The James Bond Roulette Strategy

With a licence to kill and a talent for winning it big, James Bond has seen his fair share of casinos. The writer, Ian Flemming, placed his famous 007 character at many different casino tables, including baccarat, poker, and, of course, roulette. The roulette table even makes an appearance in some Bond movies, such as Diamonds Are Forever, The World Is Not Enough, and the original Casino Royale from 1967.

It is no wonder then that a betting system, known as the James Bond Roulette Strategy, has been named after him. This betting strategy was said to have come from the book version of Casino Royale, which Flemming later went into detail on during an interview.

How does the James Bond strategy work?

Following the James Bond strategy first requires you to bet a total of 20, 200, or 2,000 units across the table. Each unit can correspond to a currency such as dollars, euros or British pounds. In the book, 007 wagered £200 per spin, which is a little high for most players. It is therefore recommended to start with the minimum bet possible of 20 units with this strategy.

The bet is split into multiple betting options, aiming to cover as many bases as possible. The split of the bet is done with percentages where 70% goes towards the numbers 19 to 36. 25% is put on 3 numbers across 2 rows, which should include the numbers 13 to 18. The final 5% is then put towards the green segments. If you are playing European roulette, this would be the full 5% on 1 segment, whereas with American roulette, it would be split into 2.5% on each of the 2 green segments.

As an example, if you are playing with 20 units, your bet should look something like this:

14 units on numbers 19 to 36
5 units across 2 rows covering the numbers 13 to 18
1 unit on zero or 0.50 units on zero and 0.50 on double zero in American roulette

Experienced players tend to employ a progressive betting strategy of doubling up the bet after a loss in order to attempt to recoup any losses. This is similar to other betting strategies, which are mentioned further down in this guide. Doubling up from a starting 20 units can start to take its toll on your bankroll after losing a few rounds, however. A larger budget is therefore required to put this method into effect.

James Bond Roulette Strategy Odds

Using this betting method means covering 25 out of the 37 slots for European roulette or 25 out of 38 slots for American roulette. The slots not covered are numbers 1 to 12, which gives you a coverage of 67.5% on European roulette tables. This is what incentivises the progressive method of doubling up the bet on a loss, as it is theoretically likely that one of the right numbers will hit on over half of the rounds played. This sounds especially enticing when the odds of winning on a bet on red or black stands at 48.6% for European roulette and 47.4% for the American version.

It is important to keep in mind that despite the 67.5% coverage, the law of averages is still against you when using this system. If each of the 37 segments were landed during 37 rounds of play on a European roulette table, it would still result in an overall loss of 20 units. The results would be broken down like this:

Hitting 1 to 12 would result in a loss of 240 units
Hitting 13 to 18 would result in a win of 60 units
Hitting 19 to 36 would result in a win of 144 units
Hitting the zero would result in a win of 16 units.

Adding all the wins together and taking away the losses would result in a balance of -20 units. Naturally, it is highly unlikely that there will be 37 rounds, each showing a different number, but it still highlights a flaw in the system nonetheless.

Payouts

While the odds may look promising, the main downfall of the James Bond betting system is the payouts for winning rounds. Below is a breakdown of what can be expected in a round of European roulette as a payout for any given winning round:

1 to 12 equals a loss
13 to 18 pays out at a rate of 5:1
19 to 36 pays out at a rate of 1:1
0 pays out at a rate of 35:1

These rates mean that betting 20 units with this method will result in a win of 28 units should the ball land on numbers 19 to 36, meaning a profit of 8 units. Landing on 13 to 36 provides a payout of 30 units, resulting in a 10-unit profit. Should the ball land on the zero, it results in a win of 36 units, which is a profit of 16 units. Betting 20 units for the possibility of profiting 8 units is a rather small return on the stake. This is especially true when there is still around one-third of the table that remains uncovered by any wagers.

