Synopsis of The House Always Wins
Connor fights a vampire while Angel watches from a nearby roof. Cordelia is looking down, watching them both. Gunn and Fred approach Angel and tell him they are worried that he is having trouble moving on without Cordelia and Connor. Angel thinks they need a vacation and takes them to Las Vegas to see Lorne. Upon arrival, Angel comments on the changes since the last time he was there several decades ago. They are all surprised to see that Lorne is performing out in the open at the Tropicana. Angel, Gunn and Fred join the audience as Lorne sings. He is accompanied by the Lornettes (women in costume made up to look like Lorne, green looking skin but with oversized horns). During the performance, Lorne picks out a few people sing a line from the song but appears not to notice Angel, Gunn and Fred. He also ignores them after the show. Security prevents them from following Lorne to his dressing room. Lee DeMarco enters the dressing room after Lorne and compliments him on the good performance. Lorne is tired and wants to do "it" later but Lee hits him in the stomach. Lee says they'll do "it" now, or he will "pink slip another girl" from Lorne's act. Pointing at a seating chart, Lorne describes some of the people from the audience who had sung along. Lorne describes their futures, including a woman named Vivian who is going to own several restaurants. Lee thanks Lorne for his help and turns to leave. As he goes, he pushes a button on a remote that causes bars to lower from the ceiling, trapping Lorne inside.
Wesley gives orders to one of the men in his gang. Then he talks to Lilah on the phone and they start having phone sex. Gunn and Fred sit at a table in the casino playing cards. A woman dressed as a Lornette approaches Vivian and gives her a poke chip. She tells Vivian that she has won a chance to play the game "Spin To Win" and directs her to a private area of the club. Angel walks around and notices that most people are sitting at slot machines like zombies. While watching from above, Cordelia notices it too.
Fred and Gunn decide to try to see Lorne again. Angel had given a note to one of the Lornette's and as a result, Angel is dragged outside by security guards. After fighting them, Angel bumps into Vivian. She is walking around in a stupor, searching for more quarters for the slot machines. Fred is dressed like a Lornette: black and red corset, stockings, garter belt, green body make-up, and fake horns. She carries a drink and tries to think of an excuse to get past the men guarding Lorne.
The guards assume she has been sent to have sex with him and they let her in. Lorne almost attacks her when she enters, but realizes in time who she is. She tells him that they didn't realize he needed to be rescued and he reminds her that every time they talked on the phone, he asked about Fluffy. Lorne explains that asking about a non-existent pet is the "universal sign" that someone is being held prisoner and needs help. Lorne explains to Fred out the "Spin To Win" game works.
Angel enters the private room that Vivian was in and wants to talk to Lee about her. Lee gives Angel a token to play the game, but Angel doesn't want it and tosses it onto the table. While Angel talks to Lee, the dealer spins the wheel and Angel's token is counted as a valid play at the game. Once the players are announced as having lost, Angel suddenly loses his train of thought. Lee hands out cups and suggests that they go play the slot machines. Angel takes the cup and leaves the room in the same kind of stupor that Vivian was in.
Fred screams and runs out of the room, pretending that Lorne attacked her. She is able to get the guards to go inside and Lorne hurries out of the room. Gunn secures the doors so the guards can't get out and the three of them hurry to get away. In another private room, one of Lee's aides gives him the information on Angel's destiny. They comment that he was supposed to play a part in an upcoming apocalypse. Lee tells the aide to contact Wolfram & Hart.
Fred, Lorne and Gunn run past Angel, who is now playing a slot machine. Gunn tries to get Angel to help them escape but Angel just keeps saying "OK" and continues the play the machine. Once outside among the large crowd, Lorne explains in further detail the way the game works. The wheel is set up so the players never win and they lose their future. Then other people who are unhappy with their life can buy the future they want. The people whose destinies was stolen usually just stay in the casino playing the machines because they no longer have a purpose in life. Gunn realizes this must be what happened to Angel. When the guards approach from multiple directions, Lorne grabs a microphone and sings in a high pitched tone that causes the guards to cover their ears. After making their escape, Gunn accuses Lorne of betraying Angel. Gunn wants to know why Lorne agreed to identify people with valuable destinies. Lorne explains that he did refuse the first time and Lee ordered a girl from the act to be murdered in front of him. Lee threatened to kill another girl each time Lorne refused. Gunn apologizes.
Gunn returns inside the casino while Fred and Lorne wait in the car. Gunn tries to get Angel to snap out of it then tries to get Angel to leave with him. Lee and some guards stop them from leaving and Angel returns to playing the slot machine. Fred, Gunn and Lorne are taken to Lee's office, where he threatens to kill them. Cordelia is watching from above and tries to think of a way to get him into Lee's office. Cordelia is able to manipulate the slot machine to let Angel win a jackpot. All the employees are shocked that there is a winner. Lee thinks it's a glitch in the machine. Gunn starts a fight but they are quickly subdued by the guns pointed at them. Angel sees this and joins in starting the fight again. Lorne destroys the orb that holds the stolen destinies. The destinies emerge and return to the correct people, including Angel. The gang returns to the hotel and finds Cordelia standing in the lobby looking confused. When Cordelia turns to see them, she doesn't recognize them and asks who they are.