Casino gaming used to be a relatively niche pastime which was reserved for those of us who could be bothered to book a vacation around going to a city such as Las Vegas, or lived close enough to a casino to base a night out around it. Today, though, with so many online casinos to play at any time we want, casino gaming has become something that anyone can do. While you might not consider yourself to be an expert, that doesn’t stop you having a go at any number of casino games such as roulette, blackjack or craps.
For anyone who wants the fun of Vegas without actually going there, online casino gaming is the answer
The other big advantage of playing the games online is that you can make use of lots of free gaming credit when you sign up to a new site. Casino bonuses vary from site to site, so it definitely pays to shop around before you decide where to sign up. Check out this casino bonus guide to get a quick rundown on the best bonus offers available. It’s easier than doing lots of individual searches and you might spot a good offer you could otherwise miss.
Of course, while playing casino at home can’t be beaten for convenience, you don’t quite get the full casino experience in your own living room, but you can always get that through watching some great casino movies.
There have been so many movies over the years that feature casino scenes or have whole plots based around casino gaming that it’s difficult to pick the best. But you’ll find there are all kinds of genres that have been hooked around the casino. Here are a few to sample.
The original Hangover movie (2009) is a great comedy set around the casinos of Las Vegas. It stars Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha. The plot is based around four guys on a bachelor party weekend in Vegas, where it all goes wrong on the first night. Three of them wake up in their hotel suite with a tiger and a baby, and don’t know where the groom has got to. They spend the rest of their weekend tracking him down and getting out of all kinds of scrapes.
The 1995 movie Casino directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert de Niro is often heralded as one of the best-ever casino films. The plot is a great combination about the Vegas casino scene in the 1970s and 1980s, the influence of the mob and a love story, all rolled into one. De Niro is excellent in his portrayal as a casino manager under all kinds of pressure and Joe Pesci plays the mob enforcer to perfection.
For something more recent, and perhaps more in touch with the way that millions of us now gamble online, there’s the film Runner Runner (2013), which stars Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck (see above). Although the back story is all about the way an online poker site is run, most of the movie takes place in sunny Costa Rica, with plenty of excessive partying going on. Again, there’s a mix of thriller and love story in Runner Runner. While it didn’t receive great reviews, it’s definitely a watchable film with plenty of twists and turns in the plot.
One of the biggest casino movie franchises in recent years has been Ocean’s Eleven and the two films that followed it – Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen. These clever heist movies strike a perfect balance between heist and comedic moments and the cinematography and huge-name cast provide the glamour we all associate with casino. These films have been such a box-office success that there’s now talk of an all-female version of Ocean’s Eleven being made.
OCEAN’S ELEVEN | rel. 7 Dec, 2001 | dir. Steven Soderbergh | George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts & Matt Damon pic.twitter.com/EVkxieUFq7
— On This Day In Film (@onthisdayinfilm) December 7, 2015
Whatever kind of mood you’re in, you’ll find a casino movie to match it to play at home, and if that feeds your appetite to test your own luck on the tables or playing slots, you can do that from the comfort of your sofa, too.