Pros and Cons of the James Bond Roulette Strategy

While 007 has the financial backing of the British government, most players have to settle with using their own hard-earned money. It is, therefore, important to consider the pros and cons of the James Bond Roulette Strategy before diving headfirst into the roulette tables. Consider carefully whether this is a betting system that is suitable for your playstyle and bankroll.

Pros

Bond’s betting system is set in stone. It calls for no changes in bet types or how the wager is split, so it is easy for newer players to know what to do in each round. The betting system essentially asks you to place the same bet every round with the added possibility of doubling up after every losing round. This avoids any confusion, formulas, or counting that may be needed with other strategies.

There is also the benefit of covering a lot of segments across the table. 67.5% or around a third of segments will result in a payout, which means that over half the rounds should result in a win on average.

Cons

Betting at 20 units a round may already be steep for some. The addition of doubling up after each losing round can make this strategy particularly punishing during a losing streak. It is probably best to avoid this strategy if you don’t feel comfortable that your budget will be able to cover it. Even larger budgets can come down quickly when applying the progressive betting style. Losing 3 rounds in a row would require you to then bet 320 units on the following bet.

While the rigid nature of the James Bond strategy makes it accessible for newer players, more experienced players may find this style to be a bit too inflexible. Many players like to adapt their playstyle as they are playing. They may see a moment to change the bet types, increase their wagers, or go for something a little less risky. Changing any of this would essentially mean abandoning the betting system.

The balance of risk and reward also doesn’t quite add up with the James Bond roulette strategy. All 3 payouts of 8, 10, and 16 units equal to less than the original stake of 20 units. This, paired with the fact that there are still 12 segments uncovered, means that there is always a risk of losing more than any of the potential winnings for each round.

How is the James Bond Strategy different from other betting systems?

The most unique part of the James Bond strategy is the fixed betting options that it specifies. These options being split into set percentages of your stake means that there is essentially no need to plan for the next bet. Other betting strategies ask the player to look for specific patterns or allow the player to vary their bet types. This does add another layer of complexity to these strategies that some, especially newer players, may want to avoid.

What Alternative Roulette Strategies Are There?

In order to see just how different the James Bond strategy is, it is best to look at what alternatives are out there. Remember that some strategies are more risky than others, and it is important to consider the pros and cons of each betting system.

The Martingale System

The Martingale System is a well-known betting strategy in which bettors double their wager after each loss and return to their initial stake after each winning round. It popularised this progressive style of play, which has also been adopted in the James Bond strategy. It again requires a large bankroll to survive longer losing streaks. The system works best when applied to even-money bets like black/red or odds/evens in roulette, where the probability of winning is just under 50%. With optimal play, the Martingale System can also be effective in other table games, such as blackjack. However, the exponentially increasing stakes make it very risky overall.

The Parlay Roulette Strategy

The Parlay strategy takes the opposite approach to the Martingale system. Rather than doubling the bet after losses, the Parlay doubles the bet after wins. This lightens the burden on your bankroll since it focuses on winning streaks instead of chasing losses. The bet amount resets after each loss, but it is also wise to plan ahead and put a cap on the doubling of your bets. For instance, you could set a win streak limit of 4 to 5 times before resetting your bet down to its starting value. Limiting the number of times you double up curbs risk while still riding hot streaks. It is again advisable that you bet on even-money bets, such as black/red or odds/evens, when using this strategy.

The Fibonacci System

The Fibonacci System comes from the Fibonacci sequence, a mathematical occurrence that is found in art, design, and even nature. The sequence follows the rule of starting with the number 1 and then counting up by adding the previous 2 numbers. By following this rule, you get a spread of numbers that end up looking like this:

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610

Pick any number from this sequence and add the previous 2 numbers from it, and you will see they add up to the initial number you picked. This same formula can be applied as a betting system concerning the amounts you stake. This betting system is a bit more difficult than those mentioned above, but fear not - our dedicated guide will provide you with plenty of examples to help you understand how Fibonacci System can be applied in the game of roulette.