Book of Ra Review: Twenty Years On, Still Worth Playing?
Book of Ra deluxe is a simple, very streaky slot: one feature, ten free games, and one expanding symbol that decides almost everything. It is worth playing if you like waiting for a big bonus round and can accept long dry runs. If you want steady small wins, newer slots will suit you better.
Our verdict in short
Book of Ra deluxe earns its place as the reference “book” slot: clean rules, one memorable feature, and a top line win of 500× the bet. It is not generous in short sessions, its listed RTP of 95.10 % is average, and its results depend on a single random symbol in free games.
What we like
- Rules you understand in one minute
- The expanding symbol pays on all lines, even on non-adjacent reels
- Official free demo to practise on
- Free games can retrigger
- Same game in every licensed market, so guides apply everywhere
What we don’t
- High volatility: long runs without the feature are normal
- Listed RTP of 95.10 % is below many modern slots — and casinos can set lower
- One feature only; the base game is plain
- The gamble button tempts players to risk wins they should keep
- Dated graphics, especially in the Classic
A short history: from gaming halls to your phone
Book of Ra began as a Novomatic machine in land-based venues; SlotCatalog dates the original online version to 2005 and Book of Ra deluxe to 2008. Greentube, Novomatic’s online studio, still publishes it, and in 2025 it launched with new operators in Germany, Spain and Brazil.
The game’s formula — an explorer, Egyptian symbols and a book that is both wild and scatter — was copied so often that “book slots” became a genre. Play’n GO’s Book of Dead is the best-known example; we compare the two on a separate page. Novomatic itself kept extending the series: deluxe 6 added an optional sixth reel, Magic allowed several expanding symbols, the Win Ways editions moved to ways-to-win, and in February 2026 a Buy Bonus arrived for deluxe.
How the game plays
Most spins pay nothing or a small card win. Two or three premium symbols appear often enough to keep the balance moving slowly down. The real action is in free games: if the chosen symbol is a premium one and lands on several reels, a single round can return many times the session budget.
Because the expanding symbol pays on every played line regardless of position, three explorers on reels one, three and five pay as if they filled those reels completely — on all ten lines. That is why the explorer and the pharaoh mask produce the big rounds, while a card symbol may give a free-games total that barely covers ten base spins.
The base game has one more lever: the gamble. After a win you can double it by guessing a card colour. Mathematically it does not improve your return; it only makes swings bigger. We recommend collecting wins unless you have decided in advance to gamble small amounts for fun.
RTP and volatility: the numbers that matter
SlotCatalog lists Book of Ra deluxe at 95.10 % RTP and the Classic at 92.13 %, both with high volatility. The game’s own demo rules do not show an RTP, and casinos can choose lower settings — one listing shows 90.05 % at a German operator. Always check the info screen.
| Version | Listed RTP | Volatility | Max win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book of Ra deluxe | 95.10 % | High | 10,035× |
| Book of Ra Classic | 92.13 % | High | 5,000× |
| Book of Ra deluxe 6 | 95.03 % | High | ≈10,180× |
| Book of Ra Magic | 95.03–95.10 % | High | 10,056× |
What does 95.10 % mean in practice? Over a very large number of spins, the game returns about €95.10 for every €100 staked. Over one evening, it means almost nothing: high volatility allows results far above or below that. Our RTP page explains how to see which setting your casino runs.
What changed in 2026: the Buy Bonus
Since 24 February 2026, Greentube offers a Buy Bonus edition of Book of Ra deluxe: 100× the total bet starts the free games immediately. It is optional for casinos and banned in some countries, including Germany. Bought rounds frequently return less than their cost.
A bought round uses the same rules as a natural one: ten free games, one random expanding symbol, retriggers possible. You skip the wait, not the randomness. If you buy at €1, you pay €100 for a round whose result may be €10 or €1,000. Decide whether that fits your budget before you see the button — and treat it as entertainment spending, not a strategy.
Who should play — and who should skip it
Play it if you enjoy classic slots, can set a budget that lasts a few hundred spins, and are fine with sessions that end without a feature. Skip it if you want frequent wins, multiple bonus games or modern animations, or if losing a session budget quickly would upset you.
- Good fit: players who know the game from venues, fans of simple rules, players who enjoy the tension of waiting for the explorer.
- Poor fit: bonus hunters with high wagering requirements (high volatility makes wagering bumpy), players on very small budgets, anyone chasing losses.
Where to play Book of Ra
Partner offers depend on the country you play from. Pick yours to see licensed options, local rules and help lines.
Problems and what to do
The complaints we see most often are about dry runs, low RTP settings and lost gambles. None of them mean the game is broken; each has a sensible response.
At a licensed casino the outcome comes from a tested random number generator. Long gaps are part of high volatility. Set a stop-loss before you play.
It may run a lower RTP setting. Check the game info screen and compare with another licensed casino before depositing.
The gamble is optional. Collect wins you want to keep; if you gamble, decide a small limit in advance.
If a card symbol is chosen, a small total is normal. Only premium symbols on several reels produce big rounds.
Verdict
Book of Ra deluxe is a classic for a reason and still a fair game at licensed casinos — but it is a high-risk, single-feature slot with an average listed RTP. Try it in the demo first, check the RTP your casino runs, and play with money you are ready to lose.
Real-money play can lose money. Results are random; the demo does not predict real-money results.
Questions
Is Book of Ra a good slot for beginners?
The rules are among the easiest in any slot, so it is easy to learn. The high volatility is the catch: beginners often run out of budget before seeing free games. Start in the demo and use small bets.
Why do so many people still play Book of Ra?
Recognition and nostalgia. The game was a fixture of German and Austrian gaming halls for years before it moved online, and its single feature is easy to understand and exciting when the explorer expands.
Did you test Book of Ra with real money?
No. We describe the game from its official rules and paytable, the official demo and published data. We do not run our own real-money statistics, because a few hundred spins say nothing reliable about a high-volatility slot.
Is Book of Ra deluxe better than the Classic?
For most players, yes: one more line, a higher listed RTP (95.10 % vs 92.13 %) and a public demo. The Classic is for players who want the original look.
What is the biggest weakness of Book of Ra?
Its return depends heavily on one feature and one random symbol. Many free-games rounds pay little; a few pay a lot. That makes short sessions unpredictable.
Read next
Sources and changes
- Greentube — official Book of Ra deluxe demo, Paytable & Info (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- SlotCatalog — Book of Ra deluxe: RTP, volatility, max win
- SlotCatalog — Book of Ra Classic
- iGaming Business — Buy Bonus added to Book of Ra deluxe (Feb 2026)
- Greentube — Book of Ra launches with bet365 Germany (2025)
Change log: 23 October 2026 — review published