Sports Movies With Gambling Themes: Do They All Become Blockbusters?

There’s a very large ven-diagram of potential viewers when it comes to sports movies. Those who like sports and films by default can all be attracted to such motion pictures. Of course, not every sports-themed narrative is going to be a blockbuster. Let’s look at a few of them, some of which struggled to make it to first base and some that got a bit further.

Eight Men Out (1988)

There are few more fascinating scandals or tales about baseball than the story of the 1919 Chicago White Sox team. As such, it was a prime topic to make into a film. Eight Men Out was released in 1988 and focused on the baseball team and gangsters who conspired to intentionally lose the 1919 World Series match – in an attempt to make money from illicit betting activity.

The film wasn’t a massive success at the box office, making around $5.7m, but it cost around $6.1m. Despite not making much money then, the film has gone on to have a minor cult appeal, with generally favorable reviews and the American Film Institute naming it one of the best sports-themed movies of all time.

Two for the Money (2005)

There might not be a better example of a film centered on sports gambling themes. Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey lead this story of gambling success, addiction, and failure. The high rollers stake a wealth of dollars on the results of American Football games and more.

This film didn’t make any profit at the box office, falling $4.5m short of its overall budget. It is unlikely it reaped much more money after that initial period as the film has received a wealth of negative reviews and is generally considered poor quality.

Diggstown (1992)

Diggstown, or Midnight Sting as it is known in some markets, is a movie about the underground boxing scene in Diggstown. A pair of nefarious characters scheme to make millions by betting on boxing results.

The filmmakers probably should have done that, too, as this film flopped really hard at the box office. It cost around $17m in budget yet only took around $4.8m in its theatrical run. Time hasn’t aged the film well either, as the online reviews are mixed at best.

Let It Ride (1989)

Horse racing is very hot and cold in American culture. Some states cherish it, while others believe it to be a cruel, meaningless endeavor. As a result, some gamblers even have to look to offshore sites – Betonline and Bovada are good options according to offshoresportsbooks.com as an example of where you have to go online to find anything.

Let It Ride in 1989 has Richard Dreyfuss at his best, despite him being a much bigger star in the 1970s.

He plays a comedy character here, as a New York cab driver who typically wagers his tips at the local race track. While he is usually unsuccessful in his gambling pursuits, one specific victory causes him to return to the track more frequently.

Unfortunately for those behind the camera, this film was a financial failure at the box office as it took less than $5m during its theatrical release – the budget ended up costing around $18m, meaning this film was a horrible financial investment – a bit like the main character’s backstory!

Lay the Favorite (2012)

A movie with Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rebecca Hall, and Bruce Willis should have a lot more acclaim than Lay the Favorite does. This 2012 movie follows the real-life story of Beth Raymer, whose memoirs were published in 2010. Sadly, the movie isn’t well regarded, with the general note stating that this was a very forgettable sitcom script dragged out into a feature-length script.

Bruce Willis is a professional sports gambler who makes money through legal and illegal betting. He interacts with Hall’s character and shows her how to navigate this foreign world.

This movie could be one of the worst movies on this list for profitability. The production team spent $14.7m on making and advertising the film – only for it to rake in a paltry $1.5m at the box office, which is unthinkable for the amount of acclaim the actors have who starred in this production.

The Gambler (2014)

Mark Wahlberg stars in the 2014 remake of the original 1974 The Gambler movie (which starred James Caan). He plays the role of a literature professor at a prestigious university in Los Angeles but one who has some financial difficulty, as he has become embroiled with loan sharks and unpaid gambling debts to numerous gangs.

He places a lot more bets to pay off excessive amounts to mobs, especially on the success of the students sitting in his courses. This includes mentoring a young basketball player who is making waves in the college system only to reap financial gain from his court performances.

The movie made a small profit at the box office; it cost around $25-30m to make but made $33m during its cinematic run. Wahlberg’s star power undoubtedly carried the performance as the reviews were not favorable and haven’t gotten any better in the decade after its release.

Uncut Gems (2019)

The COVID years weren’t particularly kind to films, with many productions lacking quality due to constraints on filmmaking. Adam Sandler’s Uncut Gems was released in 2019 and received much more attention as it was one of the last films to be made before the pandemic.

Sandler’s role was that of a shady jewelry store owner who made lots of additional money on the side by placing bets on NBA games. The film has been praised for its immersive and impactful storytelling – and even made a profit at the box office with a crisp $50m in the bank.

Wimbledon (2004)

In the mid-2000s, no subject was off limits to the rom-com movie genre. Tennis has its day in Hollywood here with Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany in the leading roles, which was one of the reasons why the makers were so disappointed with its dismal box office performance. The film has been noted as being very thin on narrative and character development. Strangely, the film completely bypassed betting references despite the sport being incredibly linked to sports gambling.