Thirteen Against the Bank: The True Story of How a Roulette Team Broke the Bank with an Unbeatable System (Paperback)

by Norman Leigh (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Reformed gamblers should be advised against reading this spellbinder about a system that worked so well against the Casino Municipale roulette tables in Nice that the gamblers not only broke their tables' banks several times over, but were also stopped from playing by the police and banned for life from the government-sponsored casinos on the French Riviera. The system, played on the black/red, high/low, even/odd squares, for very small bets, works on the principle that, where most players increase bets to cover losses, the Leigh student waits (sometimes for days) for a progression, or run, and then builds up small winnings into big bets in which the bank is playing against its own money. There's more to it, some fairly simple math to follow - but on the evidence it works. Leigh and his father were wiped out in Nice many years ago (and laughed at in the casino) and he became obsessed with finding a foolproof system. Having found it, he interviewed over 900 applicants for membership on his gambling team, coolly rehearsed their strategy in a London casino, then took his twelve associates off to Nice to savage the same casino where his father had been disgraced. He draws lively characters and offers a feast of funny dialogue. Pulling off the big caper has punctured his gambling lust, he says, but he still eyes Las Vegas with a pang. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

In the summer of 1966, Norman Leigh took a team to the Casino Municipale in Nice with the express intention of systematically winning large sums of money at roulette. Two weeks later, his team was banned from every casino in France—not because they had cheated or behaved badly, but simply because they had won—methodically and consistently. Thirteen Against the Bank is a wry and detailed account of a true event that all expert opinion deemed impossible: beating the bank at roulette. It reveals how Leigh assembled and bankrolled his crew of thirteen, instilling in them the discipline and stamina to bring off this coup and then apply it using a system known as the Reverse Labouchere betting progression. An all-time casino gambling classic.

Product Details

• Paperback: 198 pages
• Publisher: High Stakes (March 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843440326
• ISBN-13: 978-1843440321
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #161,429 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I don't care how old it is...GREAT BOOK!, May 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Thirteen Against the Bank (Paperback)

I read the book in less than two days....truly was hard to put down....if you are just picking up a book to browse through and try and pick up a system, then you don't want the book...the system is explained throughout...no charts or graphs or any other BS....I found it to be a great read and have used a part of the system(mostly red/black and high/low) 5 times in the casinos(hardly enough to prove anything)but have walked away with $100+ each time...Now I don't have the capital to get a "Mushroom" as they call it, but if you can consistently walk away from the casino with $100-$200 for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours of play...isn't that worth it.....Not quite as profitable as the European wheel, but it can still turn a profit with patience....BUY IT, READ IT AND ENJOY IT!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling account - I read it within a few hours, November 15, 1997

By	[e-mail] (Leeds, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thirteen Against the Bank (Paperback)

The fascinating account of how Norman Leigh took a team to break the bank at Nice using his roulette system. Dryly funny, it offers an insight into how gambling affects and alters personalties. It also illustrates a winning roulette system for those with the exceptional discipline, stamina and bankroll required to play it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting read but accurate?, September 28, 1998

By	"jtcw" (Oakville, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thirteen against the bank

I read this book as a teenager and enjoyed it immensely. Since then, I've often wondered if it was true. I recently decided to write a simulation program that plays the system exactly as laid out in the book. What did I find? Email me at [e-mail], if you're interested.