Book of Dead Slot 2026 - Full Review & Gameplay

Book of Dead

Book of Dead is a 5-reel slot built around a Free Spins feature where one regular symbol is selected as a Special Expanding Symbol for the entire bonus. This review focuses on the game's stated rules: how line wins are paid, how the Scatter works, how Free Spins and expansion behave, and what the optional Gamble feature does.

Released: January 14, 2016
Book of Dead
Game Provider
Play'n GO
Themes
Adventure
RTP
96.21%
Paylines
10 (adjustable)
Volatility
High
Max Win
Up to 5,000x stake

Pros

  • High RTP: Common version is 96.21%, above industry average.
  • Strong theme: Ancient Egyptian adventure with Rich Wilde character.
  • Expanding symbols: Free spins feature can produce big wins.
  • Adjustable paylines: Players can choose 1-10 lines in many casinos.

Cons

  • High volatility: Wins are less frequent but larger.
  • RTP varies: Versions with lower RTP exist (down to 84%).
  • Simple mechanics: Only core features - may feel basic vs modern Megaways slots.

Interesting Facts

  • Book of Dead is one of the most downloaded and played online slots globally, often topping popularity lists.
  • The Book symbol acts as both wild and scatter, triggering the free spins and paying in both roles.
  • During free spins, a random Expanding Symbol fills reels and can drastically boost payouts.
  • The game has multiple RTP versions, meaning casino choice can affect long‑term return.

Game Overview & How It Pays

Book of Dead runs on 5 reels with up to 10 selectable paylines. Wins pay left to right from the leftmost reel. Only the highest win per selected line is paid; wins on different lines are added together. Symbol wins (except Scatters) are multiplied by the bet staked per line.

Game Screen and Controls

Book of Dead interface showing coin value, coins per line, 10 lines, and Spin button
Main interface: line selection (1-10), coin value, coins per line, Spin, Bet Max, Paytable, Auto Play.

Controls: lines (1-10), coin value, coins per line, Bet Max, Spin, Auto Play, Fast Play. Autoplay may be restricted by operator or jurisdiction.

Scatter (Tomb) - Pays Anywhere and Acts as Wild

Book of Dead Free Spins rules screen - Tomb Scatter trigger and payout multipliers
The Tomb Scatter triggers Free Spins, pays anywhere on the reels, and substitutes as a Wild.

The Tomb Scatter has two roles: it pays anywhere (not tied to paylines) and acts as a Wild. Scatter wins are multiplied by the total bet staked and added to any payline wins from the same round.

  • 3 Scatters => x2 total bet
  • 4 Scatters => x20 total bet
  • 5 Scatters => x200 total bet

Free Spins Bonus Feature

Book of Dead Free Spins start screen - selected special expanding symbol
At the start of Free Spins, one regular symbol is randomly chosen as the Special Expanding Symbol for the entire sequence.

Landing 3+ Tomb Scatters triggers 10 Free Spins. During Free Spins, 3+ Scatters retrigger and award a further 10 Free Spins.

Special Expanding Symbol: Before the sequence begins, one regular symbol is randomly chosen as the Expanding Symbol for the entire Free Spins run. It may expand to cover all three positions on its reel - only when additional prizes can be awarded. In Free Spins, expanding wins allow gaps between reels.

Payline Example

Book of Dead payline highlight showing a paid win across reels
Payline wins evaluated left to right on active lines; only the highest win per line is paid.

Symbols and Paytable

Book of Dead high symbol paytable - Rich Wilde, Pharaoh, Anubis, Bird payouts
High-value symbols: Rich Wilde (5,000x per-line bet for 5-of-a-kind), Pharaoh (2,000x), Anubis & Bird (750x).
Book of Dead low symbol paytable - A, K, Q, J, 10 payouts
Low-value symbols (A, K, Q, J, 10) - all pay from 3-of-a-kind upwards, multiplied by bet per line.

Gamble Feature

Book of Dead gamble screen - colour (50%) and suit (25%) options
Gamble option: guess colour (50% chance) for x2, or suit (25% chance) for x4.

After any win, the optional Gamble round lets you risk the current win:

  • Guess colour (50%) => x2
  • Guess suit (25%) => x4
  • Gamble does not impact overall RTP per the rules
  • Gamble is disabled during Auto Play

Where To Play Book of Dead For Real Money?

Finding a safe, licensed casino to play Book of Dead for real money is important. Below is a casino that carries this Play'n GO title with a welcome bonus.

Welcome Bonus
7.3 / 10
MostBet Logo

150% First Deposit Bonus
+ 250 Free Spins

Min. deposit amount - $10. Bonus for the deposit amount - 150%. Max. bonus amount - $1,000. Bonus wager - 50. Bonus wagering - In casino games. Free spins - 250. Depositing of free spins by days - 50, 50, 50, 50, 50.
Welcome Deposit Bonuses
6.5 / 10
1Win Logo

Up to 600% Bonuses
+ 500 Free Spins

1st deposit 130% + 70FS, 2nd deposit 140% + 100FS, 3rd deposit 160% + 150FS, 4th deposit 170% + 180FS. The bonus is only available to new players.
First Deposit Bonus
6.5 / 10
Pin-Up Logo

Up to 140% Bonus
+ 100 Free Spins

New players only!

