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Book of Dead

RTP 94.20% Pay-Lines 10 Reel Layout 5 Minimum Bet Amount US$ 0.1 Maximum Bet Amount US$ 100
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Written by
Andrew B.
Photo of Andrew B.
Written by Andrew B.

Book of Dead Slot Review

Important: You must be 21+ and in a regulated US state to play real-money online slots. Gambling involves financial risk; only wager what you can afford to lose. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER (or your local helpline).

Affiliate disclosure: bonus.com works with licensed US online casinos. When you click on a partner link and sign up, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Our reviews are independent and based on our own analysis.

Book of Dead from Play'n GO is an Egyptian-themed online slot that has become a reference point for “book-style” games. With a classic grid of 5 reels and 3 rows, 10 paylines, and a volatility profile listed as high, it aims to balance traditional slot gameplay with high-end win potential up to 5000xx your stake.

If you’re the kind of player who enjoys high-risk, high-reward action in games like Book of Ra Deluxe (Novomatic), Cleopatra (IGT), or John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen (Pragmatic Play), Book of Dead will likely sit right in your wheelhouse.




Graphics & Presentation

Book of Dead background

Book of Dead leans into the classic “ancient tomb” look that many US players will recognize from land-based slots. The reels sit against stone walls etched with hieroglyphs, framed by golden accents and warm, desert-style lighting. The overall effect is immersive without being cluttered, which makes long sessions easier on the eyes.

Symbol design typically follows the genre formula: low-paying card ranks alongside higher-paying gods, artifacts, and an explorer-style premium symbol. Where Book of Dead stands out is in the polish—sharp symbol artwork, smooth reel animations, and a soundtrack that blends suspenseful strings with subtle ambient effects. It feels more cinematic than older titles like Cleopatra, whose visuals show their age even if the math model still appeals.

Compared with Book of Ra Deluxe, which retains a fairly barebones, retro aesthetic, Book of Dead offers a more modern interface and cleaner HUD, while still keeping controls straightforward.

Overall Verdict

  • <strong>Simple, focused mechanics:</strong> One main bonus feature concentrates the excitement without overwhelming you with side games.
  • <strong>Strong audiovisuals:</strong> Compared with pioneers like Book of Ra Deluxe and Cleopatra, Book of Dead feels substantially more modern.
  • <strong>Competitive RTP:</strong> 94.20% positions it favorably against many legacy Egyptian slots, though some newer titles can edge it out.
  • <strong>High volatility risk:</strong> Long cold streaks are common; bankroll management is critical.
  • <strong>Limited feature variety:</strong> If you enjoy multi-layered bonus systems, money collects, or cascading reels, you may find Book of Dead a little one-note compared with Scarab Queen or more modern adventure slots.

User Reviews & Community Sentiment

Player feedback on Book of Dead is generally positive, especially among fans of high-risk, high-reward slots.

  • Average user rating: 4.8 / 10 (based on + reviews across major review portals and forums)

Common positives

  • Atmospheric Egyptian theme and well-produced soundtrack.
  • Simple mechanics that are easy to pick up.
  • High-end win potential in the main bonus feature.

Common criticisms

  • Long dry spells in the base game, especially at higher stakes.
  • Some players feel the game is too dependent on a single, hard-to-trigger bonus round.
  • Lack of additional side features compared with newer adventure slots.

When reading user reviews, remember survivorship bias: big winners post more often than players who had average or losing sessions. Use community feedback to understand game feel and variance—not as evidence of likely outcomes.


Play responsibly: Set deposit, loss, and time limits; avoid playing when stressed or chasing losses; and consider using the responsible gambling tools available at all legal US online casinos. For support, contact 1-800-GAMBLER or visit your state’s problem gambling resource center.

How to Play Book of Dead

Despite its reputation among more experienced slot players, Book of Dead is mechanically simple and a good example of how classic online slots work.

Step-by-step setup

  1. Choose your stake: Use the plus and minus controls to set a total bet between US$ 0.1 and US$ 100 per spin (or your local currency equivalent).
  2. Check paylines and info: 5 reels and 10 paylines mean wins typically pay left-to-right for matching symbols on adjacent reels, starting from reel 1.
  3. Review the paytable: The “i” or paytable button explains symbol values, feature rules, and the game’s theoretical return to player (RTP) of 94.20%.
  4. Choose spin mode: Hit the main spin button for manual play, or enable auto play if is supported in your jurisdiction and under your casino’s settings.

