If you like betting on sports, then you are likely at least aware that you can purchase betting picks. However, most savvy punters understand that the tout industry is a scam. Instead, smart bettors make their own educated predictions based on the information they find at some solid sites like Match Center avvailable in many countries like Match Center Mexico, Match Center Peru and Match Center Colombia. If you want insight into how the world of selling sports picks works, then you should check out the 2005 movie Two for the Money starring Matthew McConaughey and Al Pacino.
You might not believe it, but Two for the Money is based on a true story. Of course, it isn’t the only film to depict real-life gambling stories. If you are intrigued by gambling, then grab yourself a bucket of popcorn and check out the following four movies which are based on real people and true events. While they share a common theme, each of these flicks tell their tales from different perspectives.
Molly’s Game
Directed by Aaron Sorkin and released in 2017, Molly’s Game tells the story of Molly Bloom who was once a competitive skier with Olympic aspirations. Following a freak accident that ended her skiing career, Bloom started hosting high-stakes poker games that were attended by a variety of well-to-do elites. While the names of these high rollers were changed for the movie, celebrities like Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Ben Affleck were regular attendees.
Things went very well for Molly for many years. However, fate and a few mistakes eventually conspired against her to bring the whole thing crashing down. She was arrested in 2013 along with 33 others in what turned out to be a massive sting operation involving illegal gambling. Those who watch this movie will have a lot of respect for Molly’s high level of integrity.
Eight Men Out
The Tim Donaghy affair and the Boston College point shaving scandal are just two of the many major scandals to rock the sports world. However, the most infamous example of fixing sports occurred during the 1919 World Series. This is the subject of Eight Men Out, which was directed by John Sayles and released in 1988.
Eight Men Out tells the sordid tale of how eight key players on the 1919 Chicago White Sox accepted bribes from mobsters to throw the World Series. You see, the White Sox were the odds-on favorites to beat the Cincinnati Reds in the Fall Classic. By paying a few unscrupulous players to tank, mobsters were guaranteed to cash in big-time on their underdog bets. It’s interesting to see how authorities caught on to the scheme.
Owning Mahowny
A bank employee embezzling over $10 million to fund an out-of-control gambling habit? This might sound like fiction, but it really happened. Owning Mahowny came out in 2003 and it follows Dan Mahowny as he steals from customer accounts to bankroll his gambling addiction. Sadly enough, Mahowny doesn’t think he has a gambling problem. Instead, he claims he merely has a cash flow problem. While some might debate this point, there is no arguing the fact that he was a terrible and highly irresponsible gambler.
Aside from showing how gambling addiction can negatively affect those who are afflicted with it, Owning Mahowny also focuses on how it can impact the lives of those around them. This is perhaps one of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s most underrated performances.
High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story
Have you ever fantasized about living a high-roller lifestyle? If so, there’s a good chance that you have focused on the glitz and glamour of it all. However, those who watch High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story will quickly realize that it’s not all rainbows and lollipops.
Michael Imperioli plays the role of Stu Ungar who was one of the best card players to ever walk the earth. He mastered gin rummy at an early age and went on to win the World Series of Poker three times. He almost certainly would have won more titles, but his lifestyle drove him to an early grave. Viewers witness his meteoric rise and tragic fall in a series of flashbacks that he has in his motel room right before he passes on to the great poker game in the sky.
Stranger than Fiction
There’s no doubt that Hollywood writers can create riveting fiction. With that said, there is something captivating about real-life stories. These tales are often far more unbelievable and compelling than anything a writer could come up with. The next time you want to watch a gambling-themed movie, put on one of the films mentioned above and enjoy the ride. You are guaranteed to be satisfied and highly entertained.
