Book of Dead Slot Review: Rich Wilde and the Expanding Symbol

The Book of Dead slot is a five-reel, ten-line Egyptian game from Play'n GO, starring the explorer Rich Wilde. Its book symbol acts as both wild and scatter; three or more open a round of free spins in which one symbol, chosen at random, expands to fill entire reels whenever it lands.

That expanding symbol decides almost everything. Draw a high-paying one and a round can deliver; draw a low card symbol and it usually will not. You have no say in which you get.

How Book of Dead free spins work

Before the round starts, the game picks the special symbol. During free spins, when that symbol lands on enough reels to form a win, it expands to cover each of those reels and pays across all ten lines, even where the symbols are not adjacent. Further books during the round retrigger spins with the same special symbol. Outside free spins, the game is a plain ten-line slot with an optional gamble feature after a win, in which you guess a card's colour or suit to double or quadruple the win, or lose it.

Book of Dead RTP: why the number moves

Play'n GO is known for supplying its games at several return-to-player settings, and Book of Dead is the usual example given. The same game, at two casinos, can return noticeably different amounts over the long run. We do not print one figure. Open the game's information screen at your casino and read the setting there; if it is the lower setting and another licensed casino runs a higher one, the choice is yours. The high RTP slots page puts the difference into euro.

50 free spins on Book of Dead, no deposit

This is the most crowded corner of the search: 50, 100 or 150 free spins on Book of Dead, no deposit, on registration. Here is how to read them. Multiply the number of spins by the spin value to get the real stake: at EUR 0.10 a spin, 50 spins are EUR 5. Then read three terms: the wagering on winnings, the maximum you can withdraw from them, and the deadline. A large spin count with a low spin value and a tight cap is worth less than it sounds. Our pages on no deposit free spins and free spins generally go through the sums. Note too that the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 contains a ban on targeted inducements, not yet in force as of October 2026, which may change how such offers are made to Irish players.

Book of Dead free play, in brief

Book of Dead free play is widely available at casinos that show demos, normally after login and an age check. Use it to see how the expanding symbol behaves. It will not tell you anything about the next real-money round.

Bonus buy and the gamble feature

The classic game has no bonus buy, so searches for one will not find it in the original. The gamble feature is the risk you can add yourself: each gamble is a straight guess, and the odds sit with the house just as they do on the reels.

Who licenses Book of Dead casinos in Ireland

Nobody in Ireland, for now. The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland licenses bookmakers and has said gaming licensing should begin in early 2027. Casinos offering Book of Dead to Irish players do so on Maltese, British or other foreign licences. Our licensing explainer covers what that means for complaints.

Book of Dead and its sequel

Play'n GO followed it with Legacy of Dead, which reworks the free spins. The original remains the one most casinos use for promotions.

The desk's verdict on the Book of Dead slot

A clean, volatile, much-copied game whose free spins rest on a single random pick. Learn which RTP setting your casino runs before anything else. 18+ only. If the gamble button is getting too much use, our safer gambling page lists limits and Irish support.