James Bond is easily one of the most iconic characters to have graced novels and the silver screen. The character has survived through a myriad of perilous circumstances and, 24 films later, is still with us today. Though 007 is often seen playing baccarat in the films, the author Ian Fleming’s game of choice for the character was roulette. In the novel “Casino Royale”, Bond is seen using a betting system he created to overcome the odds. Since then, people from all over the world have been fascinated with what is called the James Bond roulette strategy.
James Bond is easily one of the most iconic characters to have graced novels and the silver screen. The character has survived through a myriad of perilous circumstances and, 24 films later, is still with us today. Though 007 is often seen playing baccarat in the films, the author Ian Fleming’s game of choice for the character was roulette. In the novel “Casino Royale”, Bond is seen using a betting system he created to overcome the odds. Since then, people from all over the world have been fascinated with what is called the James Bond roulette strategy.
What Is the James Bond Roulette Strategy?
The James Bond betting strategy is a flat betting system utilised by gamblers to try and rake up profits in a short period. It is important to note that it cannot guarantee a win, as the probability of a loss will always be there. Unlike most roulette betting systems, the James Bond method does not rely solely on even-money wagers. Instead, it used a combination of bets to reap the potential rewards. The idea is to combine wagers of varied payouts to maximise the profits. The player designates 20 units per round, the value of which is determined by the player.
These 20 units will be split according to the following system:
- The first 14 chips are placed on 19-36 (High).
- The next five units will be placed on the 13-18 Sixline.
- The last unit is placed Straight Up on the zero.
In other words, your wager on one round must allocate 70% to the Outside bet, 25% on the Sixline and 5% on the single zero. Keep in mind that this strategy is not designed with the American roulette wheel in mind, on which the house has a significantly higher edge than on the European wheel. The idea is to cover as many possible outcomes in a single wager without hitting diminishing returns. You are covering two profitable (5:1 and 35:1), but risky bets, and hedging them with a 1:1 Outside bet that results in coverage of 67.50% of the wheel.
While the above may appear to be a win-win situation most of the time, there is always the possibility of you losing. Bankroll management is important — never bet more than what you can afford to lose and always play conservatively. At the end of the day, the house will always win!
How Does the James Bond Roulette Betting Strategy Work?
As mentioned above, each of the bets is divided by a percentage of the total bet, and the proportion has to be maintained for this strategy to work. If you are planning to bet a total of €20 in one round, your bets will be divided into €14, €5 and €1 on numbers 19-36, 13-18 and 0 respectively.
- Numbers 19-36 — This is an even-money Outside bet, which pays 1:1 on a win. Even though the payout is relatively small, James Bond stakes 70% of his units here primarily because this bet is far more likely to come in. The chances of a win on an even-money Outside bet is roughly 50%.
- Numbers 13-18 — This wager covers six more numbers on the wheel as an Inside bet, 13-14-15-16-17-18 for a payout of 5:1. Here is where you place 25% of your total bet. Inside wagers don’t hit as often, but they are relatively more profitable than even-money bets.
- Number 0 — This is the theoretical money-maker bet in your wager. Since you will be placing only 5% of your units here, if you win — you win big. The payout for landing 0 is 35:1. If you’re playing on a double-zero wheel, consider making your last bet a Split between 0 and 00, which has a payout of 17:1.
Previously, we’ve mentioned that the James Bond strategy covers over 67% of the wheel, but it’s not about hitting and missing on the wheel. This strategy is all about the average expected profit. Let’s say that 30 comes up on your first spin — you will win a total of €14. Since the Sixline and the Straight Up zero bets both lose in this case, you are left with €8 in profit. If 17 is the winning number, you win €25 and the other two bets fall flat. That leaves you with a profit of €10. If the zero wins, you will enjoy a win of €35, of which €16 is profit.
What happens if you lose?
If the outcome of the spin is 1-12, you lose. What now? Some gamblers advise doubling the stakes on the next spin, using the principles of the Martingale. However, this method poses the risk of incurring even more losses.
The strategy tends to be potentially lucrative in the short term (if luck is on your side). However, the longer you play, the chance of you racking up losses becomes increasingly higher. Therefore, it would always be wiser to place low bets while using this system and cash out without overextending your gameplay.
Will Using the Martingale Betting Progression Be Useful?
Some believe that using the Martingale betting progression system will help you recoup your losses when you lose with the James Bond strategy. While this can potentially help to do so (based on pure luck), it isn’t considered a viable solution unless you have a lot of expendable income to gamble away. The reason why some consider using the Martingale betting progression is that by doubling down on your losing rounds, you can potentially cover the shortcomings of the James Bond method. However, based on your luck, this can either help you recover your losses or put you in a deeper hole.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the James Bond Roulette Strategy
Advantages
- It is a decent strategy to utilise in the short term.
- It works well with smaller bets too.
- This strategy covers over half of the roulette wheel in three swift bets.
Disadvantages
- As are most roulette strategies, this one is almost guaranteed to fail in the long run.
- It is a high-risk strategy.
- Placing large bets, like Bond’s notorious €140-50-10 ratio, is inherently riskier.
Final Words
The James Bond roulette strategy is a decent strategy to use when playing roulette due to its potentially higher profits. Since it involves spreading the bet amounts across most of the numbers, using small units can lead to respectable winnings. Unlike most roulette strategies, this one does not bank on losing or winning streaks; instead, it aims to manipulate the odds in favour of the player. Unfortunately, roulette is a game of chance and even with the best roulette strategy can never guarantee a win. Please play responsibly.