Book of Dead Online Slot Review
We have put in genuine playtime on this one, and our Book of Dead slot review is grounded in real hands-on testing. Released in 2016 by Play’n GO, this Egyptian adventure slot starring explorer Rich Wilde has become one of the most played high-volatility pokies in the world and remains a staple at virtually every online casino. With a 96.21% RTP, 10 adjustable paylines, a maximum win of 5,000x your stake, and a free spins round built around an expanding symbol that can fill entire reels, there is a lot packed into a deceptively simple format. Read on to find out why this decade-old game still pulls players back in.
| Provider: | Play n Go |
| RTP: | 96.21% |
| Type: | Video Slots |
| Launched: | 2016 |
| Volatility: | High |
| Max Win: | 5000x |
| Min/Max Bet: | $0.10/$100 |
Book of Dead Demo
Where To Play Book of Dead
Book of Dead Game Overview
Book of Dead online slot is a Play’n GO release built on a classic 5-reel, 3-row grid with 10 adjustable paylines paying left to right. Released in 2016, it follows Rich Wilde, a pulp-fiction archaeologist, through the tombs of ancient Egypt in search of the legendary Book of the Dead. The game carries high volatility, meaning wins are infrequent but can be significant when they land. The RTP sits at 96.21%, fractionally above the 96% industry average, and the maximum win reaches 5,000x your total stake. The visual design is atmospheric and well-executed: gold-rimmed reels set against a desert backdrop, dramatic music, and animated characters that keep the theme immersive without being busy. The book symbol does double duty as both the wild and the scatter, which is the central mechanic around which everything else orbits.
A review of Book of Dead reveals a game that plays with steady, deliberate pacing. The base game is calm between wins, ticking over with standard payline hits while you wait for three or more book scatters to appear anywhere on the reels. Hit frequency in the base game is moderate for high-volatility slots, with meaningful wins landing roughly once every five spins in testing. Nothing in the base game moves the needle dramatically. The action concentrates almost entirely in the free spins round, where a randomly chosen expanding symbol can fill entire reels and trigger payouts across every active line simultaneously. When that expanding symbol is Rich Wilde and he covers three or four reels at once, the numbers climb fast.

The RTP, Payout and Volatility of Book of Dead Slot Game
The Book of Dead slot review math sits in a solid position. The RTP of 96.21% is above the 96% benchmark that most online slots cluster around, and it reflects a game designed to return a meaningful portion of wagers over the long run. As with all slot RTPs, this figure is a theoretical long-term average across millions of spins and does not describe any individual session. A high-volatility game like this can run far below or above that figure during any single sitting. Some operators use lower RTP configurations of Book of Dead, so checking the game’s information panel at your chosen casino before playing for real money is always worth doing.
Across 10 adjustable paylines, the paytable runs from low-value royal card symbols (10 through Ace) at the bottom up to the four Egyptian characters in the premium range. Rich Wilde at the top pays 5,000x your total bet for five on a line in the base game. The Book of Dead online slot also pays a scatter win when three or more book symbols land anywhere on the reels, worth 2x your bet for three, 20x for four, and 200x for five. The maximum win of 5,000x is achievable in the base game through five Rich Wilde symbols, and in the free spins round through the expanding symbol mechanic. That ceiling is strong and competitive with the best high-volatility slots in its class.
| Slot Name | Book of Dead |
|---|---|
| Game Provider | Play'n GO |
| RTP | 96.21% |
| Volatility | High |
| Paylines | 20 |
| Bonus Buy | No |
| Progressive Jackpot | No |
Volatility describes the risk profile of a slot: how often wins come and how large they tend to be. A low-volatility slot pays small amounts regularly, while a high-volatility slot pays less often but with greater impact when it does. Book of Dead sits firmly in the high-volatility category, which means extended stretches without meaningful returns are a normal part of playing this game. Players who expect consistent small wins will find it uncomfortable. Players who understand and accept the feast-or-famine rhythm will find it one of the more rewarding experiences available.
The balance between base game and free spins in Book of Dead is dramatically skewed toward the bonus round. The base game generates modest payline wins and the occasional scatter payout but very rarely produces significant returns on its own. Almost all of the game’s meaningful win potential sits inside the free spins feature, specifically in what the randomly selected expanding symbol does during those spins. A session where the expanding symbol is Rich Wilde and he covers multiple reels repeatedly is a session that can deliver hundreds of times your stake. A session where the expanding symbol is a lower-value card and appears infrequently is a session that ends with little to show for the wait. That variance is the core of what Book of Dead is.
Book of Dead Bonuses and Special Features
Book of Dead is deliberately stripped back in its feature design. There is no cascading mechanic, no random base game modifier, no bonus buy option, and no multiplier symbols in the standard spin experience. What the game has is one core feature executed with precision: a free spins round with a randomly chosen expanding symbol that has the potential to dominate the reels and produce the kind of wins that keep players returning for years. The simplicity is intentional and is part of why the game has outlasted hundreds of more feature-laden releases.
