What is the James Bond Roulette Strategy?

The numbers game

Although he works for MI5, the magic number for the James Bond roulette strategy is 20.

That’s how many units you will bet per spin of the wheel – so if you want to wager $2 for each turn, then each unit would need to be $0.10.

The reason for this is that you will need to place a series of bets across a variety of numbers and groups, which will help you to spread your risk while (hopefully) maximizing your return.

The wagers placed in the James Bond roulette strategy are specific to European roulette (the classic single zero version of the game). You will need to make a note of the following:

• $14 will be bet on the 19-36 outside bet
• $5 will be bet on the specific line 13-18
• $1 will be bet on 0

So, that’s the set-up, but what are the rewards?

Doing the math

The bulk of the James Bond roulette bet is wagered on numbers 19-36. These pay out at a rate of 1:1, with your win probability being around 48% (you have 18 active numbers and there are 37 pockets on the wheel).

The inside bet on numbers 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 pays out at a rate of 5:1. (This is also sometimes known as the line bet.) We know that there are 37 possible numbers on the roulette wheel and this wager covers six of them, giving a theoretical win rate of 16%.

Last but by no means least, the bet on the zero pays out at 35:1. The win rate is around 2% for that particular wager, however.

This James Bond roulette strategy utilizes split staking and covers 25 of the possible 37 numbers on the board – delivering a combined win rate of approximately 67%. Of course, you may win more or less frequently in any given roulette session due to the randomness and variance of the game.

Based upon the stake sizes outlined above, here’s the expected return of each wager:

• 19-36 – $14 at 1:1 = $14 profit
• 13-18 – $5 at 5:1 = $25 profit
• 0 – $1 at 35:1 = $35 profit

Now let’s consider the possible outcomes. If our outside bet on 19-36 wins, we score a $14 profit minus $6 in lost stakes. Our 13-18 line bet nets a profit of $10 after lost stakes are taken away, while the zero wager earns $16 after losses.

So far, so good – you can see why Bond himself is able to splash out on the finest tailors.

But consider what happens when one of the numbers you haven’t covered comes in: you will lose your total stake of $20 per spin. This will happen, theoretically speaking, in 33% of spins.

Shaken or stirred?

Every single casino game in the world has a house edge, and the reason for this is simple: the casino wants to make money!

This is not to say that you can’t have a profitable gaming session, but the house edge dictates that, over time, you are more likely to lose out.

If that’s the case, then how can the James Bond roulette strategy work?

The truth is that it doesn’t, in reality. Let’s say that you satisfy the 66% win rate. Look at the payouts for each – even with two outside bet triumphs or an outside bet plus a line bet win, your combined net profit is still below the $20 you will lose for each successful spin.

And if you rack up a handful of losses at $20, you can imagine what happens to your bankroll.

If you need some discipline in your roulette staking, there’s absolutely no harm in following a system such as this one. You can still turn a profit if you perform above expectations.

However, for the most part, the James Bond roulette strategy will leave you shaken but not particularly stirred.