Book of Ra is a colorful and entertaining video slot by Novomatic, and it can be played both online and in land-based casinos. It features a simple, classic design, along with 5 reels and 9 paylines, where winning symbols can award players up to 5,000 times their original bet.
Introduced back in 2004, Book of Ra remains one of the most popular Egyptian-themed video slots even today. The classic game was released as a modern, mobile-compatible HTML5 slot, but it is also available in a Deluxe version that offers almost the same rules, structure, and payouts. The video slot was created as part of the innovative NovoLine Interactive gaming platform, which is interconnected with Novomatic’s NovoLine VLT System.
Book of Ra features an easy-to-use control panel, adjustable paylines, and a classic appearance. Although aesthetically pleasing, the design is a bit outdated, which is to be expected from a game released about 15 years ago. The minimum bet per line is 1 credit, while the maximum amount that can be wagered on every line is 50 credits. The exact monetary value may vary across casinos.
| Book of Ra Slot Summary | |
|---|---|
| Software Provider | Novomatic |
| Paylines | 9 |
| RTP | 92.13% |
| Min Bet | 1 credit |
| Max Bet | 50 credits |
| Wild Symbol | The Book of Ra image functions as a Wild, substituting for all symbols. |
| Scatter Symbol | The Book symbol is also a Scatter symbol. |
| Bonus Features | When 3 or more Scatter symbols appear on the reels, they trigger 10 Free Spins. |
| Jackpot | x5,000 |
Symbols and Winning Combinations of Book of Ra Slot
Originating from a 2004 VLT machine, Novomatic’s Book of Ra slot does not feature elaborate animations or impressive graphics. There are several themed symbols that bring winnings to those lucky and patient enough to search for ancient Egyptian treasures. The low-paying symbols are playing cards from 10s through Aces, and they pay out when players land 3 or more identical images on a payline.
There are four themed symbols, namely a scarab, a golden statue, a sarcophagus, and the Explorer. To receive a payout, players need to land 2 or more of the same images on any of the paylines. As the lines are adjustable, players can activate as many as they wish. The most exciting symbol is the Book of Ra, which has several functions in the game.
It acts as a Wild and can replace any other symbol in a winning combination. At the same time, it is a Scatter symbol and it pays 2, 20, or 200 coins when players land 3, 4, or 5 books anywhere on the reels. Except for the special Book of Ra icon, all symbols pay left to right, starting with the leftmost reel.
Bonus Features of Book of Ra Slot
This video slot comes with a single bonus feature, but this is not a disadvantage at all. On the contrary, this special feature is better and more exciting than what is often offered by modern, newly released games. To activate it, players simply need to land 3 or more Scatter symbols simultaneously on the reels. The Book of Ra icons trigger the Free Games round, which can be retriggered indefinitely.
This round consists of 10 free spins, which are played automatically at the current bet size and the number of paylines activated. At the start of the Free Games round, one of the regular symbols is randomly selected from the Book of Ra, and it becomes a special expanding symbol for the duration of the free spins. This special symbol pays as a Scatter and can expand to cover up to 3 positions on the reel. If players manage to land another 3 Scatter symbols during the Free Games round, they trigger another 10 free spins. There is no limit to the number of times the bonus feature can be activated in a row.
There is another exciting yet risky option: a Gamble feature, available after each win. Players can choose either to Collect or to Gamble their winnings from the current round. The Gamble feature opens in a second screen and asks players to guess the color of a face-down card. Whenever they guess correctly, their winnings are doubled; otherwise, the winnings are lost. Players are allowed to gamble their winnings up to five times in a row.
Our Verdict
Novomatic’s Book of Ra is an entertaining, medium-volatility video slot that suggests medium risk and relatively modest prizes. Players can expect regular but low winnings when playing this game, while the bonus feature triggers quite rarely. It is also important to note that although some websites cite a theoretical RTP of up to 96%, the actual return of the game is considerably lower at 92.13%.