Casinos have always been an interesting subject for so many movies to cover. There’s something about those glamorous halls filled with shiny objects where fates get determined in a single roll of a dice that makes them a perfect choice for a movie setting. And, although the thrill of real-life gambling is what most of us know all too well, casino movies tend to twist reality a little bit for the sake of dramatic effect. It’s not that we can blame them for it, but we can try to point out some popular misconceptions.
Casinos Aren’t Dangerous Places
If you were to base your opinion about casinos solely on the way they are portrayed in casino movies, you’d think they’re all shady crime hubs run by the mafia. There might have been an ounce of truth to it once in times of old Vegas with Bugsy Siegel’s part in the foundation of the city. Martin Scorsese’s Casino (1995) also worked upon that idea perfectly to make one of the most iconic casino movies. But today, nothing is farther from the truth. Online casinos are one of the most regulated businesses that owe that status in large part to the blockchain technology that simply doesn’t allow any type of misconduct.
They Won’t Beat You for Card Counting
This one largely owes its reputation to the movie 21 (2008). If you’ve seen it, you know it’s about a group of MIT students that use card counting to win at blackjack. In one of the pivotal scenes, a character gets beaten up just because he employs that technique. But the truth is that card counting is a perfectly legal thing to do. And even if it wasn’t there’s no way anyone can stop you from practicing it when you play online.
You Don’t Become a Millionaire Overnight if You Employ it Too
While we’re at card counting, this is a misconception we can thank casino movies such as Hangover (2009) and Rain Man (1988). In both movies, the main characters are savants that use their exceptional mathematical abilities to score millions at blackjack tables. While card counting is sure to bring down the house edge quite a bit, you’re more likely to profit from it in a long-term period with smaller wins than turn into a millionaire after a single session.
“Coolers” Aren’t Out to Ruin Your Winning Streak
There have been a lot of studies that show the correlation between gambling and superstition. Almost every gambler has some kind of ritual to try to boost their luck while gambling. From lucky charms to feng shui there are numerous methods one can employ to set themselves upon a winning streak. But one of the most widespread myths we can thank casino movies for spreading is the existence of so-called “coolers”. It states that casinos employ persons who are out to transfer “bad luck” to the players who are on a “hot streak”. This may seem like a cool premise for a movie, but if you think with a cool head, you know that luck depends solely on you.
Ultra-Dramatic Poker Hands Don’t Happen Nearly as Often as You’d Think
Poker is a game of skill that besides luck relies heavily on having insight into human psychology. This makes it dramatic enough itself, that it’s no wonder casino movies exploit that for dramatic potential. But what they do with that potential usually requires quite a bit of suspension of disbelief. For example, in a famous scene from Casino Royale, players get a flush, two full houses, and a straight flush all in a single game of poker. The chances of this happening in real life are 18 trillion to one! And while you have instances of this happening when playing live poker, the drama lies usually in social aspects of the game rather than statistically almost impossible hands.
Conclusion
There may not be quite as many things that are enjoyable as movies about gambling, but there is one that comes close to it. And that’s experiencing the thrill they provide without the perceived danger they can lead you to think is inherent. Bet-safe Casino Brango is proud to be able to say it fulfills that role, so join us in playing your favorite casino games and we’re sure you’ll experience nothing less than pure cinematic excitement!
