Provider: Play 'n GO
Reviewed by: Chris Taylor
Play 'n GO
Ancient Egypt
96.21%
High
5
10
10p to £100
5,000x
NA
14th Jan 2016
Created by Play ‘n GO in January 2016, the Book of Dead slot is one of the most played and popular online slot games ever made. With 5 reels and 10 paylines, you follow explorer Rich Wilde on a quest for hidden riches.
Playable from just 10p per spin on all devices including smartphones, the focus is the Free Spins feature where you begin with 10 free spins and a special expanding symbol. When the latter appears, it expands to take over the reels it appears on. Leading to 5,000 times bet maximum wins on each free spin, you can retrigger the feature for unlimited free spins.
With an RTP rate of up to 96.21%, Book of Dead can be played at all online slot sites in the UK. There’s also an abundance of free spins offers on this classic game. Find out why in our in-depth Book of Dead review.
If you’re an experienced player and want to know where best to play Book of Dead, you’ll be happy to learn that many top casino sites have welcome offers involving free spins on this Play ‘n GO classic. Below are 5 top free spins offers you can claim right away:
| Casino Site | Offer |
|---|---|
| Duelz | 100% Bonus up to £100 + 100 Book of Dead free spins |
| PeachyGames | 100% Bonus up to £50 + 20 Book of Dead bonus spins |
| Casushi | 100% Bonus up to £50 + 50 Book of Dead bonus spins |
| Kwiff | Up to 200 Book of Dead free spins |
| Fruit Kings | £100 Bonus up to £50 + 100 Book of Dead bonus spins |
The Book of Dead slot uses 5 reels, 3 rows and 10 paylines. You have the option to play with 1 to 10 paylines too. With any option, landing 3 or more matching symbols across a payline will reward you with a winning outcome. Symbols need to appear on successive reels and beginning from the far-left reel (i.e. reel 1). With the 4 highest-value symbols, 2 or more are required.
When it comes to playing Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, the bet limits range from 10p to £100 a spin. Being an older slot game, the interface isn’t as slick as newer releases. To change your stake, use the plus/minus arrows on the Coins area and the Coin Value. On mobile devices, use the 3 lines icon.
Non-UK players can opt for Auto Play which allows up to 100 auto spins with balance and single-win limits. There’s also a Fast Play option (lightning bolt icon) for quicker spins.
With the RTP rate ranging from 96.21% to 84.18%, make sure to check the game’s Paytable.
In terms of returns, the Book of Dead RTP rate is 96.21%. Above the industry average of 96%, this is the highest RTP setting produced by developer Play ‘n GO. In fact, there are 5 RTP versions for this cult favourite: 94.25%, 91.25%, 87.25% and 84.18%. Check the RTP you’re playing with by opening Book of Dead’s Paytable.
Moving on, the Book of Dead volatility or variance is in the high category. With smaller wins on offer most of the time, big wins are certainly possible but will be hard to come by. There is no hit frequency rate information, unfortunately.
As for payouts, the Book of Dead slot can award max wins of 5,000 times your total bet. This can be achieved by filling all reel positions with the Rich Wilde symbol and can occur during a base game or free spin. Finally, the max win probability is 1 in 3.75 million spins.
| Slot Review Game Data | |
|---|---|
| Studio | Play 'n GO |
| Theme | Ancient Egyptian |
| RTP % | 96.21% | 94.25% | 91.25% | 87.25% | 84.18% |
| Volatility | High |
| Reels | 5 |
| Paylines | 10 |
| Stake Range | 10p to £100 |
| Max Win | 5,000 x Bet |
| Hit Frequency Rate | NA |
| Bonus Features | 2 |
| Release Date | 14th of January 2016 |
Chris Taylor
The king of slots
With an ancient Egyptian theme, the Book of Dead slot game is about Rich Wilde’s most famous expedition to this mythical underworld. Having featured in the Pearls of India and Aztec Idols slots, this time he journeys to the sands of ancient Egypt in search of the elusive book.
