5 Best Fictional Gamblers from the Movies
Bond, Rain Man and more: the screen gamblers who made the cut, and what players can learn from them
The 5 Best Fictional Gamblers Are as Follows
Nothing beats the buzz of the casino, and Hollywood directors know it. Whether you are a fan of action films or a sucker for comedies, you have probably noticed how many movies star a gambler at the tables. There are so many, in fact, that we called on the help of the guys from bgo.com to shortlist the 5 best fictional gamblers in cinema history. Read on to see who made the cut.
Each of these characters shows a different side of gambling. Some rely on maths. Others rely on nerve. A few simply rely on luck. As a result, the list gives a nice tour of the main casino games, from baccarat to poker.
The Shortlist at a Glance
| # | Gambler | Film | Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Bond | Dr. No and Casino Royale | Baccarat and poker |
| 2 | Raymond Babbitt | Rain Man | Blackjack |
| 3 | Alan Garner | The Hangover | Blackjack |
| 4 | Sam “Ace” Rothstein | Casino | Blackjack and sports betting |
| 5 | Mike McDermott | Rounders | Texas hold ’em |
#1: James Bond
When he is not hunting down villains or sipping martinis, shaken not stirred, Agent 007 can often be found trying his luck in the casino. He is no stranger to Texas hold ’em, gin rummy and backgammon. Even so, baccarat is Bond’s go-to casino game.
In fact, we first meet the suave secret agent at a card table in the opening scenes of Dr. No, released in 1962. He sits calmly, wins steadily and introduces himself with the line the world still quotes. The game on screen is chemin de fer, a close cousin of baccarat.
Bond’s best-known gamble came much later. In Casino Royale, he sits down to a tense, high stakes poker game against the villain Le Chiffre. The stakes are huge, and so is the pressure. The game gives the film its most famous scene.
What makes Bond a great gambler is his composure. He rarely shows emotion at the table. For beginners, that is a good lesson. Baccarat is also one of the simplest games to learn, as our guide on how to play baccarat shows.
#2: Raymond Babbitt
Charlie Babbitt’s brother Raymond is not just an excellent driver. He is also a maths whizz. So, when Charlie finds himself in an $80,000 jam in the Oscar winning Rain Man, he quickly sends Raymond to the blackjack table.
What follows is one of the most famous card counting scenes in Hollywood history. Dustin Hoffman won an Academy Award for his performance as Raymond. The film itself also took home the Oscar for Best Picture.
Raymond’s secret is memory. He tracks the cards that have left the deck, and that tells him when the odds tip his way. As a result, he and Charlie walk away with a tidy profit.
Real life is less generous. Counting cards is not illegal, but casinos can ask a counter to leave. Online blackjack also shuffles the deck for every hand, which makes counting useless. Our three strategies for beginner blackjack players explain what works instead.
#3: Alan Garner
Granted, he is not the sharpest tool in the box. But when the Wolfpack find themselves in desperate need of cash to save their friend Doug, it is oddball Alan Garner who steps up to the blackjack table.
In a perfect parody of the classic Rain Man scene, the unlikely hero rakes in over $80,000 by counting cards. It is one of our favourite moments from The Hangover. The joke works because the audience expects Alan to fail.
Alan proves that anyone can learn the basics of blackjack. You do not need to be a genius. However, you do need to know the rules and the best play for each hand. Our guide, all you need to know about blackjack, is a good place to start.
#4: Sam “Ace” Rothstein
Ace, from Martin Scorsese’s epic crime drama Casino, was inspired by real life Mafia associate Frank Rosenthal. Robert De Niro plays him as a professional gambler turned casino boss. He knows every angle of the business.
Ace is also a bad-ass when he needs to be. In one of the film’s most memorable scenes, a cheeky cowboy refuses to keep his feet off the blackjack table. Ace has no trouble sending him head first out of the door.
Ace shows the other side of the casino. He is the person who runs the house, not the one trying to beat it. His attention to detail is a reminder that casinos are carefully managed businesses. The odds are built in, and the house expects to win over time.
#5: Mike McDermott
You know what it is like at university. You try to knuckle down and focus on your studies, but there are so many distractions. There are friends, parties and, if you are Mike McDermott from John Dahl’s cult hit Rounders, the World Series of Poker to think about.
Law student Mike, played by Matt Damon, shows true dedication to the game. The film builds to a dramatic Texas hold ’em showdown against the Russian card shark Teddy KGB. Mike’s dream is to reach the World Series of Poker, and the story ends with him heading to Las Vegas to chase it.
Rounders is the poker fan’s favourite film. It captures reads, bluffs and the swings of a bankroll very well. If it makes you want to try the game yourself, read how poker games work online first. Then see the poker myths that movies sometimes feed, and browse our main poker section.
Why Gambling Films Work So Well
Gambling and cinema fit together for a simple reason. Every bet creates a small drama. Someone wins, someone loses, and nobody knows the result until the last card turns.
Casinos also look great on screen. The lights, the sounds and the crowd all add tension. As a result, directors can build a gripping scene around nothing more than a deck of cards.
The best scenes also reveal character. Bond stays cool under pressure. Raymond shows a gift most people lack. Mike shows how far a young player will go for a dream. We remember these gamblers because we see ourselves in them, or the person we would like to be.
There is a lesson in that too. Most of us play for fun, and we are not trying to beat the house for a living. That is exactly how casino games should be enjoyed.
Honourable Mentions
A few other screen gamblers nearly made the list.
- Danny Ocean (Ocean’s Eleven, 2001): he is more of a thief than a gambler, but he treats a casino like a puzzle to solve.
- Ben Campbell (21, 2008): a student who joins a card counting team and takes on the Las Vegas blackjack tables.
Both films follow the same pattern as our top five. A clever person finds an edge, and the casino pushes back.
Movie Gambling Versus Real Life
Films are made to entertain. They leave out the long losing runs, and they skip the boring parts. Here is how the big screen differs from a real session.
| In the movies | In real life |
|---|---|
| One lucky night solves every money problem | The house keeps an edge, so most players lose over time |
| Card counting wins big at blackjack | Casinos watch for counters, and online games shuffle every hand |
| Bluffing wins most poker hands | Patience and solid decisions matter far more |
| The gambler always walks away a winner | Results swing up and down, and losing runs are normal |
What Players Can Learn From These Gamblers
- Stay calm like Bond. Emotion leads to poor decisions at the table.
- Know the maths like Raymond. Understanding odds helps you pick better bets.
- Learn the rules like Alan. Basic strategy is easy to learn and cuts the house edge.
- Respect the house like Ace. The casino has the edge, so play for fun.
- Manage your bankroll like Mike. Even the best poker players go through rough patches.
If you prefer the reels to the tables, our list of the best movie themed slots online brings the cinema into the casino.
FAQs
Who is the most famous fictional gambler?
James Bond is probably the best known. He has played baccarat, chemin de fer and poker on screen across many films.
Is card counting illegal?
No. Counting cards in your head is not a crime. However, casinos can refuse to let a counter keep playing.
Does card counting work online?
Not at standard online blackjack tables. The software shuffles the deck after every hand, so there is nothing to count.
Is Casino based on a true story?
Yes, loosely. The character of Ace Rothstein was inspired by Frank Rosenthal, who ran casinos in Las Vegas.
Which movie is best for poker fans?
Rounders is a favourite among poker players. It follows a law student who dreams of playing at the World Series of Poker.
Which casino game did James Bond play most?
Baccarat is his signature game, although he has also played poker and chemin de fer on screen.
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