James Bond roulette strategy
A fixed spread of twenty units that covers most of the wheel – here is what it wins, what it loses, and what the tester shows.
How the James Bond strategy works
The James Bond roulette strategy is a fixed spread of chips. You place the same twenty units on every spin. It does not change after a win or a loss.
Here is the bet, step by step:
- Put fourteen units on the High bet (19 through 36).
- Put five units on the six line (13 through 18).
- Put one unit straight up on the 0 pocket.
- Spin. Collect any win, then place the same twenty units again.
This covers twenty-five numbers. The only numbers left open are the first dozen (1 through 12).
You can learn more about each bet type on the roulette bets page.
The spread never changes, so the only thing you control is how many spins you play.
What happens on each result
Every spin lands in one of four groups. Here is what the twenty-unit spread does in each case:
- A High number lands (19 through 36): High pays 1 to 1, so the fourteen units win fourteen. You lose the five on the line and the one on zero. Net result: up eight units.
- A six line number lands (13 through 18): The six line pays 5 to 1, so the five units win twenty-five. You lose the fourteen on High and the one on zero. Net result: up ten units.
- Zero lands: The straight bet pays 35 to 1, so the one unit wins thirty-five. You lose the other nineteen. Net result: up sixteen units.
- A first dozen number lands (1 through 12): None of your chips win. Net result: down all twenty units.
So you win small amounts on most spins and lose a big amount on some spins. The losing group has twelve of the 37 pockets on a European wheel.
One loss takes away more than two average wins. A short run of first dozen numbers can wipe out a long run of wins.
Winning often is not the same as winning money. Count the size of each win and each loss.
The house edge stays the same
Each chip in the spread is a normal roulette bet. On a European wheel, every one of those bets has a house edge of 2.70%.
When you add bets that all have the same edge, the total has the same edge too. On average, the James Bond spread loses 2.70% of the twenty units you place each spin.
| Bet | Numbers | Pays | Chance to win | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up One number | 1 | 35 to 1 | 2.70% | 2.70% |
| Split Two touching numbers | 2 | 17 to 1 | 5.41% | 2.70% |
| Street A row of three | 3 | 11 to 1 | 8.11% | 2.70% |
| Trio 0, 1, 2 | 3 | 11 to 1 | 8.11% | 2.70% |
| Corner Four numbers in a square | 4 | 8 to 1 | 10.81% | 2.70% |
| First four 0, 1, 2, 3 | 4 | 8 to 1 | 10.81% | 2.70% |
| Six line Two rows, six numbers | 6 | 5 to 1 | 16.22% | 2.70% |
| Dozen 1–12, 13–24 or 25–36 | 12 | 2 to 1 | 32.43% | 2.70% |
| Column A column of twelve | 12 | 2 to 1 | 32.43% | 2.70% |
| Red or black Eighteen numbers | 18 | 1 to 1 | 48.65% | 2.70% |
| Even or odd Eighteen numbers | 18 | 1 to 1 | 48.65% | 2.70% |
| 1–18 or 19–36 Eighteen numbers | 18 | 1 to 1 | 48.65% | 2.70% |
On the European wheel, the payouts above are built so that the casino keeps the same share no matter how you combine them. See the full list on the roulette payouts page.
On an American wheel it is worse: the double zero is not covered, and the house edge is 5.26%.
On a European wheel no mix of chips can change the 2.70% house edge – only the wheel and the table rules can (and on American tables the top line is even worse, at 7.89%).
What the system tester shows
The system tester above is set to the James Bond strategy. The default run uses these settings:
- Bankroll: 200 chips
- Goal: win 50 chips, then stop
- Up to 300 spins per session
- Table maximum: 500
- 20,000 sessions on the European wheel
Here are the results:
- Sessions that reached the goal: 64.7%
- Sessions that ended ahead: 64.8%
- Sessions that lost the whole bankroll: 34.2%
- Average result per session: -34.8 chips
- Result the house edge predicts: -35.3 chips
Many sessions end with a small win. But almost all the sessions that do not reach the goal lose the whole bankroll. Put together, the average result stays close to what the house edge predicts.
Look at the average result, not the win rate. The average is where the house edge shows up.
Try it yourself
Run the tester above and watch the results. Then change the settings and run it again:
- Raise or lower the bankroll.
- Set a bigger or smaller goal.
- Change the number of spins.
- Switch to the American or triple-zero wheel.
You will see the win rate and the ruin rate move. Over many sessions, the average result will still stay close to what the house edge predicts.
The James Bond strategy does not beat roulette. No betting system does. Past spins also do not change the next one – read about the gambler's fallacy to see why.
Want to compare? Try the Martingale or read our roulette strategy overview.
Treat any system as a way to play, not a way to win. Set a limit and keep it fun.
Questions
Does the James Bond roulette strategy work?
No. Every chip in the spread has the normal house edge of 2.70% on a European wheel, so over time the loss as a share of the total bet tends to get close to that edge. In the tester the average session result was -34.8 chips, close to the -35.3 chips the house edge predicts.
Why is it called the James Bond strategy?
It is named after the fictional spy James Bond. The name is a label only and has nothing to do with how well the bet performs.
What numbers lose with the James Bond strategy?
Only the first dozen – 1 through 12 – loses on a European wheel. When one of those numbers lands, you lose all twenty units of the spread.
Can I use the James Bond strategy on American roulette?
You can place the same chips, but the 00 is not covered, so it becomes one more losing number. The house edge on an American wheel is 5.26%, which makes the spread lose faster on average.