What is the expanding symbol?

At the start of the free spin feature, one symbol is randomly chosen as the 'expanding symbol'. Whenever that symbol appears during free spins, it expands to fill the entire reel it lands on — potentially paying across all active lines at once.

Is Book of Ra the same as Book of Dead?

They share the same expanding-symbol mechanic but come from different studios. Book of Ra is Novomatic (2005); Book of Dead is Play'n GO (2016). Most players consider Book of Dead the more modern and higher-RTP spiritual successor.

Book of Ra — Novomatic's Egyptian Adventurer Pokie

Q: What is the RTP of Book of Ra?

Book of Ra Classic runs at approximately 92.13% RTP. Book of Ra Deluxe sits higher at 95.10% RTP. The Deluxe version is the more commonly played build online.

Book of Ra pokie by Novomatic — Egyptian explorer on the reels

Book of Ra is the pokie Novomatic built in 2005 that effectively launched an entire sub-genre. Before Book of Ra, Egyptian pokies meant pharaohs, queens and their courts — static, ceremonial, mythological. Book of Ra flipped the framing: a white adventurer character (clearly Indiana-Jones-adjacent) exploring an Egyptian tomb, searching for the titular book. The expanding-symbol free spin mechanic was built around that premise, with the Book itself acting as both scatter and wild. Two decades later, every Book-themed pokie in the market — and there are dozens — is iterating on this template.

The pokie ships in two main versions online. Classic Book of Ra uses 9 paylines with the original 92.13% RTP. Book of Ra Deluxe expands to 10 paylines, sharpens the art, and lifts RTP to 95.10%. Deluxe is the more widely distributed version and the one most players default to. Both keep the expanding symbol feature that defines the game.

At a glance

Foundational expanding-symbol pokie. High-volatility feature-dependent maths — long dry stretches on the base game, with almost all session-defining wins coming from the free spin round. The Deluxe version is the default — Classic is mostly a nostalgia choice.

How Book of Ra plays

Five reels, 9 or 10 paylines, left-to-right wins. The paytable leads with the Explorer character, followed by the Pharaoh's Mask, the Scarab, the Statue of Anubis and the 10-A royal symbols. The Book of Ra serves as both the wild — substituting for all regular symbols — and the scatter — triggering the free spin feature when three or more land anywhere on the reels.

Bet range on the Deluxe version runs from A$0.40 per spin minimum (all 10 lines active at the lowest bet) up to A$50 per spin maximum at most casinos. The Classic version runs A$0.09 to A$45 per spin.

Bonus features

Book scatter — acts as both scatter and wild. Three or more anywhere on the reels trigger free spins and also pay out as scatter wins.
Free spin feature (10 spins with expanding symbol) — the headline mechanic. At the start of the feature, one regular symbol is randomly selected as the expanding symbol. Whenever that symbol appears during free spins, it expands to fill the entire reel, paying on any active line — even if the normal three-of-a-kind rule wouldn't apply.
Retriggers — three more Book scatters during the feature add 10 more free spins with the same expanding symbol still active.
Gamble feature — red/black gamble on any base-game win, up to five consecutive gambles. Wins can be doubled up to the gamble-feature cap.

Theme, graphics and sound

Sand-coloured palette with tomb-depth shadows on the reel frame. The Explorer character mimics the Indiana Jones look — leather jacket, five o'clock shadow, a worn hat — without being so close as to attract a trademark complaint. Sound design uses tomb-ambient synths and a sharp page-turning rustle when the Book scatter lands. The expanding symbol animation is satisfying but dated by modern standards — Deluxe sharpens it noticeably but doesn't fully modernise the feel.

Mobile play

The HTML5 Deluxe build runs well on phones. The expanding symbol animation is clear in both orientations. Classic Book of Ra also runs on mobile but shows its age — symbols are pixelated at modern screen densities. Autoplay and quick-spin are standard on both.

Where to play Book of Ra with PayID

Book of Ra has very broad distribution — most AU-facing casinos carry the Deluxe version. Current PayID-friendly picks:

SkyCrownUp to A$8,000 + 400 free spinsPlay
SpinjoUp to A$5,000 + 300 FSPlay
HellSpinUp to A$5,200 + 150 FSPlay
Zoome250% up to A$2,500 + 250 FSPlay
Boho CasinoUp to A$9,750 + 225 FSPlay

Always check which version the casino stocks — Classic and Deluxe share a name but have noticeably different RTPs. Play Deluxe when the choice exists.

Similar pokies worth trying

Book of Ra spawned a sub-genre. Natural companions and spiritual successors:

FAQ

What is the RTP of Book of Ra?

Classic Book of Ra runs at 92.13% RTP; Book of Ra Deluxe at 95.10% RTP. A near-3% difference that matters meaningfully over any reasonable session length — play Deluxe when available.

Which symbol should I hope for as the expanding symbol?

Statistically the highest-paying symbol is the Explorer himself — if the Explorer is chosen as the expanding symbol, feature wins can be dramatic. Lower-paying symbols expanding produce more frequent but smaller feature returns.

Is Book of Ra rigged in any way?

No. Licensed Novomatic builds pass RTP certification from independent testing agencies. The published 92.13% / 95.10% RTPs are audit-verified over large sample sizes. Short-session variance does feel dramatic because the pokie is genuinely high volatility, but that's design, not rigging.

Should I play Book of Ra or Book of Dead?

Book of Dead has higher RTP (96.21% vs Deluxe's 95.10%) and more modern presentation. If you like the Book-mechanic and don't care about the specific franchise, Book of Dead is the mathematically better choice. Book of Ra wins on legacy and availability in Europe-facing lobbies.

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