- Studio
- Play'n GO
- RTP
- 96.21%
- Layout
- 5 reels, 10 paylines
- Volatility
- High
- Maximum win
- 5,000x the bet
- Free spins
- 10, from 3 scatters
- Released
- 14 January 2016
Figures from the official Play'n GO game page, checked 11 October 2026. Casinos can run a different RTP setting, so check the game info screen where you play.
How Book of Dead works
The full name is Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead. It is a classic five-reel slot with 10 paylines, and the whole game centres on the Expanding Symbol in the free spins. Play'n GO released it in January 2016, and it has stayed in casino lobbies ever since because the rules are simple and the bonus round can pay very large amounts from a small number of symbols. The book is both the wild and the scatter.
Symbols and paylines
The high symbols are Rich Wilde himself, Anubis, the pharaoh and the Horus bird, with card values as the low symbols. Wins run along the 10 paylines from the left. In the base game the book substitutes for any symbol as a wild, and three or more books anywhere on the reels trigger the bonus. Base-game line wins are small, and the game is open about that: the design puts almost everything into the free spins.
The free spins round
Three scatter symbols unlock ten free spins. Before they begin, one ordinary symbol is chosen at random to be the Special Expanding Symbol for the whole sequence. After regular wins are paid, it may expand to cover all three positions on its reel. It only expands when that creates a win along an active payline, and expanded symbols do not need to sit next to each other to form a winning combination. Which symbol is chosen decides the round.
Retriggers
Three or more scatters during the free spins award another 10 free spins, and the expanding symbol stays the same for the added spins. A retrigger during a round with a high expanding symbol is the best outcome in the game. Play'n GO lists the maximum win as 5,000x the bet, which is reached through expanded high symbols across all five reels.
What to watch in the demo
Note which symbol is chosen before each round. A high symbol and a low symbol turn the same ten spins into very different results. Also count how many spins pass between bonus triggers. The gap is long, which is the price of a round that can pay 5,000x.
Who the game suits
Book of Dead is a high-volatility slot with a quiet base game and a bonus that does all the work. It suits players who are comfortable with long dry spells for the chance of a large round. The 10-payline layout makes it one of the easiest slots to read, so it also works as an introduction to how expanding symbols behave.
Book of Dead and the Rich Wilde series
Play'n GO built a series of adventure slots around Rich Wilde, and this Egyptian entry is the one that made the character famous. Legacy of Dead, also on this site, is the studio's later Egyptian title and the closest relative in look. Legacy of Egypt is a different design from the same studio, with a wheel that sets the number of free spins and a multiplier that changes on every spin. If you like the expanding-symbol idea, play the demos of all three and the differences show quickly.
Questions about Book of Dead
What is the RTP of Book of Dead?
The figure held on this page is 96.21%. Play'n GO offers several RTP settings for this game, so check the information panel at the casino where you play.
How do the free spins work?
Three book scatters award 10 free spins. One symbol is chosen at random to expand across its reel whenever that creates a line win, and it pays on all lines.
Can the free spins be retriggered?
Yes. Three or more scatters during the round award 10 more spins with the same expanding symbol.
When was Book of Dead released?
Play'n GO's official page lists 14 January 2016.
Verdict
Book of Dead is a decade old and still the reference point for expanding-symbol slots. The base game is thin and the bonus is everything, which makes it a high-swing choice. The demo shows the shape of it quickly: long waits, then a round whose value depends almost entirely on which symbol the book picks.
Play Book of Dead for real
The demo above is the full game with play money. To play Book of Dead for real, pick a casino from our best online casinos list, or a free-to-play social casino if you are in the US. Every casino we list is reviewed and carries its own bonus terms.
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