Book of Ra Deluxe is Novomatic's updated version of its classic Egyptian adventure slot, which first appeared in land based venues in 2005. It runs on five reels with 10 paylines and has one bonus: free spins with a randomly chosen expanding symbol. The game is simple, fast and very volatile. It suits players who like traditional slots with one big feature and do not need modern extras.
How does Book of Ra Deluxe work?
You play on a 5x3 grid with 10 paylines. Wins pay from left to right, and the explorer, the pharaoh mask and the golden statue are the top paying symbols, while card royals fill in the lower pays. The Book of Ra symbol does two jobs: it is the wild that substitutes for other symbols, and it is the scatter that pays anywhere and starts the bonus.
After a win, many versions let you use the gamble feature, where you guess the colour of a hidden card to double your win or lose it. This is optional, and it adds risk without improving your expected return.
What are the Book of Ra Deluxe bonus features?
Three or more Book symbols anywhere on the reels pay a scatter prize of 2x, 20x or 200x the bet and award 10 free spins. Before the spins begin, the book opens and picks one symbol to act as the special expanding symbol for the round.
During the free spins, the special symbol expands to fill a whole reel whenever enough of it lands to form a win. It then pays on all lines, and the positions do not need to be next to each other. If the explorer is chosen, a screen full of explorers gives the 5,000x maximum win.
Landing three more books during the round retriggers the feature for another 10 spins with the same special symbol.
Is Book of Ra Deluxe worth playing? RTP and volatility explained
The main RTP is 95.1%, which is below the average for modern online slots. A 94.26% version also exists, and some casinos run it. Because the provider offers more than one setting, check the game information at your casino.
Volatility is very high, though about 30% of spins return some kind of win. Most of those are small, and the large results depend on the free spins with a high paying expanding symbol. Expect swings in both directions over a short session.
Tips before you play Book of Ra Deluxe
- Check whether your casino runs the 95.1% or the 94.26% version of the game.
- Skip the gamble feature if you want to keep variance under control.
- Pick a stake that leaves room for a long wait between free spins rounds.
- Do not confuse this game with Book of Ra Deluxe 10, which has a different layout and payouts.