What is Book of Dead?
Book of Dead (Russian-speaking players search for "бук оф дэд" or "книга мертвых слот") is a 5×3, 10-payline slot from Play'n GO. The hero is the adventurer Rich Wilde, who explores ancient Egyptian tombs. The game looks very simple, but it is highly volatile: losing streaks can last a long time, and big wins come mainly in the bonus round. The standard RTP is 96.21%.
This is the only slot on our site not made by Pragmatic Play — compare it with the cascading Gates of Olympus and the difference in mechanics is obvious.
Key facts
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Provider | Play'n GO |
| Grid | 5×3, 10 paylines (adjustable) |
| RTP | 96.21% (standard version) |
| Volatility | High |
| Special symbol | The Book — both Wild and Scatter |
| Maximum win | Per provider information |
Symbols and paylines
The low-paying symbols are card values: 10, J, Q, K and A. The high-paying symbols follow the Egyptian theme: Anubis, Horus, the pharaoh and — the most valuable — Rich Wilde himself. High-value symbols pay even for two on a line, while low-value ones need at least three. Wins are counted from left to right, starting from the first reel.
You can change the number of active paylines from 1 to 10. But reducing the lines is not a good idea: your total stake goes down, but so do your winning combinations and especially the payouts from the expanding symbol in the bonus. Most players play with all 10 lines.
The Book symbol and free spins
The Book symbol works as both a Wild (it substitutes for other symbols) and a Scatter. If 3 or more Books land anywhere on the screen, free spins begin.
- 3+ Books land — free spins are awarded.
- Before the bonus starts, one special symbol is chosen at random.
- If enough of this symbol lands during the bonus, it expands to cover the whole reel.
- Expanded symbols pay along the paylines, even when they are not on adjacent reels.
- If 3+ Books land again during the bonus, the spins are retriggered.
Why the expanding symbol matters
If a high-value symbol (for example, Rich Wilde or the pharaoh) is chosen as the special symbol, the bonus round can produce a big result. If a low-value symbol (a card value) is chosen, the wins will be much more modest. There is no way to influence which symbol is picked — it is pure chance. This is exactly where Book of Dead's high volatility comes from. The same mechanic was later copied by many other "book" slots, so once you understand it, you will pick up similar games easily.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Simple, easy-to-understand rules
- A genuinely exciting bonus round
- Available at almost every casino
Cons
- High volatility — long losing streaks
- RTP slightly lower than other top slots
- Lower-RTP versions are found at some casinos
Demo vs real play
In the Book of Dead demo you will see with your own eyes how rarely and unevenly the bonus arrives — a useful experience for planning your budget. If you decide to play for real money, Book of Dead is available at the Mostbet casino. Per current terms, Mostbet offers a bonus of around 125% on your first deposit plus free spins; you can use the promo code XBUNKER when registering. Read the exact terms on the operator's site. More about other brands on our main site.
Budget advice
In a high-volatility game, stake size is decisive: the smaller your stake, the more spins you can make while "waiting" for the bonus round. This doesn't guarantee a win, but it does extend your playing time. More details on our slot volatility page, and on RTP versions in our slot RTP article.
Before playing Book of Dead for real money, ask yourself a simple question: "If I lose this whole amount, will it ruin my mood or my plans?" If the answer is "yes", reduce the amount or stay in demo mode. In high-volatility games it is completely normal for the bonus not to land for several hundred spins. At such moments, the thought "it's bound to land now" is the most dangerous trap — previous spins have no effect whatsoever on the next one.