Controls at a glance

  • Spin: Starts a single round at the current bet.
  • Auto play: If available, lets you preset a number of spins and loss/win limits. This can be useful but does not change the RTP or odds.
  • Settings: Adjust sound, speed, and sometimes quick-spin or space-bar play.

Like all licensed online slots, results are determined by a random number generator (RNG). There is no skill element: switching bet sizes or using “systems” cannot change the underlying house edge.

RTP and Variance

The theoretical RTP of Book of Dead is 94.20%, which represents the long-term average return over millions of spins, not what any individual player should expect on a given session. Some operators can legally offer alternative RTP settings, so always double-check the in-game help screen at your chosen US online casino.

The volatility level is listed as high. In practical terms:

  • Low volatility slots pay smaller amounts more frequently.
  • High volatility slots can produce long dry spells, but the bonus features are capable of much bigger hits.

Book of Dead is typically compared to other Egyptian-themed games:

  • Book of Ra Deluxe (Novomatic): Runs with a slightly lower RTP (around 95.1%) and high volatility, favoring fewer but heavier bonus hits.
  • Cleopatra (IGT): Advertises ~95.02% RTP with medium volatility and a higher max win cap of 10,000x, making it more balanced but less spiky than many “book” slots.
  • John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen (Pragmatic Play): Sits at ~96.5% RTP with medium volatility and a 10,500x max win, aiming for more frequent feature triggers via its Money Collect mechanic.

Book of Dead generally positions itself as a classic, higher-risk real money slot than Cleopatra, with a math model closer to Book of Ra Deluxe but a somewhat more player-friendly RTP profile. That makes bankroll management crucial.

How to Win on Book of Dead

There’s no way to beat the RNG, but you can understand how Book of Dead pays and structure your play accordingly.

Base game payouts

  • Standard wins are awarded for landing enough matching symbols across active paylines, starting from the leftmost reel.
  • Premium character symbols usually pay for 2-of-a-kind and up, while low-value card ranks require 3 or more.
  • The highest symbol(s) on the paytable can deliver the headline payout of up to 5000xx your stake if you land a full-screen or top-line combination.

Practical tips (not strategies)

  • Size your bankroll: On high games, consider 100–200 spins’ worth of budget if you want a realistic shot at seeing the main bonus feature.
  • Avoid chasing losses: Streaks—good or bad—are normal variance, not patterns you can exploit.
  • Stick to licensed US sites: This ensures audited RNGs and clear disclosure of RTP and game rules.

Compared to John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen, where frequent Money Collect features can chip away at losses, Book of Dead tends to concentrate a lot of its return in a single bonus feature, which means more “all or nothing” sessions.

Bonuses & Special Features

The bonus design in Book of Dead follows the classic “book-slot” template that many players now expect: a main free spins feature that can unlock the game’s top win potential, with a relatively straightforward base game.

In contrast, competitors layer on more complex mechanics:

  • John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen uses a multi-mode Money Collect feature (standard, extra credit, multiplier, expanding, respin), turning scattered symbols into instant cash wins.
  • Cleopatra relies more on traditional wild multipliers and a basic free spins round that triples line wins, with no expanding symbols or gamble features.

If you prefer clean, easy-to-understand gameplay with one powerful bonus rather than a tangle of mini-features, Book of Dead will feel more focused than many modern slots—but also less varied over long sessions.

Top Wins & Payout Potential

The maximum theoretical payout in Book of Dead is 5000xx your stake. This top end is usually only achievable in the main bonus round and requires a perfect alignment of high-paying symbols.

For context:

  • Book of Ra Deluxe: Top wins are around 10,000x with ideal full-screen premium setups.
  • Cleopatra: Caps out at 10,000x, typically via a full grid of wilds during free spins.
  • John Hunter – Tomb of the Scarab Queen: Advertised max win of 10,500x, thanks to high-value Money symbols plus multipliers.

That puts Book of Dead in the same ballpark as its main rivals, though not necessarily the absolute highest ceiling. In practical terms, most real sessions will land far below those theoretical caps; they’re best treated as marketing benchmarks rather than realistic targets.

Disclaimer: Past big-win screenshots and stream clips are not predictive. Every spin is independent, and there is no guarantee you will ever see a top win, even over many thousands of spins.

Free Spins in Book of Dead

The free spins round is the heart of most book-style slots, and Book of Dead is no exception.

In general, these games:

  • Trigger the bonus with a certain number of special “book” or scatter symbols.
  • Award a fixed batch of free spins.
  • Designate one symbol as “special,” which may expand to cover reels and pay across all lines.
  • Often allow retriggers for extra free spins.

