Why TV and Gambling evolved

Long before online casinos existed, TV had a long history with gambling and still does to this day.

You might have been waiting for your lottery numbers to appear on your tv at home or you were queuing up to watch a famous Hollywood casino themed movie at your local cinema. For almost 100 years TV and gambling has had a very strong relationship.

Filmmakers, directors and actors have used the highs and lows of gambling to light up the silver screen for a very long time. With many more channels on TV nowadays with everything going digital you can find gambling 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! From casino reality TV shows such as ‘’The Casino’’, to live bingo, to horse racing and of course Poker. The choice seems to be endless and viewers can’t seem to get enough. With the power of the internet, users seem to play online gambling as the preferred choice. For example, games such as online slots are available to users with the book of dead proving to be very popular.

Blackjack Live Of TV

Not only watching gambling on TV is available, over the last 20 years or so it is possible for you to take part with the click of a button on your remote from the comfort of your own home. Due to the huge success of poker on TV, it was inevitable Blackjack would also hit our screens. In the early days TV companies attempted to use the same successes as Texas Holdem by getting an array of celebrities and famous gamblers to take part in playing with large cash prizes. Unfortunately for producers Blackjack on TV didn’t hit the heights predicted and it is rare you’d come across it these days. Although Texas Hold’em and Blackjack are fairly easy to understand, the viewers found the rules for Texas Hold’em, which has a tournament format much more attractive. Producers tried to enter lots of features to the game to excite the viewer but it just never really took off. However, you can find blackjack online in every corner of the internet if you fancy your chances.

The Early Days Of Casino Movies

Smart Money (1931) was one of the earliest, nowadays classic gambling movies. It followed the life of a Greek barber from a small town, Nick Venezelos, who had been cheated by well known criminals from the big city. After borrowing funds to pay his debts to the gangsters from his local community, he beats the criminals and returns what he had owed. He then sets up his own parlor using his barber shop as a front. The movie involves beautiful blondes, issues with the law and run-ins with people from the underworld. An original film for its time, which contained all the same fundamentals that are used to make casino movies great to this day. Although you might be watching movies in 8k HD, Smart Money is well worth a watch if you don’t mind an old black and white classic!

Another classic well known movie is ”The Gambler” which hit cinemas in 1974. When an English professor struggles with his gambling issues it leads him to borrow large amounts of cash from his girlfriend to bide him some time before criminals and loan sharks catch up with him.

Academy Award Winning Gambling Movie

If you are looking for a top of the line gambling movie, you probably need some of the world’s best and well known actors. One of the most famous gambling movies of all time you’ll probably enjoy is ‘’Rain Man’’ which was released in 1998. When Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) finds out about his father’s passing he decides to go back to his hometown to discover that he had an older brother, Raymond. Raymond, played by Dustin Hoffman (who later went on to win the ‘’Best Actor’’ at the 61st annual Academy Awards ceremony) suffers from autism and resides in a mental institution. Charlie’s father had decided, to Charlie’s anger, to donate his fortune of $3,000,000 when he passed away to help fund the institution, leaving nothing to his wheeler dealer son. Charlie takes Raymond out of the facility and brings his brother on a cross-country road trip. Raymond, due to his autism, is a mathematical genius and Charlie decides to take his long lost brother to Las Vegas to exploit these talents at the casino tables which prove to be very fruitful.

Watching Poker on TV

Poker on TV is huge. Even if you have never played the game, you might find Texas Hold’em fascinating. If you are a regular player, it might help you learn a thing or two from studying some of the best professionals the game has to offer. How they bluff, fold or even if they are at the top of their game, still lose. The cameras often provide the viewer with the competitors cards which are displayed on the TV. Something you will never be able to witness at a casino if you are there in person. Most channels provide running commentary throughout each tournament often by ex-professionals. This might help your poker lingo which to newbies may seem like a foriegn language and perhaps help you avoid some embarrassing moments in a casino or playing your friends at home. Another interesting feature allows you to keep track of the players heart rate as they are connected to a heart monitor. This gives the viewer a look at the players heart rate throughout the game which may unravel their emotions. What really makes it interesting is the high stakes. Sometimes millions of dollars are at stake. All in all this makes for great television packed with constant drama!

Horse Racing On TV

Unlike Poker and Blackjack horse racing has been on TV for a very long time. In the 1950’s broadcasters aired replays. Showing live TV wasn’t an option for them at the time so they found ratings were very low. Also, with the lack of quality TV’s in the 1950’s it was difficult to watch these extremely fast animals on tiny black and white screens. However, in the late 1950’ and early 1960’s the sport of horse racing took off. Then, instead of going to a race ground you could find horse racing available in your local bars, casinos, restaurants and even from the comfort of your own home. It was a major change in the gambling industry and today you can view racing from all over the globe with the thousands of race courses, jockeys and horses to choose from. If gambling is your thing it is a great time to be alive.