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Quick verdict: Book of Dead is Play’n GO’s best-known slot and still one of the most played games at online casinos ten years after release. It’s simple: five reels, 10 paylines, and one feature that matters, free spins with an expanding symbol. It’s highly volatile, with a top prize of 5,000x your stake, so expect long dry spells broken by occasional big hits.
Book of Dead at a glance
| Provider | Play’n GO |
|---|---|
| Released | January 2016 |
| Layout | 5 reels, 3 rows |
| Paylines | 10 |
| RTP | 96.21% (default); casinos can run lower versions |
| Volatility | High |
| Bet range | From €0.01 or €0.10 per spin, depending on the casino (sources differ); the maximum also depends on the casino |
| Max win | 5,000x your stake |
| Wild / scatter | The Book (both in one) |
| Free spins | 10, with a random expanding symbol; can be retriggered |
| Gamble feature | Yes: guess card colour (2x) or suit (4x) |
| Jackpot | No |
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Theme and design
You follow Rich Wilde, Play’n GO’s Indiana Jones-style explorer, into an Egyptian tomb. The reels sit in front of a temple wall and are filled with card royals (10 to A) and premium symbols featuring Egyptian gods and Rich Wilde himself, who pays the most. The graphics have held up well, and the game runs smoothly on phones, which is part of why it’s still so popular. If you like the Egyptian theme, WMS’s Lady of Egypt is another one to try.
If it looks familiar, that’s because the format comes straight from Novomatic’s Book of Ra. Book of Dead took the same “book” idea and gave it sharper graphics and a bigger maximum win, and it went on to inspire dozens of copycat “Book of” slots.
How does Book of Dead work?
Book of Dead is a 5-reel, 3-row Play’n GO slot with 10 paylines. The Book is both wild and scatter, and three or more Books trigger 10 free spins with a randomly chosen expanding symbol.
- Set your stake. Use the bet controls to choose your bet per spin. Bets usually start at €0.10, and the maximum depends on the casino.
- Spin. Wins pay left to right on the 10 paylines.
- Watch for Books. The Book substitutes for every other symbol and also pays as a scatter anywhere on the reels.
- Gamble or collect. After a win you can collect, or risk it on the card gamble for a chance to double or quadruple it.
Free spins and the expanding symbol
Three or more Books anywhere on the reels trigger 10 free spins, and the Books also pay a scatter prize based on your total stake. Before the free spins start, the game picks one regular symbol at random to be the expanding symbol.
During the free spins, whenever that symbol lands on enough reels to form a win, it expands to fill each of those reels completely and pays on every payline, even when the reels aren’t next to each other. That’s where the big wins come from. A low-paying symbol such as the 10 expands often but pays little; Rich Wilde expands rarely but can fill the screen for the 5,000x top prize. Landing three more Books during the feature gives you another 10 spins with the same expanding symbol.
Which RTP version is your casino running?
Book of Dead’s standard RTP is 96.21%, but Play’n GO also supplies four lower versions (94.25%, 91.25%, 87.25% and 84.18%) that casinos can choose to run. The same game can therefore return noticeably less at one casino than at another. To check, open the game’s information screen, which shows the RTP that casino is using. If it’s well below 96%, play somewhere else.
We worked out what the version is worth in money. Over 500 spins at €1 (€500 in total bets), the average loss is:
| RTP version | Average loss on €500 of spins |
|---|---|
| 96.21% (standard) | €18.95 |
| 94.25% | €28.75 |
| 91.25% | €43.75 |
| 87.25% | €63.75 |
| 84.18% | €79.10 |
So the lowest version costs about four times as much to play as the standard one, for exactly the same game. These are long-run averages: with a slot this volatile, a single session can end far above or below them.
Volatility is high. Most of the game’s value sits in the free spins, so it’s normal to go a long time without a meaningful win. Choose a stake that lets your balance last a few hundred spins, and treat the 5,000x max win as a rare outcome rather than something to chase.
Tips for playing Book of Dead
- Check the RTP first. It’s the easiest way to get better value from the same game.
- Keep all 10 lines active. If your casino’s version lets you reduce the lines, don’t: expanding symbols pay per line, so fewer lines means much smaller bonus wins.
- Use the gamble feature sparingly. It doesn’t improve your odds; it just adds risk.
- Know where the big wins come from. The expanding symbol is picked at random at the start of free spins, and the 5,000x max win comes from Rich Wilde, the top-paying symbol.
- Look for free-spin offers. Book of Dead is often the slot chosen for welcome free spins, so check the bonus terms before you deposit.