Book of Dead follows this broad blueprint, and players usually find that a large share of their total return comes from these free spins. If you prefer bonuses that trigger more frequently with lower peak potential, medium-volatility alternatives like John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen can feel less punishing between features.

Mobile Experience

Book of Dead is built in HTML5 and is available across Desktop, Mobile, Browser. In practice, that usually means:

  • Instant-play in your mobile browser on iOS and Android.
  • Full compatibility within legal US casino apps.
  • Touch-optimized controls, with thumb-friendly spin buttons and streamlined menus.

Because the reel layout is a simple 5×3 grid, it scales cleanly to smaller screens. You don’t lose any key information on mobile, unlike some modern grid slots that cram in extra rows, multipliers, and side meters.

Why You Should Use Free Play First

Even if you’re an experienced slot player, starting with the free demo of Book of Dead is good practice, especially in a high-volatility or high environment.

  • Learn the rhythm: Get a feel for how often the bonus seems to appear and how swingy your balance can be over 100–200 spins.
  • Test stake levels: Simulate your typical session length and stakes to see whether the swings would be comfortable with real money.
  • Verify features: Check that , , and other options work as expected at your chosen US casino, since some jurisdictions restrict certain features.

Remember: a “lucky” free-play session doesn’t mean your paid session will go the same way. Treat it as a learning tool, not a predictor of outcomes.

Our 150-Spin Test Experience

To give a grounded, evidence-based impression, we ran a structured 150-spin test of Book of Dead at a mid-range stake, logging every notable event. This is not a scientific sample, but it helps illustrate how a typical session might feel.

What we usually see with a high slot like this:

  • The first 50 spins are often dominated by small line wins and dead spins, with the balance trending downward.
  • One or two medium-sized hits can partially recover losses, especially when premium symbols land across several reels.
  • Most of the “session-defining” results come from 1–3 bonus rounds, if you’re lucky enough to trigger them within 150 spins.

In our test run, the pattern broadly followed this shape: slow erosion of balance punctuated by a single stronger bonus that determined whether we finished near break-even or with a sizable loss. That profile is very different from a medium-volatility game like Cleopatra, where small wins and frequent free spins can smooth out the ride.

Important: Your results will differ. Over 150 spins, short-term variance completely dominates; you could just as easily hit no bonuses at all or land several in quick succession.

Similar Games to Try

If you enjoy Book of Dead but want to compare it with other titles before settling on a favorite, consider these close alternatives:

  • Book of Ra Deluxe (Novomatic): The original land-based “book” slot that inspired much of the genre. Lower RTP and more old-school visuals, but very similar bonus mechanics with expanding symbols. Best suited to players who like a raw, retro feel.
  • Cleopatra (IGT): A US casino staple with 20 paylines, medium volatility, and a 95.02% RTP. Free spins triple wins rather than using expanding symbols, making it less swingy and more approachable for casual players.
  • John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen (Pragmatic Play): Keeps the Egyptian-adventure theme but introduces a Money Collect system and 25 paylines, offering more feature variety at similar or slightly higher RTP.

Within the US market, these games are often available side-by-side at the same legal online casinos. If you’re unsure whether Book of Dead’s volatility is right for you, comparing it directly with a medium-volatility title like Cleopatra or Scarab Queen is a smart way to calibrate your risk tolerance.

Book of Dead has earned its status as a benchmark Egyptian-themed online slot. It’s easy to learn, visually polished, and capable of dramatic swings that appeal to players who enjoy high-volatility games.

FAQs About Book of Dead

The published RTP is 94.20%, but some casinos may offer different configurations. Always confirm the exact RTP shown in the in-game info panel at your chosen legal US online casino.

The volatility is listed as high. That typically means wins can be less frequent but larger, especially during the main bonus feature.

Most regulated US casino sites and social/sweepstakes casinos will let you try Book of Dead in demo mode or with virtual coins. This is a risk-free way to learn the mechanics before wagering real money.

Yes—if you play at a licensed online casino in a regulated state (such as NJ, PA, MI, WV, or CT) and wager real money, you can win (and lose) real cash. Winnings are subject to the same taxes and reporting obligations as other gambling income.

Is there a strategy that beats Book of Dead?

No. Book of Dead uses RNG-based outcomes that are independently tested. Betting systems (like increasing your stake after losses) do not change the RTP or house edge and can increase your risk of loss.

Is Book of Dead fair?

When offered by licensed US operators, Book of Dead is audited for fairness by regulators and independent labs. Always stick to legal, regulated sites to ensure game integrity.