Daniel Craig's Bond is the biggest winner: picking up £65 million

Updated
Italy Spectre Photo Call
Italy Spectre Photo Call



James Bond has always been a fan of card games and horse races - and has even been known to bet on a round of golf. However, new research has discovered that no Bond does it better than Daniel Crag. In just three films, his on-screen gambling has earned Bond more than £65 million. It makes him the most lucrative screen Bond of all time.

Research from Everyman Cinema (to promote its The Name's Bond exhibition) discovered that in total he has picked up £65,708,850. That's more than 180 times his nearest rival, Sean Connery, who won a total of £360,000. It means Craig is responsible for the lion's share of Bond's winnings - which total just over £66.5 million in 23 films.

Hoss Ghonouie from Everyman Cinema, says: "To quote Ian Fleming himself 'Bond has always been a gambler', but even we were surprised with just how much Bond has amassed over the twenty three films. Craig may win big overall but our research shows Connery and Moore were most partial to the casino tables."

On average, each Bond has made just under £11 million from gambling - and even if you discount Daniel Craig's massive payday in Casino Royale they have still made £35,483 each.

The bad guys tend to have a more typical amount of luck in their betting habits. The most unfortunate Bond loser of all time was Elektra King, who blew £635,000 on a game of cards in The World Is Not Enough.

It's a handy reminder that gambling for huge stakes is the kind of activity only suited to someone with limitless resources, nerves of steel - or Jill Masterson with a pair of binoculars and a listening device (Goldfinger's preferred approach).

Box office

Of course, all of this gambling cash pales into insignificance compared to what these Bonds actually make at the box office. Craig also holds the record here for the most made by any Bond film, after Skyfall made $90.6 million on its opening weekend, and $1.1 billion at the box office worldwide (about £712 million).

Taking inflation into account, this is followed by Thunderball, Goldfinger, Live and Let Die and You Only Live Twice as the top five grossing Bond films of all time.

However, according to 007James.com, if you take inflation into account, Sean Connery tops the list of the biggest box office Bond earners when all his films are combined (partly because he was in so many more films than Craig). He is followed by Roger Moore, Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Dalton and finally George Lazenby.

'SPECTRE' Spectre - Trailer
'SPECTRE' Spectre - Trailer



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