In Atlantic City in the 1970s, gambling has been legalized. Sally Matthews (Susan Sarandon) works for a restaurant in a casino and is learning how to deal cards. There is also an old criminal, Lou Pascal (Burt Lancaster), who is caring for the widow of a gangster; the widow is Grace Pinza (Kate Reid). Sally’s husband and her sister go away together, then show up again trying to find somewhere to live. The sister is pregnant, while the husband has become a drug dealer in Pennsylvania. He wants Lou to be his drug runner. All of them get into more trouble together.