212008

[first lines]

Ben Campbell:
[narrating] 'Winner, winner, chicken dinner.' Those words had been dancing around my head all night. I mean, it's Vegas lore, that phrase. Just ask any of the old-time pit bosses, they'll know. It was a Chinese dealer at Binion's who was first credited with the line. He would shout it every time he dealt blackjack. That was over 40 years ago, and the words still catch. 'Winner, winner, chicken dinner.' Yeah, try it. I had heard it at least 14 times that night. I couldn't lose. First of all, what I was doing wasn't illegal. There were certain institutions and people that frowned upon it, but it's legal. And not everyone can do it. Just those with gifted minds. I have a gifted mind. That's what got me into all this mess. I was counting cards and I was up over $640,000.

Ben Campbell:
[we see the images of Ben winning at a game table] We used hand signals, too. Folded arms, the table's hot. A touch to the eye, we need to talk. And a hand running through perfect flowing hair meant only one thing. Get out. Now. 'Winner, winner, chicken dinner.'