example of starting anew, as it explores relevant themes of race-inclusion and found family, while also warning watchers of the possible danger of losing touch of their gambling habits.
3. Lay the Favorite (2012)
From our list, this is the only movie based on a true story, following the memoir of Beth Raymer, who in real life went to college and became a writer.
Being an ex-private dancer, our heroine Beth aspires to become a Las Vegas cocktail waitress, when she falls in love with Dink, a sports gambler. She easily becomes his protégée as she starts placing sports bets for him using her analytic mind. The love affair is not meant to last, as Dink is already married, but she continues to help him as he is unable to win without his ‘lucky charm’ – as he calls her.
Since all good things are meant to end, their luck in winning soon fades away, but by joining their forces, they succeed to stay out of debt and eventually let go of their gambling addiction by starting a new life on separate paths.
The movie explores the risks of getting addicted to betting while portraying adultery in a full of gravity manner to highlight the importance of family in the bigger scheme of things when dealing with an addiction.
4. Two for the Money (2005)
One may say you can never go wrong with watching an Al Pacino movie. We certainly think this is the case with this movie, considered by many one of the most underrated sports betting movies that have ever been made.
The movie presents the story of Brandon Land, a college football player that has recently suffered an injury that has brought an end to his successful career. Life shines a light on his path when he gets the chance of handicapping football games. This determines Walter Abrahams to take him under his wing and make him a consultant in his growing sports betting business.
The movie masterfully delves into powerful themes like having your whole life turned upside down by an unexpected accident, learning hope in times of despair, and dealing with gambling. If you want a movie that will have a strong impact on your emotions, we strongly recommend this one.
We like to think that our suggested movies can become a treat for any sport-betting fan that enjoys flicks and wants to gain different meaningful insights into gambling stories developed by the greatest minds of cinematography.
