Top 6 gambling documentaries you should watch now

Posted on January 17, 2022 by SoccerPunter

Gambling is an activity that has inspired many works of art such as paintings, movies, even songs, but there are also highly interesting documentaries on this subject. They come with plenty of information and insights, and some of them are truly outstanding. Here are the top 6 gambling documentaries you should watch now!

1.      Gambling Addiction and Me – The Real Hustler

IMDB Rating: 7,8/10

This excellent documentary released in 2012 explores how people have different ways of approaching and indulging in gambling activities. It features Alexis Conran, a seasoned Poker player who enjoys the thrill of betting and being in the casino. He does that responsibly and has a rather cautious approach, and his experience is compared to his father’s, who was a gambling addict.

The fact that his father went to prison after committing fraud in order to obtain money for betting and Conran managed to gamble responsibly made him explore what makes people have such different experiences. In his efforts to find answers, he talks to both players suffering from gambling addiction and addiction experts, among others.

2.      Out of Luck

IMDB Rating: 7,6/10

Out of Luck is a 2015 documentary that suggests that American lotteries are the biggest “casinos” in which the poorest and uneducated people collectively lose huge amounts of money. Also, it shows that approximately 80 percent of lottery profits are provided by only 15 percent of players.

The general image of this industry is complemented by a personal story of a man who owned a convenience store and went bankrupt after spending over one million dollars on lottery tickets.

3.      Louise Theroux: Gambling in Las Vegas

IMDB Rating: 7,4/10

This 2007 documentary features an investigative journalist from England, Louise Theroux, who goes to Las Vegas to talk to casino players and employees. Her goal is to find out what keeps gamblers motivated, happy, and ready to take risks in order to hit the jackpot.

Among the very interesting people she interviews, she meets Dr. Martha Ogman, a woman who lost more than $4 million playing slot machines in the last seven years. This documentary also confirms that anyone can become addicted to gambling. This is why it is essential to only play when you are fully informed, and the best resource is represented by the terms and conditions.

4.      The Best of It

IMDB Rating: 7,1/10

The general fascination with the life of professional gamblers and their come-up stories is definitely satisfied by this documentary released in 2016. It presents the life and experiences of Boston, Dink, Banker, and The Shrink, four professional sports bettors.

The film does not glorify this lifestyle. Instead, it shares the advantages and disadvantages as well as the challenges it comes with.

5.      30 for 30: The Legend of Jimmy the Greek

IMDB Rating: 6,2/10

30 for 30: The Legend of Jimmy the Greek is a documentary film released in 2009, and it tells the life and career story of Jimmy Snyder, a professional gambler and sports commentator. He played a part in the legitimization of betting on NFL games, and the film shows the consequences of greed and the persistent need to be on top.

6.      Life on the Line

IMDB rating: 5,8/10

Super Bowl is a very important sports event in the United States of America, and many people gamble on it. Life on the Line is a documentary film released in 2013, and it presents us with the experiences of bettors. We get to see professional players wisely place bets as well as risk-taking novices who dreamt big but lost even bigger.

There are many other documentary films about this subject that are worth watching and from which you can learn plenty. However, these are the best six gambling documentaries you should not miss, regardless of whether or not you are a gambler yourself. You get to see real gamblers’ success and failure stories and an overview of this impressive industry and the many different ways it can impact people’s lives.