Set in an ancient burial chamber, the graphics are high-definition and enchanting. With a ritual-like soundtrack which sets the tone, you’ll see A, K, Q, J and 10 royal symbols on the reels. The higher value symbols include falcon god Horus, god of death Anubis, god of the afterlife and fertility Osiris and intrepid explorer Rich Wilde.
Rich Wilde is a handsome chap who will stop at nothing to uncover hidden treasures. The Rich Wilde symbol pays the most awarding 500 times your total bet for 5 across any payline.
In terms of special symbols, there is the Tomb symbol which is both the Wild and Scatter. Substituting for paying symbols above, 3, 4 or 5 in combination pays 2, 20 or 200 times your total bet. 3 or more will activate the Free Spins feature which is described in more detail further down our Book of Dead review. Finally, here is a list of all symbol payouts:
Book of Dead may have been released back in January 2016 but it uses HTML5 technology so it’s compatible with laptop, PC, MAC, mobile and tablet devices. Available to play on iOS and Android smartphones, the mobile version is easier on the eye than the desktop version. Changing your bet is simpler too with all bet options available via the 3 lines icon. This makes it perfect for playing at the best mobile casino sites.
With 2 bonus features, the Book of Dead online slot focuses on just the Free Spins feature. Beginning with 10 free spins, there’s a randomly chosen special expanding symbol which can lead to 5,000 x bet wins on every free spin.
When you land a winning combination, there is an optional Gamble feature you can use. Press/click on the ‘Gamble’ button to initiate the feature.
Your aim is the correctly guess the colour or suit of the face-down card. If you guess the colour correctly, you’ll double your prize. It’s quadruple your prize if you correctly guess the suit. Finally, you can game up to 5 times in succession and up to a limit of 500 times your total bet.
The Free Spins feature is activated when 3 or more Tomb Wild/Scatter symbols land anywhere during a base game spin. With a payout of 2, 20 or 200 times your total bet awarded, you’ll also receive 10 free spins.
Before the free spins play out, the Book of Dead appears with a symbol on each of the pages. The pages will start turning to reveal the feature’s special expanding symbol. When this chosen symbol appears on the reels, it will expand to take over the whole reel it appears on. This occurs when a winning combination will occur.
Your win potential per free spin depends on the value of the special expanding symbol. If you were to get the Q, J or 10 royal, maximum wins of 100 times your total bet are possible per free spin. Land Rich Wilde and wins of up to 5,000 times your total bet are possible. Below is an image showing the maximum payout per special expanding symbol (by filling all 5 reels):
If you land 3 or more Tomb Wild/Scatter symbols during a free spin, you’ll retrigger the feature with an additional 10 free spins awarded. In fact, you can retrigger unlimited times for infinite free spins in theory.
The Book of Dead slot is arguably the most popular online slot game around. Inspired by Novomatic’s Book of Ra Deluxe, Play ‘n GO’s flagship title has become the benchmark for ‘Book of’ and ancient Egyptian-themed slots.
Superbly designed, the gameplay is rather simple. With an optional Gamble feature for up to 500 times bet wins, the focus is entirely on the Free Spins feature. Your success is determined by which symbol is chosen to act as the special expanding symbol. If it’s the Rich Wild symbol, for example, landing 1 of him on each of the 5 reels will result in a 5,000-times bet payout.
The maximum win (of 5,000 x bet) can be achieved by filling the reels with Rich Wilde symbols but it’s much more feasible if the infamous explorer is the special expanding symbol.
With an RTP rate of up to 96.21%, it’s important to check which setting you’re playing at. This is because the RTP can be as low as 84.18%!
In conclusion, the Book of Dead slot is a must for players. Offering smooth gameplay, a simple yet engaging bonus feature and 5,000 times bet max wins, it’s a slot game that has stood the test of time since its release in early 2016. What I’m surprise about is that Play ‘n GO haven’t revamped the game to include a Bonus Buy element for non-UK players.
