Book of Dead is one of the most iconic online slot games from Play’n GO, launched in 2016. The game quickly gained a massive following thanks to its adventurous theme, simple yet thrilling gameplay, and the potential for significant wins. It features 5 reels, 3 rows, and up to 10 adjustable paylines, making it easy to customize your bets and strategy.
Players join Rich Wilde, an explorer in the style of Indiana Jones, on a quest through ancient Egyptian tombs. The main goal is to uncover hidden treasures while triggering bonus features for even bigger payouts.
About the Provider – Play’n GO
Play’n GO is a well-known Swedish gaming provider recognized for high-quality slots and innovative mechanics. Founded in 2005, the company has built a strong reputation across Europe, especially in regulated markets like Denmark, the UK, and Sweden.
Their focus on mobile-first development means Book of Dead runs smoothly on both smartphones and desktops without losing visual quality or gameplay performance.
Theme and Atmosphere
The slot draws inspiration from ancient Egyptian mythology. The visuals are rich in gold and mystical symbols, with background music that enhances the feeling of exploring a forgotten temple.
The main character, Rich Wilde, is at the heart of the story, guiding players through an adventure filled with treasures, pharaohs, and secrets of the past.
Key Numbers: RTP, Volatility & Betting Range
- RTP (Return to Player): 96.21% – slightly above the industry average, giving players a fair chance of decent returns over time.
- Volatility: High – this means wins may not come often, but they tend to be larger when they do land, which suits players who enjoy risk and big payouts.
- Bet Range:
- Minimum bet: €0.10 (perfect for casual players)
- Maximum bet: €100 (ideal for high rollers)
Gameplay Features
Book of Dead offers a straightforward gameplay structure that appeals to both beginners and experienced slot fans:
- Adjustable paylines – choose how many lines to play for better control over your bets.
- Wild/Scatter Book symbol – acts as both a substitute for other symbols and the trigger for the Free Spins round.
- Expanding symbol during Free Spins – one symbol expands to cover entire reels, creating massive win potential.
This combination of simple mechanics with exciting features is what has kept Book of Dead popular for nearly a decade.
Symbols in Book of Dead
Symbols in Book of Dead bring the ancient Egyptian adventure to life and directly influence the size of your winnings. The game features a mix of standard playing card icons and thematic symbols tied to the story of Rich Wilde and his journey. Understanding how each symbol works is essential for maximizing your payouts.
Regular Symbols – Low Value
The lower-paying symbols are designed as classic card icons, stylized to fit the Egyptian theme. These symbols appear often, helping you maintain a steady balance between spins.
- 10, J, Q, K, A – These symbols offer smaller payouts and are perfect for frequent, smaller wins.
- Five Aces (A) on an active payline pay 120x your line bet.
- Five 10s pay 80x your line bet.
These regular hits keep the game dynamic while you wait for the higher-value symbols or bonus features.
High-Value Symbols – Thematic and Rare
The real treasure lies in the high-paying symbols, each representing characters or mystical Egyptian artifacts. These symbols appear less frequently but can result in substantial wins, especially during Free Spins when they may expand.
- Horus (Falcon God) – Pays up to 750x your line bet for five on a payline.
- Anubis (Jackal God) – Pays up to 750x your line bet for five on a payline.
- Pharaoh – Pays up to 2,000x your line bet for five on a payline.
- Rich Wilde (Explorer) – The top standard symbol, paying a massive 5,000x your line bet for five on a payline.
These symbols are the key to hitting the game’s highest rewards.
Special Symbol – The Book (Wild + Scatter)
The Book of Dead itself is the most important symbol in the game, acting as both a Wild and a Scatter:
- As a Wild:
- Substitutes for any other symbol to complete winning combinations.
- Increases your chances of landing a payout even without a full set of matching symbols.
- As a Scatter:
- Landing 3 or more Book symbols anywhere on the reels triggers 10 Free Spins.
- Scatters also pay out directly:
- 3 Books = 2x total bet
- 4 Books = 20x total bet
- 5 Books = 200x total bet
The dual functionality makes this symbol incredibly valuable and central to the game’s bonus mechanics.
Paytable Summary
Here’s a quick look at the maximum payouts for five symbols on a payline:
| Symbol | Payout (x line bet) |
|---|---|
| Rich Wilde | 5,000x |
| Pharaoh | 2,000x |
| Anubis | 750x |
| Horus | 750x |
| A | 120x |
| K | 120x |
| Q | 80x |
| J | 80x |
| 10 | 80x |
| Book (Scatter) | 200x (total bet) |
By learning the value of each symbol, you can better plan your bets and fully understand where the biggest wins come from — especially when the Book symbol activates Free Spins and expansion features.
