Book of Dead Slot Review (Play’n GO)

Book of Dead is the game that made Play’n GO a household name — an Egyptian adventure with explorer Rich Wilde that has become one of the most-played slots on earth. It’s a 10-line, high-volatility slot rather than a 76-payline game, but it’s a staple in every casino you’ll find in our rankings, and it’s the perfect high-risk counterpoint to the steady 76-line style.

Book of Dead at a glance

How Book of Dead plays

Across 5 reels and 10 adjustable paylines, Book of Dead is a classic “book” slot: the golden Book of Dead acts as both wild and scatter, and everything hinges on triggering the free-spins round. The base game is deliberately lean — this is a slot that saves almost all its firepower for the bonus.

Free spins and the expanding symbol

Land three or more Books anywhere to trigger 10 free spins. Before they begin, one regular symbol is chosen at random to become the expanding symbol: whenever it appears during the bonus, it expands to fill the entire reel and pays on any line it covers. If the high-value Rich Wilde symbol gets selected and lands well, that’s how you reach the game’s 5,000x max win. It’s all-or-nothing, and that’s the appeal.

RTP & volatility

The default RTP is 96.21%, but Book of Dead is notorious for lower-RTP builds (down to around 92%), so checking the paytable here is essential. The high volatility means long dry spells punctuated by potentially huge bonus hits — the opposite of a low-variance 76-line grinder. Read our RTP & volatility guide before you dive in.

How it relates to 76-payline slots

Book of Dead sits at the opposite end of the spectrum from a 76-payline slot: fewer lines, far higher volatility, and its payouts concentrated in one big bonus rather than spread across constant line hits. That makes it a great change of pace. Spin a low-variance 76-line game like Dazzle Me for steady sessions, and save Book of Dead for when you want to gamble on a big free-spins hit.

Verdict

A modern classic that earns its popularity — tense, high-stakes and capable of paying big from a single expanding symbol. Just watch the RTP version at your casino, and treat its high volatility with respect.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the max win on Book of Dead?

5,000x your stake, achieved when the top-paying expanding symbol fills the reels during free spins.

Does Book of Dead have different RTP versions?

Yes — the full-fat version is 96.21%, but casinos can run builds as low as ~92%. Always confirm the figure in the game’s info screen.

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