Enjoy Book of Dead? Play’n GO’s Legacy of Dead uses a similar expanding-symbol bonus, and each retrigger adds another expanding symbol. Scroll of Dead is another Play’n GO “Dead” game, built around Shai, the god of fate. Rise of Merlin does the same with a wizard theme and a 5,000x cap. Book of Atem, made by All41 Studios for Microgaming, uses the same idea with a 5,000x max win. Nolimit City’s Book of Shadows adds up to 2 extra rows and a 30,338x cap, and Rich Wilde returns in the cluster slots Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness and Rich Wilde and the Tome of Insanity. For another Play’n GO Egyptian slot with a multiplier wheel in free spins, see Legacy of Egypt.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Simple rules, easy to learn | High volatility means long dry spells |
| 5,000x max win | Lower RTP versions exist at some casinos |
| Exciting expanding-symbol free spins | Only one real bonus feature |
| Low minimum bet of €0.10 per spin | The design is starting to show its age |
Where to play Book of Dead
Book of Dead is available at almost every casino that carries Play’n GO games. Among the casinos we’ve tested, you’ll find it at Tsars, FortuneJack and Casoo, all of which paid out in our own withdrawal tests. Game libraries change, so search the lobby for Book of Dead before you deposit, and check the RTP in the game info before you play.
Verdict
Book of Dead has lasted because it gets the basics right: a clear theme, simple rules and a free-spins round that can turn a small stake into a big win. It isn’t a slot for steady, low-risk play, but if you enjoy high-volatility games and play at a casino running the full 96.21% RTP, it’s still one of the best “Book” slots around. If you like it, try the rest of the Rich Wilde series or browse more 5-reel slots.
How we checked this
The key figures in this review are each checked against at least two independent sources:
- RTP of 96.21%, with lower versions of 94.25%, 91.25%, 87.25% and 84.18%: Bigwinboard and OLBG. The money examples are our own maths (total bet × (100% − RTP)).
- High volatility: SlotCatalog and Bigwinboard.
- Max win of 5,000x your stake: Bigwinboard and OLBG.
- 5 reels, 3 rows and 10 paylines: Bigwinboard and OLBG.
- Released by Play’n GO in January 2016: Play’n GO and SlotCatalog.
- 10 free spins for three or more Books, with a randomly chosen expanding symbol: Play’n GO and Gambling.com.
- Minimum bet of €0.10 per spin: Bigwinboard and OLBG. SlotCatalog and Casino Guru list €0.01, so the minimum can differ by casino.
Last checked: 12 October 2026, when we re-checked the five RTP versions against two sources and worked out what each one costs ourselves. The other facts were last checked on 7 October 2026. Book of Dead comes in five RTP versions, and the maximum bet also differs between casinos.
Book of Dead FAQs
What is the RTP of Book of Dead?
The standard RTP is 96.21%, but casinos can run lower versions. The game’s information screen shows the RTP at the casino you’re playing at.
What is the maximum win on Book of Dead?
5,000x your stake. The cash amount depends on your bet, and the maximum bet varies by casino.
How much can you win on Book of Dead at €0.10 a spin?
Up to €500, because the top prize is 5,000x your stake. At €1 a spin the cap is €5,000.
How do you trigger free spins on Book of Dead?
Land three or more Book symbols anywhere on the reels for 10 free spins with a randomly chosen expanding symbol. Three more Books during the feature award another 10 spins.
Is Book of Dead high volatility?
Yes. Wins are less frequent but can be large, especially in the free spins.
Can I play Book of Dead for free?
Yes. Most casinos offer a demo version you can play without depositing.
Where can I play Book of Dead?
At almost every casino that carries Play’n GO games. Among the casinos we’ve tested, you’ll find it at Tsars, FortuneJack and Casoo, all of which paid out in our own withdrawal tests. Game libraries change, so search the lobby before you deposit, and open the game info to check it runs the full 96.21% RTP.
Who makes Book of Dead and when was it released?
Play’n GO, which released Book of Dead in January 2016. It stars Rich Wilde, the studio’s Indiana Jones-style explorer, and takes its “book” format from Novomatic’s Book of Ra. Rich Wilde has since returned in other Play’n GO slots, including Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness and Rich Wilde and the Tome of Insanity.
Is Book of Dead a good slot?
Yes, if you enjoy high-volatility games. The rules are simple, the free spins with an expanding symbol can pay up to 5,000x your stake, and the standard 96.21% RTP is in line with modern slots. The catches are long dry spells and lower-RTP versions at some casinos, so check the game info before you play.
Does Book of Dead pay real money?
Yes, when you play it with real money at a casino. Wins go into your casino balance and can be withdrawn under that casino’s normal rules, with a top prize of 5,000x your stake. The free demo version uses play credits only, so demo wins can’t be cashed out.
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