The Duke Gagliardo della Forcoletta, penniless and expert in horse-races, finds out he has a daughter, Emma Marini. Her job is in the bar Aurora. The Duke decides to participate in Lascia o raddoppia, a TV quiz transmission, in order to win the five million lira necessary to buy the bar, and he becomes famous. The two gangsters Nick Molise and Joe Taccola bet between themselves on his success and the Duke is kidnapped.