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John “Zibs” Zbikowski, a beleaguered small-town bookie, finds himself at his lowest point after giving up a promising baseball career to take care of his ailing father, Bob. Bob’s tragic history, marked by a lethal DUI that shattered their lives, weighs heavily on Zibs as he inherits his father’s struggling sportsbook. Faced with mounting debts, Zibs resorts to unsavory tactics to collect money from the locals, often leaving a trail of devastation in his wake.

A surprising encounter with his high school sweetheart, Debbie, leads to a brief but impactful fling, introducing Zibs to her 12-year-old son, Brian. Initially hesitant, Zibs attends Brian’s baseball game and is intrigued by the potential for profit by betting on local Youth League games.

As Zibs immerses himself in this newfound scheme, he sees quick financial gains, but the process corrupts the supportive environment of the Youth League, breeding toxicity among coaches and parents. Spending increasing amounts of time with Brian, he exposes the boy to drinking, gambling, and even enlists his help for illegal acts like home robberies. Debbie’s worries escalate concerning Zibs’ negative influence on her son. Meanwhile, Zibs struggles with his day job as a sheet rock installer, increasingly alienating his friend, Scotty.

Complications arise when Matt “Smitty” Smith, the Little League commissioner striving for public office, uncovers Zibs’ operation and attempts to blackmail him into cessation. However, Zibs has information on Smitty’s affair with Debbie, which he uses as leverage to maintain silence.

Brian grows disenchanted with Zibs’ unethical scheme after witnessing the deteriorating behavior of the parents in the Youth League. In a drastic move, Brian sabotages a pivotal game, nearly causing chaos on the field. Consequently, Smitty cancels the remainder of the season, prompting Zibs’ clients to turn against him. The fracture between Zibs and Brian worsens when Brian is hospitalized following a break-in at his estranged father Hooper’s.

As Zibs seeks vengeance against Hooper, he is halted by Bob, who reveals a shocking truth about his own past, explaining that his “DUI” was actually a premeditated murder stemming from marital betrayal. In time, Zibs reconciles with Brian and decides to leave behind the grim world of Youth League gambling. With Bob’s revelations echoing in his mind, he confronts the challenging task of reassessing his life choices and striving toward redemption for his past misdeeds.

Last Updated: November 18, 2024 at 20:25