Book of Dead from Play’n GO throws you into the sandstone corridors of ancient Egypt alongside Rich Wilde, an explorer who’s part Indiana Jones, part Lara Croft, and entirely obsessed with deciphering golden tombs. This 2016 classic popularized the “Book of” slot mechanic—where a mystical book symbol acts as both wild and scatter, triggering free spins with a randomly chosen expanding symbol that doesn’t need adjacent positions to pay. Watch as pharaohs, scarabs, and Rich Wilde himself stretch across entire reels, transforming modest 10-spin bonus rounds into 5,000x max win opportunities on high volatility that punishes the impatient but rewards the persistent.
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Key Highlights
- Ancient Egypt-themed slot from Play’n GO (released January 2016) featuring explorer Rich Wilde and the iconic “Book of” mechanic with expanding symbols.
- High volatility slot with 96.21% RTP (default), 5×3 grid, and 10 adjustable paylines—though RTP versions down to 84.18% exist, so always verify before playing.
- Golden Book symbol acts as both Wild and Scatter—substitutes for all symbols and triggers 10 free spins when 3+ land anywhere on the reels.
- Expanding Symbol mechanic: before free spins begin, one symbol is randomly chosen to expand vertically and pay scatter-style (no adjacency required) during the bonus round.
- Maximum win of 5,000x your stake, typically achieved by landing five Rich Wilde symbols as the chosen expanding symbol during free spins with full reel coverage.
- Gamble feature lets you risk any win up to 5 consecutive times—guess card color for 2x (50% chance) or suit for 4x (25% chance).
- Bet range from $0.01 to $100 per spin with approximately 31% hit frequency (roughly 1 win every 3 spins) and free spins retrigger capability.
Theme and Visuals
Play’n GO transported players into the dusty tombs of ancient Egypt nearly a decade ago, and Book of Dead’s visual design has aged remarkably well. The 5×3 grid sits framed by ornate golden hieroglyphics against a backdrop of towering pillars and shadowy burial chambers—think National Geographic documentary meets treasure-hunting adventure film. Rich Wilde himself stands to the side of the reels, arms crossed, watching your spins with the confident smirk of someone who’s decoded one too many ancient texts. You can experience the full atmosphere yourself in our slot demos section.
The symbol design commits fully to the Egyptology aesthetic: high-paying symbols include Rich Wilde (naturally), the pharaoh’s golden mask, the winged scarab beetle, and Anubis the jackal-headed god of the underworld. Low-value symbols use stylized hieroglyphic versions of playing card ranks (10-A) rendered in golden script rather than generic card suits. The star of the show is the Book itself—a weathered golden tome that glows with mystical energy when it lands, serving double duty as both Wild and Scatter. When three or more Books trigger the free spins feature, they open dramatically with a flash of light while ancient Egyptian music swells. It’s theatrical without being cartoonish, striking the perfect balance between adventure and archaeology.
How to Play Book of Dead
Playing Book of Dead is straightforward once you understand the expanding symbol mechanic. Here’s your complete archaeological expedition guide:
- Launch the game and let the Egyptian temple materialize around you with Rich Wilde standing guard.
- Set your bet using the coin value and bet level controls—minimum $0.01, maximum $100 per spin.
- Adjust paylines (optional): The game offers 10 paylines that you can activate or deactivate individually. However, playing with all 10 lines active maximizes your winning potential.
- Understand the paylines: You need at least 3 matching symbols on an active payline from left to right to win (2 symbols are sufficient for Rich Wilde, the highest-paying symbol).
- Hit spin or enable autoplay for continuous action (up to 100 autospins available).
- Watch for Book symbols: The golden Book acts as a Wild, substituting for all other symbols to complete wins. When 3+ Books land anywhere on the reels (scattered positions), they trigger the Free Spins feature.
- Free Spins trigger: Landing 3, 4, or 5 Book symbols awards 10 free spins plus an immediate scatter payout of 2x, 20x, or 200x your total bet respectively.
- Expanding symbol selection: Before free spins begin, the game randomly selects one symbol (any regular symbol) to become the special expanding symbol for that bonus round.
- Gamble feature (optional): After any win, you can choose to gamble your winnings. Guess the color of a hidden card to double your win (2x), or guess the suit to quadruple it (4x). You can gamble up to 5 consecutive times, but an incorrect guess loses everything.
Pro Tip: The expanding symbol doesn’t need to land on adjacent reels to pay—it works scatter-style. If Rich Wilde is chosen as your expanding symbol and you land him on reels 1, 3, and 5 (non-adjacent), he’ll still expand to fill those entire reels and pay as if they were connected. This is why the feature has such explosive potential.
