Homer Simpson, from the TV series The Simpsons:
Homer Simpson embarks on several poker journeys throughout the TV series, most notably in ‘Secrets of a Successful Marriage’, ‘Homer the Great’ and ‘Gone Abie Gone’. And he sums up his luck beautifully with this line: “As usual, I was winning and not realising it” – a quote that rings true for most of his life endeavours; he plays the fool, but always seems to come out on top.
James Bond, from the film Casino Royale:
No one plays a poker hand quite as smooth as James Bond (Daniel Craig) in the 2006 film, Casino Royale. With a total pot of $115 million up for grabs, Bond beats LeChiffre’s full house with a straight flush, after having regained his composure following his brush with death (drinking the poisoned Martini).
Henry Gondorff and Jonny Hooker, from the film The Sting:
In the 1973 classic movie The Sting, Henry Gondorff and partner-in-crime Jonny Hooker team up together to win a fortune from a criminal banker, playing poker and pulling off some elaborate scams within scams. With some memorable lines such as “Not only are you a cheat, you’re a gutless cheat as well,” and “Tough luck, Lonnehan. But that’s what you get for playing with your head up your ass”, this is one of the most well known poker films of all time.
The Gambler, from the Kenny Rogers song, The Gambler:
Arguably one of the greatest songs of all time, The Gambler, made famous by American country singer Kenny Rogers, tells a tale that everyone can relate to, not just for the rules of poker, but for the rules of life. ‘The Gambler’ needs to be regarded as one of the most important fictional poker players ever to be spoken about. Owning some of the best lyrics ever written, the song has been re-recorded by several artists.
Han and Lando, Solo: A Star Wars Story:
The movie establishes the course of Han Solo and Lando Calrissian’s relationship through the entire Star Wars franchise over two games of Sabacc (think space poker). The games demonstrate Lando's cunning and shows off Han's wit as well. Lando cheats to win in the first game, but the movie ends with Han cheating him right back, and winning the Millennium Falcon.