Two things I don't get with this movie

1. Why did he bet money on himself?

He sells the truck for $7,000 and bets it all on 20 to one odds. But the prize money for the tournament is already $100,000 plus a $250,000 truck. So, going into the tournament, there are two possible scenarios for Hawk: Either win $240,000 and a brand new truck, or be down $7,000 and truckless.

If he hadn't bet the money, he'd either win the truck and "only" $100,000 or not lose any money at all.

So why risk those $7,000 for no reason? It would've made more sense if he needed to sell the truck to pay for the entrance fee, in order to even have a chance on the prize to begin with.


2. What was the grandfather trying to do towards the end?

He gets Hawk to sign the custody papers and get out of the state in exchange for not pressing charges. Then he shows up in Vegas and tells him "Here, takes this check for $500,000 and a brand new truck", but he apparently forgot that Hawk already did everything he asked for. Hawk even points this out!

Basically:
-"Take this money, and stay out of out lives!"
-"Well, I was already doing that when you decided to go out of your way to visit me here..."

Of course, then Hawk immediately decides to not take the money (in exchange for nothing he hasn't already agreed to!) and says that he'll get his son back, even though the grandfather should have no problem simply showing the custody paperwork to a judge.