In a small city in northwest Wisconsin in 1955, loan collector Curt Kissow's fortunes are in decline after his wife of six years divorces him on unfounded grounds that he is trying to poison her. Unlucky at love, Kissow soon finds himself fabulously lucky at games of chance when he wins the Irish National Lottery.

His good fortune confers instant celebrity upon Kissow, a private man ill-equipped to handle notoriety. He is beset by alms seekers of all kinds - friends, neighbors, city officials, strangers with proposals involving dubious charities and get-rich-quick schemes.

When his...