Arguably the most popular and famous of slot characters, Rich Wilde features in many Play ‘n GO slots. These include previous releases Pearls of India and Aztel Idols as well as other ancient Egyptian adventures.
Rich has been around so long that his daughter Cat Wilde has grown up and gone on adventures of her own. Below is a table highlighting the slot games you’ll see either of Rich or Cat in:
| Slot Game | Reels | Paylines | RTP | Max Win | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aztec Idols | 5 | 15 | 96.65% | 5,000 x | 31/12/2013 |
| Pearls of India | 5 | 20 | 96.25% | 10,000 x | 08/10/2014 |
| Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness | 5x5 | Cluster Pays | 96.59% | 2,000 x | 27/06/2019 |
| Rich Wilde and the Shield of Athena | 5 | 10 | 96.25% | 10,000 x | 05/05/2020 |
| Cat Wilde and the Doom of Dead | 5 | 10 | 96.29% | 5,000 x | 25/06/2020 |
| Cat Wilde in the Eclipse of the Sun | 5 | 20 | 96.22% | 5,500 x | 04/02/2021 |
| Rich Wilde and Amulet of Dead | 5 | 10 | 96.29% | 5,000 x | 01/04/2021 |
| Rich Wilde and the Wandering City | 5 | 243 | 96.20% | 10,000 x | 18/11/2021 |
| Cat Wilde and the Lost Chapter | 5 | 10 | 96.20% | 10,000 x | 10/02/2022 |
| Cat Wilde and the Pyramids of Dead | 5 | 10 | 96.20% | 10,000 x | 23/06/2022 |
| Cat Wilde and the Incan Quest | 5 | 10 | 96.20% | 10,000 x | 08/02/2024 |
With Book of Ra Deluxe (Novomatic) paving the way for ‘Book of’ slots, Book of Dead cemented the popular bonus feature concept into slot folklore. As a result, Play ‘n GO has created various ancient Egyptian-themed slots which are variations of the above. Legacy of Dead is the most popular with a 96.58% RTP rate and up to 9 special expanding symbols.
Other studios/slot providers have jumped on the bandwagon which has helped take the ‘Book of’ concept further. Here are a few you should consider playing:
| Slot Game | Studio | Reels | Paylines | RTP | Max Win | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy of Dead | Play ‘n GO | 5 | 10 | 96.58% | 5,000 x | 02/01/2020 |
| Book of Shadows | Nolimit City | 5 | 10-20 | 96.01% | 30,338 x | 20/08/2020 |
| Book of 99 | Relax Gaming | 5 | 10 | 99% | 5,000 x | 04/05/2021 |
| Book of Mega Moolah | Games Global | 5 | 10 | 92.01% | Progressive | 27/09/2023 |
The Book of Dead slot review was written by Chris Taylor from our OLBG Expert team who has written over 10,000 slot game reviews in an iGaming career spanning over 2 decades. It was then verified by Jenny Mason, our prime Slot reviewer who has 17+ years in online gambling, top UK brands.
Jenny Mason
Slots content manager
Book of Dead FAQs
Book of Dead can uncover maximum wins of 5,000 times your total bet per spin or free spin. This is achieved by landing a screen full of Rich Wilde symbols.
The Book of Dead RTP is 96.21%. However, Play ‘n GO has created various RTP settings: 94.25%, 91.25%, 87.25% and 84.18%.
You can play Book of Dead from as little as 10p per spin to as much as £100 a spin. Some online casinos will set the maximum bet at £50 or even £20 per spin.
The Book of Dead demo version is available to play here at OLBG. This allows you to experience this must-play game for free before deciding where to play for real money.
Book of Dead was released on the 14th of January 2016 by the reputable studio Play ‘n GO. It has gone on to become one of the most online slot games ever.
The Book of Dead slot is available at nearly all online casinos and slot sites. The good news is that many casinos offer Book of Dead free spins as part of their welcome offer.