Hot
Book of Dead
Play'n GO High volatility
Book of Dead Review
Explorer Rich Wilde, an Egyptian tomb and a magic book that started a whole genre. Ten lines, one symbol doing two jobs, and a bonus where a single picture can light up every reel.
4.5/5
Polaris rating · October 2026
Our Take: Nearly ten years on, the expanding-symbol bonus still delivers real tension. Before you play, open the info panel to see which RTP your casino has chosen.
19+. Independent review by Polaris Slots. Figures are taken from Play'n GO's published game data and may differ between casino versions. We may be paid a commission if you sign up via our links.
RTP96.21%
VolatilityHigh
Max win5,000×
Layout5×3 · 10 lines
ReleasedJanuary 2016
ProviderPlay'n GO
4.5/5
Polaris rating
Updated October 2026
Bonus features expanding symbol4.5
Graphics & sound4.2
Win potential 5,000×4.3
Mobile play4.7
Book of Dead Slot in Brief
On paper the book of dead slot is simple: five reels, three rows and 10 lines from Play'n GO. What makes it special is the Book symbol, which substitutes like a Wild and pays like a Scatter, and the special symbol picked for each bonus.
- Three Books land anywhere and the bonus begins.
- One randomly chosen picture expands to cover entire reels during the bonus.
- Casinos can pick from several RTP settings; 96.21% is the top one.
How the Book of Dead Game Pays
Lines pay from the leftmost reel. Up to ten of them can be active, and although you're allowed to switch some off, there's rarely a good reason to. Four premium pictures sit at the top of the table, with Rich Wilde as the most valuable followed by Osiris, Anubis and Horus. Five card ranks fill out the low end. The Book can stand in for any of them, and it also pays on its own when it's scattered around the screen.
Book of Dead Free Spins, Explained Simply
Spot three Books in one spin and you'll get 10 free spins. A random picture is then revealed as the round's special expanding symbol. If that picture lands in enough places to pay, it spreads up and down to fill every reel it touched, and the result is paid on all ten lines regardless of whether those reels sit side by side.
Finding three Books again mid-round adds 10 more spins. Players hope for Rich Wilde to be chosen, since a screen covered in the explorer is the only way to reach 5,000×.
The Book of Dead Paytable and Gamble Option
Values climb from the card ranks (10 up to A) through Horus, Anubis and Osiris to Rich Wilde at the top. Premium pictures start paying with only two in a line; the card ranks need at least three. The exact amounts scale with your bet, so open the in-game table to see them for your stake.
Any win can be risked in a card guessing game. Call red or black to double the amount, or name the suit to multiply it by four. The odds are exactly fair, which means no long-term benefit, and we'd keep any meaningful win rather than gamble it.
How Other Reviewers Rate Book of Dead
Ask any review site to name the definitive book slot and Book of Dead is the answer. Coverage of the January 2016 release still notes that it ranks among the most-played games in a typical casino lobby. Critics quote the same 96.21% RTP and 5,000× ceiling we found, and they credit the bonus with being easy to grasp yet able to produce dramatic wins. The recurring caveat is that Play'n GO supplies reduced-RTP editions, some near 94% or lower, which certain operators prefer.
Praised by reviewers
- Bonus round anyone can follow
- Runs beautifully on phones
- Proven classic with a 5,000× ceiling
Where it falls short
- Reduced-RTP editions are common
- Long gaps between features
- Visuals show their age
Book of Dead RTP, Volatility and Top Prize
When a casino uses the best edition, the Book of Dead RTP is 96.21%; reduced editions exist, and the info screen will tell you which one is loaded. Expect high volatility, with a ceiling of 5,000 times the bet.
Book of Dead Free Play or Real Money?
For Book of Dead free play, load the demo: it has identical reels and bonus rules, so you can count how many spins it typically takes for three Books to appear. Separately, many casinos advertise "Book of Dead free spins" as a promotion. Those come with their own wagering conditions and have nothing to do with the in-game bonus.
Our Tips for Book of Dead
- Leave all ten lines switched on. The expanding picture can only pay on lines you're playing.
- Spend five seconds in the info panel to confirm the RTP edition.
- Bank decent wins instead of putting them through the card gamble.
New player package
Grab the C$1,000 Match
C$1,000 matched + 150 free spins
Book of Dead is weighted at 100% for wagering at our partner casino, so the matched deposit works well here.
30× playthrough
Slots weighted 100%
Deposit from C$5
19+, first-time depositors only. This offer comes from our partner casino, not from Polaris Slots. Read the casino's full terms before you claim. Help: ConnexOntario.
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Questions answered
Book of Dead Questions
96.21% in the best edition. Play'n GO lets casinos choose lower editions too, and the info panel shows which one you're playing.
Hit three Books to start 10 spins with a randomly picked expanding picture. Another three Books inside the bonus extends it by 10 spins.
There is. The demo shares the real game's reels, paytable and bonus, but you play with credits instead of cash.
5,000 times the bet, which in practice means Rich Wilde expanding across the whole screen during the bonus.
Easily. It was built to run smoothly in mobile browsers, with no app or download involved.
Demo finished
Liked Book of Dead? Play it with real money
Those were play credits. Spin the same game for real in Canadian dollars, deposit by Interac, and get the C$1,000 + 150 free spins welcome offer on your first deposit.
Demo play uses no real money. 19+ (18+ in AB, MB and QC). Play responsibly.
Official demo supplied by Play'n GO. It runs on play credits only: no deposit, no real winnings.