Bonus Features in Book of Dead
One of the main reasons Book of Dead remains such a popular slot is its thrilling bonus mechanics. While the base game offers solid payouts, the real excitement — and potential for huge wins — comes from its Free Spins round and the unique Expanding Symbol feature. These bonuses are simple to understand but highly rewarding, especially for players who enjoy high-volatility slots.
Free Spins (10 Free Games)
The heart of the bonus gameplay is the Free Spins feature, triggered by landing 3 or more Book symbols anywhere on the reels.
- Trigger: 3+ Book symbols (Scatter).
- Reward: 10 Free Spins, with the possibility to re-trigger the feature indefinitely by landing another set of 3 or more Books during Free Spins.
- Extra payout:
- 3 Books = 2x total bet
- 4 Books = 20x total bet
- 5 Books = 200x total bet
This feature can chain together for extended bonus rounds, which is where many players land their biggest wins.
Key advantage: There is no limit to how many times Free Spins can be retriggered, giving you a shot at incredibly long and lucrative bonus rounds.
Expanding Symbol Feature
Before the Free Spins round begins, the game randomly selects one symbol (excluding the Book) to become a special Expanding Symbol.
- This chosen symbol expands vertically, covering an entire reel whenever it appears during Free Spins.
- It doesn’t need to be adjacent to form winning combinations — payouts are awarded as long as there are enough matching symbols anywhere on the reels.
- The potential is massive, especially if Rich Wilde or the Pharaoh is selected as the expanding symbol.
For example:
- 5 Rich Wilde symbols expanding across different reels can result in a 5,000x line bet win on a single spin.
This mechanic adds a layer of anticipation to every Free Spin and is the core reason why players chase the bonus round.
The Book Symbol – Wild + Scatter in One
The Book of Dead symbol plays a dual role throughout the game:
- As a Wild:
- Substitutes for any other symbol, helping you complete winning combinations during both the base game and Free Spins.
- Makes it easier to land high-value symbol combinations.
- As a Scatter:
- Triggers the Free Spins feature when three or more appear.
- Pays instantly regardless of where they land on the reels.
This dual function keeps the gameplay exciting and ensures that every spin has the potential to unlock a big win.
Why These Bonuses Stand Out
The combination of unlimited Free Spin retriggers and the Expanding Symbol mechanic makes Book of Dead highly volatile and thrilling.
Unlike many modern slots packed with multiple mini-games, Book of Dead keeps its features simple yet powerful, allowing players to focus on chasing that one big bonus round where everything can change in a single spin.
Technical Specifications of Book of Dead
Before playing Book of Dead, it’s important to understand its technical details. These factors define the slot’s performance, payout potential, and how well it adapts to different devices.
RTP (Return to Player)
- RTP: 96.21% This means that, on average, for every €100 wagered, the game returns €96.21 over a long period.
- It’s slightly above the industry standard of 96%, which makes it a fair game for players.
- Casinos may occasionally offer versions with slightly different RTP settings (e.g., 94.25%), so always check this in the game’s info panel before playing.
Volatility – High Risk, High Reward
- Volatility Level: High High-volatility slots like Book of Dead are designed for players who enjoy risk:
- Wins don’t occur frequently, but when they do, they tend to be significantly larger.
- Perfect for those who aim for big payouts rather than steady, smaller wins.
This is why Book of Dead is popular among experienced slot fans and high rollers.
Maximum Win Potential
- Top Payout: 5,000x your line bet in a single spin.
- With a maximum total bet of €100, the theoretical top prize can reach €500,000.
The largest wins typically happen during the Free Spins round when high-value symbols expand and cover multiple reels.
Supported Platforms – Play Anywhere
Book of Dead is built using HTML5 technology, ensuring smooth performance on all modern devices without the need for extra downloads.
- Mobile:
- Fully optimized for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.
- Touch-friendly controls with a simplified layout for smaller screens.
- Desktop:
- Runs directly in your browser with the same quality as mobile.
- Supports both Windows and macOS without special requirements.
- Performance:
- Fast loading times and efficient memory usage.
- Stable gameplay even on older devices.
Quick Technical Overview
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Reels / Rows | 5 reels, 3 rows |
| Paylines | Up to 10 (adjustable) |
| RTP | 96.21% (check in-game) |
| Volatility | High |
| Min Bet | €0.10 |
| Max Bet | €100 |
| Max Win | 5,000x line bet (€500,000) |
| Technology | HTML5 |
| Mobile Ready | Yes (iOS & Android) |
With its high RTP, large max win, and mobile-friendly design, Book of Dead remains a top choice for players looking for a classic slot experience with the chance to land massive payouts.