Symbols and Paytable
Book of Dead uses 10 adjustable paylines across a 5×3 grid. The paytable is deliberately top-heavy—premiums pay well, but royals are modest. Here’s what each symbol pays for a full 5-of-a-kind combination on a single payline (based on a 1-coin bet per line):
| Symbol | 2 OAK | 3 OAK | 4 OAK | 5 OAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rich Wilde (Premium) | 5 | 40 | 400 | 5,000 |
| Pharaoh Mask (Premium) | — | 30 | 100 | 750 |
| Anubis (Premium) | — | 30 | 100 | 750 |
| Scarab (Premium) | — | 10 | 30 | 100 |
| Ace (Royal) | — | 5 | 25 | 100 |
| King (Royal) | — | 5 | 25 | 100 |
| Queen (Royal) | — | 5 | 25 | 100 |
| Jack (Royal) | — | 5 | 20 | 100 |
| Ten (Royal) | — | 5 | 20 | 100 |
Payout Examples
- Betting $1 total ($0.10 per line × 10 lines) and landing 5 Rich Wilde symbols on one payline awards $500 (5,000 coins × $0.10).
- Five Pharaoh Masks on a $0.10 line bet pays $75 (750 coins).
- All five royal symbols (10-A) pay identically: 100 coins for five of a kind—$10 on a $0.10 line bet.
- Rich Wilde is the only symbol that pays for just 2 of a kind (5 coins), making him particularly valuable even in small quantities.
The deliberately modest base game paytable is intentional—Book of Dead’s real firepower comes from the free spins expanding symbol mechanic, where symbols can fill multiple reels and pay scatter-style rather than requiring adjacency. A full screen of expanding Rich Wilde symbols during free spins is what creates the 5,000x max win potential.
Book Symbol (Wild + Scatter)
The golden Book is the Swiss Army knife of symbols in this game. As a Wild, it substitutes for all regular pay symbols to complete winning combinations. As a Scatter, it triggers the free spins feature and pays anywhere on the reels regardless of paylines:
- 3 Books anywhere: 10 free spins + 2x total bet scatter payout
- 4 Books anywhere: 10 free spins + 20x total bet scatter payout
- 5 Books anywhere: 10 free spins + 200x total bet scatter payout
The Book doesn’t pay for just 2 symbols, and it never appears as the chosen expanding symbol during free spins—it remains exclusively a wild/scatter throughout the feature.
Slot Features
Book Wild + Scatter Mechanic
This is Play’n GO’s elegant solution to making a single symbol do double duty without becoming overpowered. The golden Book substitutes for all other symbols during base game spins, helping complete payline wins just like a traditional wild. But when 3+ Books land anywhere on the screen (scattered positions, not requiring adjacency or paylines), they trigger the Free Spins feature while simultaneously awarding an immediate scatter payout.
The scatter payout scales dramatically: 3 Books pay 2x your total bet, 4 Books jump to 20x, and 5 Books award a massive 200x your total bet before the free spins even begin. On a $1 bet, landing 5 Books gives you $200 immediately plus 10 free spins with an expanding symbol—a strong start to what could become a 5,000x max win session.
Unlike slots where bonus symbols are dead weight in the base game, Books actively help create wins through wild substitution while you’re hunting for the 3+ needed to trigger the feature. This dual functionality is why Book of Dead maintains a 31% hit frequency despite high volatility—you’re getting wild assists regularly even when free spins remain elusive.
Slot Bonus Features
Bonus Features Gallery
How to Max Win on Book of Dead
The 5,000x maximum win in Book of Dead is achievable but requires specific circumstances during the Free Spins feature. Unlike slots with progressive multipliers or unlimited win potential, Book of Dead’s max win is capped at 5,000x your total bet—period. Here’s how players actually reach that ceiling.
Base Game Max Win
Theoretically, the base game can produce a 5,000x win if you land Rich Wilde (the highest-paying symbol at 5,000 coins for 5-of-a-kind) across all 10 paylines simultaneously. However, this requires an absurdly lucky spin where Rich Wilde fills the entire 5×3 grid in just the right configuration to trigger on all paylines at once. In practice, base game wins rarely exceed 100-200x even on exceptional spins. The real max win path runs exclusively through the Free Spins feature.
Free Spins: The Max Win Factory
The Free Spins feature with the expanding symbol mechanic is where 5,000x wins actually happen. The formula is straightforward: you need Rich Wilde selected as your expanding symbol, then you need him to land on all 5 reels during a single free spin.
