Bookie

Petey, a modest Italian and former bookie from New Jersey, is struggling to make ends meet for his wife and kids while earning an honest living as a General Contractor. In an attempt to earn extra money during the holidays, he takes on some part-time bar tending work at his cousin Johnny's bar, where the bookmaking is still in operation, assuring his wife Pam that he would not do anything illegal and repeat history with jail time. When Petey sees how well the boys are doing, it doesn't take long before he is back to taking bets. Petey isn't the only one who notices their recent improvement in business. Police Captain Shanahan, a hardened, and crooked man, who has been used to his weekly payment to keep quiet and protect the bookmaking group from harm, greedily demands a sharp increase in his take, as he indicates he is nearing retirement. When Ralph, the aging leader of the group refuses Shanahan's demands, Shanahan has many of them arrested, causing the others to scramble to reorganize the business while figuring out how to come up with the money to bail everyone out. Petey comes up with a plan to keep the business going and return the favor to Shanahan.