Spin Doctors

Assembling a gang of 13 strangers with the sole aim of emptying the bank of a major casino sounds like the plot of a 60s Rat Pack movie, but Norman Leigh and his associates in Thirteen Against the Bank did just that in 1966. What’s more, they made their fortunes perfectly legitimately – on the roulette table.

Leigh’s account of how his team – an unlikely collection of office clerks, book-keepers, pub landlords and an old dear straight out of an Ealing comedy – broke the bank at the Casino Municipale in Nice is told in such colourful detail that since it was first published in 1975, many readers have mistaken this true story for a work of fiction.

Thirteen is a great read for roulette novices and veteran wheelers alike. Leigh explains the basics of roulette at the outset, much as he had to to some members of his devious dozen. The ‘reverse Labouchere’ system – in which players bet on each of the six even-money bets and increase the stake to chase wins, rather than losses – is explained in clear layman’s terms, and as Leigh lets you into his secret formula, you do feel like one of the privileged cartel.

But the real secret isn’t in the numbers, it’s that each member of the 13 has to keep their composure as the winnings increase, and Leigh chronicles the changes in the participants’ personalities as they get to grips with gambling.

By the time the 13 hit the Cote d’Azur, you’re willing them to stay cool and walk out with a fortune. A great read, and short of the inevitable consequence that the group were soon banned from every casino in France, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t thought of it yourself.