Expert gambler Harold (Rip Torn) latches onto neophyte blackjack dealer Willie (Ken Wahl) after Harold's luck at the tables begins to turn around as long as Willie is there. With Harold calling all the shots, young Willie's life is suddenly out of his control -- until Harold's lounge singer girlfriend (Bette Midler) takes a liking to Willie and the two devise a plan to get rid of the elder card shark and free themselves from his grasp.