The book symbol is the key to everything. It acts as the wild in the base game, substituting for all other symbols, and it acts as the scatter, triggering the free spins when three or more land anywhere on the reels simultaneously. Understanding the expanding symbol mechanic inside the free spins round is the most important thing to know before you start, because it determines whether a bonus round is ordinary or extraordinary.
Book Symbol as Wild and Scatter
The book is the single most important symbol in Book of Dead. In the base game it functions as a wild, substituting for any other regular symbol to help complete payline wins. It also pays a scatter win when three or more land anywhere on the reels in a single spin: three books pays 2x your total bet, four pays 20x, and five pays 200x. These scatter payouts are independent of paylines, meaning they pay out regardless of where the books land. Landing five books anywhere at once is rare but immediately awards 200x. In the free spins round, the book appears on the reels throughout and continues triggering any additional scatter payouts when three or more appear.
Free Spins with Expanding Special Symbol
The free spins feature triggers when three or more book scatter symbols land anywhere in a single spin. Three books awards 10 free spins; four books awards 15 free spins; five books awards 20 free spins. Before the free spins begin, the game randomly selects one regular symbol to become the Special Expanding Symbol for the duration of the round. Every time that symbol appears on the reels during a free spin, it expands vertically to fill its entire reel. Expanded symbols do not need to be adjacent to each other; they just need to appear on the correct reels for the payline. If the expanding symbol is Rich Wilde and he expands across reels 1, 2, and 3 simultaneously, every active payline covering those three reels pays at the Rich Wilde five-of-a-kind rate. The free spins round can also be retriggered by landing three or more books during the bonus, adding another 10 free spins each time.
Gamble Feature
Book of Dead includes an optional gamble feature that activates after any base game win. Players can choose to gamble their win in a card guessing mini-game, predicting either the colour (red or black, 1-in-2 odds, doubles the win) or the suit (1-in-4 odds, quadruples the win) of a randomly drawn card. A correct guess multiplies the win and the gamble can be repeated up to five consecutive times. An incorrect guess loses the entire win being gambled. The gamble feature is completely optional and skipping it by simply collecting your win is always a valid choice. For high-volatility players already managing bankroll carefully through a dry base game, gambling hard-won wins is a risk that rarely pays off in the long run.
How to Play Book of Dead
Book of Dead is a slot that is easy to pick up in a few spins. The controls are clean, the payline structure is simple, and the only real decision you need to make beyond your bet size is how many paylines to activate. We recommend keeping all 10 active for every spin to maximise your win potential. Here is how to get started.
- 1
Choose your bet and activate all paylines
Set your coin value and the number of coins per line using the controls at the bottom of the screen. The minimum spin is $0.10 and the maximum is $100. Keep all 10 paylines active for every spin. Reducing paylines reduces your coverage and your win potential without proportionally reducing your risk from high volatility sessions. - 2
Spin and watch for book symbols anywhere on the reels
Press spin and the 5-reel, 3-row grid will fill with Egyptian symbols. Wins pay left to right across your active paylines. The book symbol is your wild and scatter, meaning it can appear on any reel and substitute for all other symbols in a winning payline, or pay a scatter win if three or more land anywhere at once. - 3
Trigger free spins by landing three or more book scatters
When three or more book symbols land anywhere on the reels in a single spin, the free spins feature activates. Three books gives you 10 free spins; four books gives 15; five books gives 20. You also receive a scatter payout of 2x, 20x, or 200x your bet respectively just for triggering the bonus. - 4
Watch the randomly chosen expanding symbol
Before the free spins begin, the game randomly picks one symbol to become the Special Expanding Symbol. Every time it lands during the bonus it expands to fill its entire reel. A high-value expanding symbol like Rich Wilde covering multiple reels simultaneously is where the biggest wins come from. You have no control over which symbol is chosen. - 5
Decide whether to use the gamble feature after a base game win
After any base game win you can choose to gamble it by guessing a card colour (doubles the win) or suit (quadruples it). This is entirely optional and carries real risk. Skipping it and collecting your win is always a valid choice, particularly during a high-volatility session where wins can be hard to come by.
Book of Dead Pros and Cons
The Dog House is a well-built, focused high-volatility slot that has earned its status as one of Pragmatic Play’s flagship titles. The sticky wild multiplier mechanic during free spins is genuinely exciting when it fires properly, and the 96.51% RTP is a meaningful advantage over many competitors. That said, the base game is lean and the scatter trigger restriction to reels 1, 3, and 5 means bonuses can feel like they take forever to arrive. It does not have a bonus buy option, so you cannot shortcut the wait. Still, as high-volatility pokies go, this one has aged exceptionally well for a 2019 release and remains a go-to for players who enjoy chasing big free spins sessions.