When Rich Wilde appears on all 5 reels and expands to fill them completely (creating a full screen of 15 Rich Wilde symbols), the payout calculation works like this: 5 Rich Wilde symbols pay 5,000 coins. Because the expanding symbols pay scatter-style but are also evaluated across all active paylines, you receive this payout across all 10 paylines simultaneously—though the game caps the maximum payout at 5,000x your total bet rather than allowing it to multiply infinitely.
The challenge is twofold: First, Rich Wilde must be randomly selected as your expanding symbol (he’s one of 9 possible symbols that could be chosen). Second, you need him to land on all 5 reels during at least one of your 10 free spins. The probability is low, but not astronomically rare—this is why Book of Dead has produced numerous documented 5,000x max wins since its 2016 release.
Typical Max Win Script
Here’s the realistic step-by-step sequence for how max wins occur in Book of Dead:
- Trigger free spins by landing 3+ Book symbols anywhere on the reels (ideally 5 Books for the 200x scatter payout head start).
- Rich Wilde is selected as the expanding symbol during the pre-feature animation (roughly 11% chance if all symbols have equal selection probability).
- During the 10 free spins, Rich Wilde lands on multiple reels (ideally 3-4 reels early on, creating substantial wins that build your total).
- Rich Wilde appears on all 5 reels during a single spin, expanding to fill the entire 5×3 grid with 15 Rich Wilde symbols.
- The game calculates the payout across all 10 active paylines, but the win is capped at 5,000x your total bet.
- Retrigger occurs (optional but helpful): Landing 3+ Books during free spins awards an additional 10 spins with the same expanding symbol, giving you more chances to hit the full-screen scenario.
- Feature ends at 5,000x cap—even if you retrigger multiple times, the maximum payout remains locked at 5,000x your total bet.
Pro Tip: While Rich Wilde offers the highest max win potential, lower-paying expanding symbols can still produce significant wins. Landing a full screen of Pharaoh Masks or Anubis symbols (750 coins for 5-of-a-kind) across 10 paylines can yield 500-1,000x payouts—not the max win, but substantial enough to make the feature profitable. Don’t abandon hope if Rich Wilde isn’t chosen; other premiums can still deliver.
RTP & Volatility
RTP (Return to Player)
Book of Dead has a default RTP of 96.21%, sitting above the industry average of 96%. However—and this is absolutely critical—Play’n GO offers multiple RTP configurations for casino operators: 96.21%, 94.25%, 91.25%, 87.25%, and a punishing 84.18%. The gap between the best (96.21%) and worst (84.18%) versions is over 12 percentage points, meaning you could be giving the casino an extra $12 per $100 wagered on the lowest configuration without realizing it.
Always check the game’s information screen (usually accessible via a “?” or “i” button) before playing to verify which RTP version your casino is running. The difference between 96.21% and 84.18% is the difference between a slot with fair long-term return and a slot that’s essentially designed to drain your bankroll. If you see anything below 96%, consider finding a different casino. Use our RTP Reality Check tool to understand how RTP affects your expected losses over time.
Volatility
Book of Dead is a high volatility slot, though not at the extreme end of the spectrum like some modern Nolimit City or Hacksaw Gaming releases. The hit frequency is approximately 31%—roughly 1 in every 3.2 spins produces a win. This is significantly higher than ultra-volatile slots (which often drop to 15-20% hit rates), making Book of Dead more accessible for players who don’t enjoy 50+ spin dead stretches.
High volatility means the game’s variance is distributed unevenly: you’ll experience regular small wins from royal symbols and occasional medium wins from premiums, but the massive payouts (500x, 1,000x, 5,000x) are concentrated in rare free spins features where the expanding symbol mechanic fires perfectly. This creates the classic high-volatility rhythm: long periods of modest action punctuated by explosive bonus rounds that can deliver months’ worth of theoretical return in a single feature.
Bankroll management is crucial. Budget for extended sessions: 100-200x your bet size is reasonable for a session where you’re hunting for features. On a $1 bet, bring $100-$200 and expect that most sessions will end in modest losses, but the occasional feature where Rich Wilde is chosen as the expanding symbol can recover everything and then some. Use our Bankroll Calculator to determine appropriate bet sizing for your budget.
Pro Tip: The free spins trigger frequency isn’t published by Play’n GO, but community estimates suggest roughly 1 in 100-150 spins. On high volatility, this means you can easily burn through 200-300 spins between features if variance runs cold. Adjust your bet size accordingly—playing maximum bets on Book of Dead requires a substantial bankroll to weather the inevitable droughts.
