The invention relates to a method and device for hot-gluing a bundle (2), particularly in a device that includes a glue reservoir (7) for storing glue that has been made fluid, a glue-spreading roller (6) for spreading the glue onto the spine surface of the bundle (2), press devices, (3, 4, 5, 21, 21′) for holding the bundle (2), and possible side-nip devices (16, 19, 20) for finishing the shape of the book or similar. The bundle (2), which is held between two symmetrically positioned press plates (21, 21′), is pressed with the glue-spreading roller (6) to bend or fan out the edge of the bundle (2) and to open a gap between the cover sheet (11) and the outermost sheet of the bundle. The glue is spread to such an extent that a glue bead (13, 14, 15) forms at the said gap and at the opposite edge of the bundle (2) and possibly also at the bend in the cover sheet, so that the said glue beads are spread for a certain distance in the gaps between the cover (11) and the edges of the bundle, in order to form a glue bond during the following side nipping.