-
RTP of 96.21% is above average and competitive with the best high-volatility pokies on the market.
-
Maximum win of 5,000x is achievable through both the base game and the free spins expanding symbol mechanic.
-
Expanding symbol in free spins is one of the most dramatic and satisfying mechanics in any Egyptian-themed slot.
-
10 adjustable paylines give players control over their coverage and bet structure.
-
Free spins round can be retriggered, extending the bonus with additional 10-spin blocks.
-
No bonus buy option means you must earn the free spins through the base game, which can take patience.
-
The quality of the free spins round depends heavily on which symbol is randomly chosen as the expanding symbol.
-
Base game is relatively bare with no random modifiers or features to break up the wait for the bonus.
Our Final Take on Book of Dead
Book of Dead is a slot that has genuinely stood the test of time. Launched in 2016, it has outlasted hundreds of more complex releases because its core design is so focused and well-balanced. The base game does its job of keeping you in the session without burning through your bankroll too fast, and the free spins round delivers the kind of dramatic, high-stakes moments that create memorable sessions. In testing, the feature produced a wide range of outcomes depending on which symbol was selected and how generously it appeared across the reels. That variance is exactly what the game is built around and it remains compelling every time it fires.
We recommend Book of Dead to players who are comfortable with high volatility, enjoy an adventure theme, and are chasing a meaningful free spins experience rather than a steady stream of small wins. The $0.10 minimum stake makes it accessible for bankroll-conscious players, and the $100 maximum covers high rollers. If you want more win potential above the 5,000x ceiling, sequels like Legacy of Dead and Cat Wilde and the Pyramids of Dead push higher. But as the original, Book of Dead remains the benchmark for the expanding symbol genre and is worth every spin of the demo before you commit real money.

FAQ
What is the RTP of Book of Dead?
Book of Dead has a default RTP of 96.21%, which sits just above the online slots industry average of around 96%. This means the game theoretically returns $96.21 for every $100 wagered over a very long run across millions of spins. RTP is not a session guarantee and individual results will vary significantly, especially in a high-volatility game like this one. Some operators run lower RTP configurations, so checking the paytable in the game at your chosen casino is always advisable before playing for real money.
How do the free spins work in Book of Dead?
The free spins feature triggers when three or more book scatter symbols land anywhere on the reels in a single spin. Three books awards 10 free spins, four awards 15, and five awards 20. Before the spins begin, the game randomly selects one regular symbol to become the Special Expanding Symbol for the duration of the bonus. Each time that symbol appears during a free spin it expands to fill its entire reel. If the expanding symbol is a high-value one like Rich Wilde and it covers multiple reels simultaneously, the payout across all active paylines can be substantial. The bonus can be retriggered by landing three or more book scatters during the free spins, adding another 10 free spins each time.
What is the maximum win in Book of Dead?
The maximum win in Book of Dead is 5,000x your total stake per spin. This is achievable in two ways: landing five Rich Wilde symbols across an active payline in the base game, or through the expanding symbol mechanic during free spins when Rich Wilde is the selected special symbol and expands across multiple reels covering all 10 paylines simultaneously. At the maximum bet of $100, a 5,000x win equals $500,000. The 5,000x ceiling is competitive with the top tier of high-volatility pokies.
Can I buy the free spins bonus in Book of Dead?
No, the original Book of Dead does not include a bonus buy feature. You must trigger the free spins naturally by landing three or more book scatter symbols during normal base game play. There is no shortcut to the bonus. If you want a Play’n GO game with a bonus buy option in the same series, Legacy of Dead includes one in some jurisdictions. The frequency of the bonus trigger in Book of Dead varies by session but can sometimes require significant patience in high-volatility stretches.
Is Book of Dead good for beginners?
Book of Dead is accessible enough for new players to understand quickly, but its high volatility makes it a tougher starting point than low-volatility options like Starburst. The rules are simple: spin the reels, match symbols on paylines, and try to land three or more book symbols to trigger the free spins. The minimum bet of $0.10 keeps the entry cost low. The challenge for beginners is the high-volatility rhythm, where the base game can go through long stretches without meaningful wins. Playing the free demo version first is strongly recommended to get a feel for the pace before committing real money.
Can I play Book of Dead on my phone?
Yes, Book of Dead is fully optimised for mobile play on both iOS and Android devices. The game runs in your mobile browser without requiring any download, and the 5×3 grid and all controls translate cleanly to touchscreen. The visual quality, sound design, and all game features including the free spins and gamble feature are identical to the desktop version. Most Australian online casinos that carry the game fully support mobile play.
If you enjoy the high-volatility thrills and bonus potential of Book of Dead, there are plenty of other slots that deliver a similar adrenaline rush. From powerful multiplier mechanics to immersive mythological themes, these games offer exciting alternatives worth exploring. Here are some top online slots you may also like trying next.





