| RTP | 96.21% - Compare RTPs |
|---|---|
| Volatility | High |
| Reels | 5 |
| Paylines | 10 |
| Bet Range | £0.01 - £100.00 |
| Features | Wilds, Scatters |
Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead is a 5-reel, 3-row slot from Play'n GO, released in January 2016. It runs on 10 paylines, carries a standard RTP of 96.21%, and is rated high volatility. The maximum win per spin is 5,000x stake. A decade after release, it remains one of the most-played slots on most major sites - not through nostalgia, but because the mechanics hold up.
| Provider | Play'n GO |
|---|---|
| RTP | 96.21% (standard) / variants down to 84.18% |
| Volatility | High |
| Reels / Rows | 5 x 3 |
| Paylines | 10 (adjustable) |
| Min / Max Bet | £0.10 - £100.00 |
| Max Win | 5,000x stake |
| Released | January 2016 |
Theme and Symbol Set
The game follows Rich Wilde, Play'n GO's recurring adventurer protagonist, through ancient Egypt. High-value symbols are Rich Wilde himself, the Egyptian god Ra, an Anubis jackal head, and the Eye of Horus. Lower-value royals (10 through Ace) fill out the paytable. The visual style is clean and confident - no animated introductions or excessive ambient clutter.
The Book Symbol: Wild and Scatter Combined
The Book of Dead symbol serves double duty as both wild and scatter. As a wild, it substitutes for all other symbols to complete payline combinations. As a scatter, landing two or more anywhere on the reels pays out (two Books return 2x your bet), and three or more trigger the free spins round - no payline alignment required. That dual function means a stray book landing on an otherwise empty reel still contributes value, either completing a near-miss line or paying a scatter prize.
Free Spins and the Expanding Symbol
Three or more book scatters award 10 free spins. Before the round begins, the Book opens and its pages turn to reveal one randomly selected Special Expanding Symbol for the entire session. This single mechanic is what drives the high-variance character of the game.
During free spins, whenever the expanding symbol lands on a reel it stretches to fill all three positions on that reel. Expanded symbols do not need to appear on adjacent reels to form wins - the symbol expanding on reels 1, 3, and 5 simultaneously pays across all 10 paylines. A full expansion across all five reels delivers the top payout for that symbol. Landing three or more books during free spins re-triggers the round with another 10 spins, and the same expanding symbol stays active. There is no cap on retriggering.
The random selection of the expanding symbol creates meaningful variance within the feature itself. Getting Rich Wilde as your expander is the target result - his base value scales significantly when expanded across multiple reels. Ra is the next most valuable. Landing the feature with a low royal as the expander is a substantially weaker outcome, and that unpredictability is central to what makes repeat plays feel different.
Gamble Feature
After any base game win, an optional gamble screen appears. Guess the colour of a face-down playing card correctly and the win doubles. Guess the suit correctly and it quadruples. The gamble can be repeated on the same win multiple times until you either collect or guess wrong and lose the accumulated winnings. Experienced players typically use it selectively on smaller wins where the risk feels proportionate, rather than as a routine step after every spin.
Book of Dead Within the Rich Wilde Series
Book of Dead launched Play'n GO's Rich Wilde character franchise and has since been followed by several sequels, each using a different mechanic:
- Legacy of Dead (2020) - uses the same expanding symbol format but stacks additional expanding symbols with each free spins retrigger, pushing potential higher the longer the bonus runs. Standard RTP is 96.58%, max win 5,000x stake.
- Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness (2019) - replaces the payline format entirely with a 5x5 cluster pays grid and a portal meter progression system. Max win is 2,000x stake at very high volatility. A different type of session entirely.
Book of Dead remains the entry point to the series for most players because the rules are the simplest. One feature, one expanding symbol, clear tension. The later titles add mechanical layers; this one keeps it direct.
How It Compares to Book of Ra
Book of Dead launched directly into a market shaped by Novomatic's Book of Ra series and is widely considered its direct successor in the HTML5 era. Both use the same Egyptian theme, scatter-triggered free spins, and single expanding symbol mechanic. The key differences: Book of Dead has a higher default RTP (96.21% vs roughly 95.1% for Book of Ra Deluxe), native mobile compatibility from launch, and the added scatter payout on two symbols that Book of Ra does not offer. Players migrating from Book of Ra find the loop immediately familiar.
RTP Variants
Play'n GO publishes five RTP configurations for this game. The standard is 96.21%, with operator-selectable variants running down to 94.25%, 91.25%, 87.25%, and 84.18%. Some operators configure the lower settings to widen margins. Always check the game's information panel on whatever site you're playing to confirm which RTP version is active. For casinos running the full 96.21% configuration, check our listings.
Is Book of Dead Worth Playing?
Book of Dead suits players who are comfortable with high volatility and patient with dry stretches in the base game. The feature triggers roughly once every 250-300 spins on average - not a quick-fire bonus slot. When the free spins land with a high-value expanding symbol, the potential is real. When they land with a low royal, the round rarely recovers the stake. That variance is the game.
For players who want the same Egyptian format with added mechanical depth, Legacy of Dead stacks symbols on retriggering. For something in a completely different mechanical direction from the same provider, Tome of Madness replaces the payline format entirely with cluster pays. Browse casinos offering Play'n GO for sites with the full game catalogue.
What is the RTP of Book of Dead?
The standard RTP is 96.21%. Play'n GO also offers lower RTP variants (94.25%, 91.25%, 87.25%, and 84.18%) which some operators use. Always check the game info panel on the site you are playing to confirm the active RTP.
How does the expanding symbol work in Book of Dead free spins?
Before the free spins begin, one symbol is randomly selected as the Special Expanding Symbol for the entire round. When that symbol lands on any reel during free spins, it expands to fill all three positions on that reel. Expanded symbols do not need to be adjacent to form wins, so the feature can pay across all 10 paylines simultaneously.
How many free spins does Book of Dead award?
Landing three or more Book scatter symbols anywhere on the reels awards 10 free spins. Landing three or more books during the free spins re-triggers the round and adds another 10 spins. There is no cap on re-triggers.
What is the maximum win in Book of Dead?
The maximum win is 5,000x your stake per spin. This is most commonly achieved during free spins when a high-value symbol such as Rich Wilde or Ra is selected as the expanding symbol and lands expanded across all five reels.
What does the gamble feature do in Book of Dead?
After any base game win you can choose to gamble. Guess the colour of a face-down playing card correctly and your win doubles. Guess the suit correctly and it quadruples. You can gamble multiple times in succession, but a wrong guess loses the accumulated winnings.
Is Book of Dead a high volatility slot?
Yes, Book of Dead is rated as high volatility. This means wins in the base game can be infrequent, with the main earning potential concentrated in the free spins feature. It suits players with a comfortable bankroll who can sustain sessions waiting for the feature to trigger.
Where to Play Rich Wilde and the Book Of Dead
We're currently updating our casino list for Rich Wilde and the Book Of Dead. In the meantime, browse our full casino reviews or check out current free spins offers.
Rich Wilde and the Book Of Dead RTP and Variance
Rich Wilde and the Book Of Dead has an RTP of 96.21%, which is above average. See our highest RTP slots for the best returning games. High volatility means wins come less often but tend to be significantly larger. Explore our high volatility slots guide.
At the minimum bet of £0.01 per spin, a £10 deposit gives you 1,000 spins with a statistical expected return of £9.62. Read our slot betting strategy guide for tips on managing your bankroll.