Danny Aiello plays busy bookie Tommy Vale, who's visited by a brash young gambler named Bill Lacey (Tom Noonan). Lacey has an uncanny knack for winning bets that are real long shots, and soon he's made a morbid prediction: Tommy will die by 8:00 AM one morning. Tommy, who's not in the habit of refusing bets, takes him on, confident that his reservoir of human will is all he needs. As scripted and directed by James Steven Sadwith (using a story by Carole Lucia Satrina), 'The Odds' may not be the most atmospheric or blatantly spooky of 'Tales from the Darkside' episodes, but it benefits from efficient direction and a pair of solid performances from two consistently dependable actors. It's a pleasure to watch them at work. Robert Weil is endearing in the major supporting role of Horace, Tommy's loyal flunky whose musical calculator adds some interesting detail to the presentation. Weil and Aiello are good as these long time friends, and Aiello likewise gets a good chemistry going with Noonan, who's strikingly dressed in a white suit. 'The Odds' is hardly slow paced; it's simply a good little story that doesn't get any action set pieces that it doesn't need, or unnecessary embellishment. It's largely about the acting, although the big twist near the end is a lot of fun, and it's one that the viewer may *not* see coming. Overall, this is an episode worth watching for fans of the series. Eight out of 10.