Book Of Ra
What is Book of Ra?
Book of Ra is one of Novomatic’s best-known slots. It first appeared in 2005 as a land-based game and later became a long-running online title. It’s also one of the games that helped popularise the “Book of” slot format that many other developers later copied.
| Feature | Book of Ra Classic |
|---|---|
| Provider | Novomatic / Greentube |
| Release | 2005 |
| Layout | 5 reels, 3 rows |
| Paylines | 9 selectable |
| Bonus | 10 free spins with 1 special expanding symbol |
| Common classic RTP | 92.13% |
| Top line prize | 5,000x line bet |
| Official game website | booksof-ra.de |
In Italy, Book of Ra has a long-standing following and is still widely available in ADM-licensed online casinos that offer Novomatic games. The visuals are simple and dated by modern standards, but many players still know the title and return to it because of its bonus potential and high-volatility style.
That volatility is the main thing to understand before playing: the game can go through long dry spells and then pay out in a bigger round. For some players, that’s exactly what makes it appealing.
How to Play and Symbol Payouts
Book of Ra is a 5x3 slot with 9 paylines in the classic version. You choose how many lines to activate before each spin, and only those lines can pay. If you play fewer than 9, a winning combination can land on an inactive line and not count.
Symbols and What They Pay
The most valuable regular symbol is the Explorer, followed by the Mummy. The Statue and Scarab sit in the middle, while the standard 10-through-Ace symbols pay less. The higher-value picture symbols can pay from two of a kind on an active line; the card symbols usually need at least three.
The Book symbol works in two ways: it acts as a wild in the base game and also triggers the bonus round when three or more Books land anywhere on the reels. It can also pay as a scatter, with the return depending on how many appear.
| Symbol | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer | 5000 | 1000 | 100 | 10 |
| Mummy | 2000 | 400 | 40 | 5 |
| Statue | 750 | 100 | 30 | 5 |
| Scarab | 750 | 100 | 30 | 5 |
| A / K | 150 | 40 | 5 | - |
| Q / J / 10 | 100 | 25 | 5 | - |
| Book scatter | 200x total bet | 20x total bet | 2x total bet | - |
Bet Sizes
Your stake is set by the coin value and the number of active paylines. Minimum and maximum bets depend on the casino, so check the limits at the site you’re using before you play. Italian casinos can set different ranges, even for the same game.
Free Spins and the Expanding Symbol
The Book symbol does two jobs: it acts as both the wild and the scatter. Land three or more anywhere on the reels and you trigger 10 free spins.
At the start of the bonus, one regular pay symbol is chosen at random. During the whole free spins round, that symbol becomes the expanding symbol.
When it appears, it expands to fill the full height of the reel. If it lands on more than one reel, those reels expand at the same time, even if they are not next to each other. That can create winning combinations across the active lines in a way normal payline rules don’t.
The Explorer is the most valuable symbol to get chosen, because it pays the most. A full-screen expansion with the Explorer is the best-case bonus result. If a lower-value symbol is selected instead, the round is usually less rewarding.
During free spins, landing three or more Books retriggers the feature for another 10 spins. The same expanding symbol stays in place, and the Book only retriggers the round — it doesn’t replace the chosen symbol.
RTP, Volatility, and Payout Potential
Book of Ra is a high-variance slot, so wins tend to be less frequent, but they can be bigger when they land. In practice, that means you may go through long losing stretches before the game pays anything meaningful. That’s normal for this type of slot, but it does make bankroll control important.
It’s sensible to treat the session budget as money you could lose without it affecting you. Compared with lower-volatility games, your stake can disappear faster here, especially if the bonus round doesn’t hit.
Maximum Win and RTP Range
The top advertised win is 5,000x the line bet for five Explorers. The biggest payouts usually come from a full-screen expanding Explorer in the free spins round.
RTP can vary by version and casino. The commonly cited classic online setting is 92.13%, but Novomatic has published different return levels for different markets, from 88.21% to 96.99%. If RTP matters to you, check the game info panel in the casino before playing.
Pros and Cons of Book of Ra
Book of Ra is still one of the best-known slots in Italy: simple to learn, tense in the bonus round, and capable of delivering a big hit. It also has clear drawbacks, especially if you prefer modern features or smoother win patterns.
- Easy to understand: The rules are simple, but the bonus round still keeps the game interesting.
- Big win potential: The top prize is 5,000x the stake, and the expanding symbol feature can create very strong bonus rounds.
- Long track record: It has been played for years in both land-based and online casinos, so it’s a familiar, well-tested game.
- Widely available: You can usually find it at licensed Italian casinos, especially in the classic and Deluxe versions.
- Old-school presentation: The graphics and sound feel dated compared with newer slots.
- RTP can vary by operator: Different casinos may offer different return settings, so it’s worth checking the version before you play.
- High volatility: The game can go through long dry spells, so it isn’t suited to players who want frequent small wins.
Other Book of Ra Games by Novomatic
Novomatic has released a few versions of Book of Ra, but they all keep the same basic idea and only change a few details.
- Book of Ra Deluxe — the best-known version. It uses 10 paylines instead of 9 and updates the look, while keeping the same free-spin feature.
- Book of Ra Deluxe 6 — adds a sixth reel through an optional Extra Bet, which changes the way wins can land.
- Book of Ra Magic — stays close to the original, but free spins can be retriggered with extra special expanding symbols.
These versions don’t replace the classic game. They’re simply alternatives, and Deluxe is usually the easiest one to find on licensed Italian casino sites.
Playing the Demo vs Real Money in Italy
It’s worth starting with the free demo before you play for real. Book of Ra is a high-volatility slot, so long dry spells are normal. If you’re not expecting that, a losing run can feel worse than it is.
Demo play gives you a good feel for the game’s pace, the gap between wins, and how rarely the bonus round appears. That makes it easier to judge your bankroll before moving to real money. Just keep in mind that stake limits, and sometimes the RTP setting, depend on the casino.
Moving to Real Money Play
To play for real in Italy, you’ll need an account with an ADM-licensed online casino and you must be 18 or older. These are the regulated sites that legally operate in Italy.
In real-money play, you may also see an optional gamble feature after some base-game wins. It lets you try to double the payout, and in some versions push it higher, but you can also lose the win completely. It’s best treated as a separate risk decision, not part of the normal game flow.