Axel believes in his idealistic daydreams of love and freedom. His reality looks anything but heroic: He is an unsuccessful gambler who is under the debt bondage of the rich casino owner "Manne" König and is harassed in his menial services by his henchman Eule. Axel wants to free himself from oppression and conquer his wife, Jenny, the love of his youth. Unfortunately, his courage fails when it counts. Only through his indomitable neighbor Heiner, who is the only one in the village who opposes Manne's will, does Axel get new hope. Like Winnetou and Old Shatterhand, Heiner's idols from Karl May's adventure novels, the "blood brothers" dig up the hatchet against the villain. Together they come up with a dangerous plan with the utmost commitment. However, in order to defeat Manne in the game and get his crush Jenny, Axel has to become a real hero.