Book of Dead app guide

Book of Dead app: Rich Wilde’s Egyptian slot on your phone

Play’n GO released Book of Dead on 14 January 2016, and it remains one of the studio’s signature games, featuring its recurring treasure hunter Rich Wilde. The formula is simple: a 5×3 grid, 10 paylines, a Book symbol that does two jobs, and a free spins round in which one symbol can expand to fill whole reels.

That simplicity suits a phone. There are no shifting reel heights or multiple meters to track, and the symbols are large enough to read comfortably in portrait. The game opens inside casino apps that carry Play’n GO titles, with no separate download.

The Book: wild and scatter in one symbol

The golden Book substitutes for every other symbol to complete line wins, so it is the game’s wild. It is also the scatter symbol: three or more anywhere on the reels start the free spins round, regardless of paylines. On a phone, a Book landing is easy to spot thanks to its glow, and when a third one arrives the reels pause briefly before the feature begins.

How the expanding symbol works in free spins

According to Play’n GO’s description, the round runs like this:

1. Three or more Books award 10 free spins.
2. Before the first spin, one ordinary symbol is picked at random to be the special expanding symbol for the whole round.
3. After normal line wins are paid on each spin, the special symbol can expand to cover all three positions on its reel, but only when that creates an extra win.
4. Expanded symbols pay on active paylines without needing to be on adjacent reels.
5. Three or more Books during the round add another 10 free spins.

Which symbol is chosen matters a great deal. A high-paying symbol such as the explorer can produce large wins when it expands across several reels, while a low card symbol usually pays much less. The choice is random; nothing you do changes it.

Setting paylines and stake on a touchscreen

1. Open the casino app, search ‘Book of Dead’ and tap the Play’n GO tile. Similar book games exist, so check the name.
2. Once loaded, tap the stake or coin icon near the spin button to open the bet settings.
3. Choose your total bet. Some versions also let you change the number of active paylines; keeping all 10 covers every line.
4. Confirm the total stake is within your UK limit: £5 a spin at 25 and over, £2 at 18–24.
5. Open the information menu to check the paytable, line patterns and the RTP of this version.
6. Tap spin for each round. There is no autoplay, and each spin lasts at least 2.5 seconds.

Our guide on how to play slots on your phone covers the controls shared by most mobile slots.

Portrait or landscape: what fits better

In portrait, the reels sit centrally with the spin button and stake control beneath, all within thumb reach. The expanding symbol animation in free spins is clear at this size. Landscape gives a wider view of the tomb artwork and places the controls on the right, which some players find more comfortable for two-handed play. Neither changes the game’s results.

Rotation lock can stop the game turning when you want it to. On iPhone, swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Centre; on Android, swipe down for Quick Settings. Our page on portrait versus landscape slots compares the two.

High volatility: what a Book of Dead session looks like

With a 96.21% RTP, the house edge is 3.79%. High volatility means that cost is spread very unevenly: many spins return nothing, line wins are often smaller than the stake, and the free spins round can pay anything from a few pounds to a large multiple of the stake.

Those are long-run averages; actual sessions will vary widely, and losses are the likelier outcome over time. Outcomes are set by a certified RNG, so the timing of your taps has no effect.

The 5,000× top prize in pounds

The maximum win is 5,000 times the stake: £500 on a 10p spin, £10,000 on a £2 spin and £25,000 on a £5 spin. Prizes near this level depend on the highest-paying symbol being chosen as the expanding symbol and landing across most of the reels during free spins, which is very rare.

The gamble button and UK versions

Some versions of Book of Dead include an optional gamble feature after a win, where you guess a card’s colour or suit to double or quadruple the amount, or lose it. Whether it appears depends on the version your casino runs. If you see it, it is entirely optional, and it does not improve your expected return: each guess is designed so that, on average, you lose a little. Collecting the win and moving on is always available.

UK slot rules that apply to Book of Dead

• Online slot stakes are capped at £5 per spin for players aged 25 and over and £2 for 18–24, as explained in our UK stake limits on mobile slots guide.
• Feature buys are not available to British players.
• Minimum 2.5 seconds per spin; turbo and slam-stop are disabled.
• No autoplay.
• Returns smaller than the stake are not celebrated.
• Balance and net position shown throughout.
• Demo play only after age verification.

Book of Dead compared with other book slots

Legacy of Dead is Play’n GO’s follow-up with a slightly higher published RTP. Book of Ra Deluxe is the older Novomatic classic in the same style, and Book of Shadows takes the format to extreme volatility. Our book slots apps and Egyptian slots apps pages list more.

Where to play Book of Dead

Play’n GO games are carried by many UKGC-licensed apps, but check that Book of Dead is in a lobby before you deposit. The offers below are 18+ with terms applying and none is specific to Book of Dead; spin offers apply to the selected slots listed in each casino’s terms. Our bet £10 get free spins apps page explains how those offers work.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.