Book of Dead Demo Game

Try the Book of Dead demo to see the Expanding Symbol in action during Free Spins, observe how the Tomb Scatter pays anywhere, and test the Gamble feature - all without risk.

Comparison With Other Slots

Parameter Book of Dead Starburst Mega Joker
Provider Play'n GO NetEnt NetEnt
Release Date January 14, 2016 January 23, 2012 October 1, 2008
Theme Adventure Space Gems Classic Fruit
Layout 5x3 reels 5x3 reels 3x3 reels/rows
Pay system Paylines: 10 adjustable Paylines: 10 fixed (win both ways) Paylines: 5 fixed
RTP 96.21% 96.08% 99.00%
Volatility High Low High
Max win 5,000x 800x 200x bet (base) + progressive jackpot
Bonus trigger 3 scatters => 10 free spins No free spins bonus (expanding wild respins) Win in basic mode => option to enter Supermeter mode
Signature mechanic Free Spins with a chosen expanding symbol Expanding Wilds that trigger respins Supermeter mode + mystery wins + progressive jackpot

Provider

Book of Dead Play'n GO
Starburst NetEnt
Mega Joker NetEnt

Release Date

Book of Dead January 14, 2016
Starburst January 23, 2012
Mega Joker October 1, 2008

Theme

Book of Dead Adventure (Ancient Egypt)
Starburst Space gems
Mega Joker Classic fruit / retro casino

Layout

Book of Dead 5x3 reels
Starburst 5x3 reels
Mega Joker 3x3 reels/rows

Pay system

Book of Dead Paylines: 10 adjustable
Starburst Paylines: 10 fixed (win both ways)
Mega Joker Paylines: 5 fixed

RTP

Book of Dead 96.21%
Starburst 96.08%
Mega Joker 99.00%

Volatility

Book of Dead High

Max win

Book of Dead 5,000x
Mega Joker 200x bet (base) + progressive jackpot

Bonus trigger

Book of Dead 3 scatters => 10 free spins
Starburst No free spins bonus (expanding wild respins)
Mega Joker Win in basic mode => option to enter Supermeter mode

Signature mechanic

Book of Dead Free Spins with a chosen expanding symbol
Starburst Expanding Wilds that trigger respins
Mega Joker Supermeter mode + mystery wins + progressive jackpot

Book of Dead FAQ

Common questions about rules, triggers, and game mechanics.

Landing 3 or more Tomb Scatter symbols triggers 10 Free Spins.

Yes. Landing 3+ Scatters during Free Spins awards an additional 10 Free Spins.

Before Free Spins start, one regular symbol is selected as the Special Expanding Symbol for the entire bonus. It expands to fill all three reel positions only when this creates additional prizes along active paylines.

The expanding symbol can form paid combinations even if the symbols are not fully adjacent - gaps between reels are allowed in Free Spins.

No. The Tomb Scatter also pays anywhere and acts as Wild. Scatter wins are multiplied by total bet.

Up to 10 selectable paylines.

The rules state the Gamble feature does not impact overall RTP, but changes short-term variance by risking existing wins.

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Book of Dead Rating Method

Here you will find out how Book of Dead was scored. Find out more about scoring methodology here: How We Rate Casino Games.

Game Mathematics

Weight 30%
Avg Score 8.5
Weighted Result 2.55

Feature Depth

Weight 20%
Avg Score 7.5
Weighted Result 1.50

Design & UX

Weight 15%
Avg Score 6.5
Weighted Result 0.98

Market Position

Weight 15%
Avg Score 9.0
Weighted Result 1.35

Risk Profile

Weight 10%
Avg Score 6.5
Weighted Result 0.65

Technical Integrity

Weight 10%
Avg Score 9.0
Weighted Result 0.90
Section Weight Avg Score Weighted Result
Game Mathematics 30% 8.5 2.55
Feature Depth 20% 7.5 1.50
Design & UX 15% 6.5 0.98
Market Position 15% 9.0 1.35
Risk Profile 10% 6.5 0.65
Technical Integrity 10% 9.0 0.90

Final Rating = 7.93 / 10

Solid but replaceable

About The Author

Ivan Rodeo, Slots.Rodeo author
Ivan Rodeo

I review online gambling content with a mechanics-first approach: how games pay, what the paytable/rules actually state, and what the client discloses about RTP/volatility/limits. For casino reviews, I focus on licensing and ownership disclosures, payment/withdrawal terms, country restrictions, and responsible gambling tools. Reviews follow a fixed method:

  • Verify core rules in the in-game paytable/rules (symbol rules, bonus triggers, feature conditions) or in official casino terms (licenses, limits, withdrawals).
  • Capture primary evidence (screenshots from a demo/client UI, or the casino's published terms pages) and use it as the main reference.
  • Cross-check key details against provider documentation and regulator/licence records when available.
  • Separate confirmed facts from interpretation (what is stated vs what a player should realistically expect).
Published: | Updated:

Verification note: This page's mechanics, RTP/volatility label, and bet limits are taken from the in-game rules screens shown on this page.

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