Jim Bennett, an English professor and high-stakes gambler, risks everything by borrowing from a gangster and offering his life as collateral. He outsmarts his creditor by pitting him against a gambling ring operator and navigates his dysfunctional relationship with his wealthy mother. As he becomes embroiled in an underground world, Bennett attracts the attention of Frank, a loan shark with a paternal interest in his future. Meanwhile, his relationship with a student deepens, and he must take a drastic risk for a second chance.

The Gambler
A financially struggling professor takes a reckless risk by making a wager with a student, leading to a game of debt and desire that puts his personal and professional life at risk.