Streaming is a huge part of how we consume media today. There are signs that we’ve hit a point of over-saturation with how many different services are available, but at this point, it seems like everyone has a go-to streaming platform that they turn to. We now have more content at our fingertips than many of us know what to do with and certainly more than we could ever hope to watch.
With so many different shows, films, and documentaries available, there is likely to be something for you to watch no matter how niche your interests are. Shows about things like poker, which would probably never get a full show or documentary about it on network TV, can thrive and find an audience on streaming services.
Poker has been on plenty of people’s minds lately. People returned to Las Vegas in droves in 2021, eager to play the city’s famous poker and gaming attractions after a long time away. The return of fan-favorites like Chris Moneymaker to the World Series of Poker also brought the game back to the limelight in a way that it hasn’t seen since the Poker Boom of the early 00s.
Though the game might seem impenetrable for those new to it, there are plenty that even amateur poker players can enjoy. If your knowledge of the game extends to poker hand rankings and nothing more, then this is the perfect opportunity to educate yourself. Being able to pick up on the ins and outs of the game can help viewers follow some of the iconic poker scenes that pop up in cinema, so here are a few of our favorite documentaries on poker that you can stream right now.
KidPoker (2015)
Daniel Negreanu gained the nickname KidPoker early in his career and it has followed him all these years later. Now considered one of the best poker players of all time, Negreanu has had a lot of ups and downs throughout his career. This film chronicles all the key moments over the years, such as winning his first World Poker Tour title and his many World Series of Poker bracelets. If you want a deep dive into a single poker player and how the game has changed during his long career, this is the one to check out.
Bet Raise Fold: The Story of Online Poker (2013)
Online poker became one of the biggest trends in the first half of the 00s, but it quickly ran into a stumbling block. The game was largely outlawed for years and this documentary follows what happened to it and how the game impacted the people who had built their entire careers around the sport. Bet Raise Fold is a great chronicle of how the game changed just when it was at its height.
Grinders (2011)
Did you ever wonder what it would take to become a full-time poker player? Grinders is here to answer that question. Filmmaker Matt Gallagher goes from a poker amateur to trying his hand at supporting his wife and child solely on his winnings at the poker table. It gives a stark, honest look at how difficult the scene is and how hard it is for people to reach the lofty goal of becoming a full-time poker professional. It is a good wake-up call for any who sees the lavish lifestyle that professionals display and think it is an easy route to fame and riches.
if, after you’ve streamed all the poker documentaries you could ask for, you’re craving to stream some classic Bollywood films, we have you covered over on the JMD Blog.