Pros and Cons
✅ Pros
- Iconic ancient Egypt theme with polished visuals, atmospheric soundtrack, and Rich Wilde character that defined the “Book of” genre
- Expanding symbol mechanic pays scatter-style (no adjacency required), creating explosive win potential during free spins
- Book symbol serves double duty as Wild and Scatter, maintaining 31% hit frequency despite high volatility
- 5,000x max win achievable through natural gameplay when Rich Wilde is chosen as expanding symbol
- Free spins retrigger unlimited times with same expanding symbol, extending big-win potential
- Gamble feature (50% for 2x, 25% for 4x) offers mathematically fair risk-reward on any win
❌ Cons
- Multiple RTP versions (96.21% down to 84.18%)—always verify before playing to avoid severely nerfed configurations
- High volatility with estimated 1 in 100-150 spin feature frequency requires substantial bankroll for extended sessions
- Only 10 paylines vs modern 243+ ways slots, limiting base game win potential and coverage
- Random expanding symbol selection means frequent disappointment when low-paying royals are chosen instead of Rich Wilde
- 5,000x max win lower than modern high-volatility alternatives like Wanted Dead or a Wild (12,500x)
Conclusion
Book of Dead remains a masterclass in elegant slot design nearly a decade after its 2016 release. The expanding symbol mechanic that pays scatter-style (no adjacency required) creates genuine excitement during free spins, and the dual-purpose Book symbol maintains a 31% hit frequency despite high volatility. When Rich Wilde is chosen as your expanding symbol and fills all five reels, the 5,000x max win feels genuinely earned rather than a random number generator gift.
However, the RTP variance (96.21% down to 84.18%) remains inexcusable—always verify your version before playing. The estimated 1-in-100-to-150-spin feature frequency demands patience and a substantial bankroll (100-200x your bet size minimum). Best suited for players who appreciate classic high-volatility gameplay, don’t mind extended feature droughts, and want a slot that rewards patience with genuinely explosive bonus rounds. Just make sure you’re playing the 96.21% version, or walk away.
FAQs
Set your bet ($0.01-$100) and choose how many of the 10 paylines to activate (all 10 recommended). Spin the 5×3 grid and land 3+ matching symbols left to right on active paylines to win. The golden Book acts as both Wild (substitutes for all symbols) and Scatter (3+ anywhere trigger 10 free spins with a randomly chosen expanding symbol). After any win, you can optionally gamble by guessing card color (2x) or suit (4x).
Default RTP is 96.21%, but Play’n GO offers versions down to 94.25%, 91.25%, 87.25%, and 84.18%—always check the game info screen before playing. Volatility is high with approximately 31% hit frequency (about 1 win every 3 spins). The estimated free spins trigger rate is roughly 1 in 100-150 spins, creating extended droughts between features but explosive potential during bonus rounds.
When 3+ Book symbols trigger free spins, one regular symbol is randomly chosen to expand during the 10-spin bonus. Whenever that chosen symbol lands, it expands vertically to fill entire reels after standard wins are paid, then pays scatter-style (no adjacency required). For example, if Rich Wilde is chosen and lands on reels 1, 3, and 5, he expands to fill those reels completely and pays as if connected. Landing the expanding symbol on all 5 reels creates maximum win potential.
The maximum win is 5,000x your total bet, capped regardless of how many times you retrigger free spins. This is typically achieved when Rich Wilde (the highest-paying symbol at 5,000 coins for 5-of-a-kind) is selected as the expanding symbol and lands on all 5 reels during a single free spin, filling the screen completely. On a $1 bet, the max win is $5,000.
Yes, landing 3+ Book symbols anywhere during free spins awards an additional 10 free spins with the same expanding symbol that was originally chosen. You can retrigger unlimited times, though the maximum total win remains capped at 5,000x your bet. Each retrigger also pays the standard scatter amount: 2x (3 Books), 20x (4 Books), or 200x (5 Books) your total bet.
The gamble feature is mathematically fair (no house edge): guessing card color is exactly 50% for 2x, guessing suit is exactly 25% for 4x. However, the risk compounds over multiple gambles—five successful color guesses in a row has just a 3.125% success rate. Use it conservatively on smaller wins where doubling feels worth the risk, but always collect large wins rather than gambling them away. One wrong guess loses everything.
Book of Dead has simple mechanics (just one main feature), making it easy to understand. However, high volatility and estimated 1-in-100-to-150-spin feature frequency make it challenging for beginners with small bankrolls. If you’re new to slots, start with minimum bets ($0.01-$0.10) and budget 100-200x your bet size for a session. The frequent small wins (31% hit rate) help extend playtime, but expect long stretches between meaningful features.
Yes, Book of Dead is fully optimized for mobile play on smartphones and tablets (Android, iOS) via HTML5 with no download required. Play’n GO designed the game to work identically across desktop and mobile, with touch-friendly controls, properly scaled graphics, and all features (including the gamble feature) functioning perfectly. Both portrait and landscape orientations are supported.