Book of Dead in South Africa: Expanding Symbols and the Gamble Round
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Hollywoodbets
Licensed in 5 provinces
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Betway SA
From R0.50 a spin
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Luckyfish
From R0.05 a spin
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Book of Dead, released by Play'n GO in January 2016, is a book slot: one symbol is both the wild and the scatter, and the free spins round turns on one random choice made before it starts.
RTP (return to player): the share of bets the game pays back over time, as Play'n GO publishes it.
On this page
In short
Book of Dead is a slot by Play'n GO, released in 2016. Studio figures: RTP 96.21%. Found at 5 casinos we cover, from R0.05 a spin at Luckyfish.
How Book of Dead works
Five reels, ten paylines and an explorer in an Egyptian tomb: the base game is deliberately conventional.
The book symbol does two jobs. It is the wild, standing in for other symbols, and the scatter: three anywhere start the free spins.
Before the free spins begin, the game picks one symbol at random as the expanding symbol for the whole round. After the ordinary wins are counted, that symbol can expand to cover its whole reel. By Play'n GO's rules it expands only when that adds a prize on the active lines, and it pays without needing adjacent reels.
That one draw decides most of the round. A high-value symbol pays well with modest coverage, while a low-value one needs several reels before it means much. You cannot influence or foresee the draw.
The gamble feature, and why we suggest leaving it alone
After a win, the game offers a gamble on a face-down card. Guessing the colour doubles the win with a 1 in 2 chance, and guessing the suit quadruples it with a 1 in 4 chance, up to five times in a row and up to 2,500 coins. By Play'n GO's rules the gamble 'will not impact the overall RTP'.
So it costs you no return, but each go bets the whole win and can take it to zero. Used every time, it makes a session much wilder without paying more on average.
The gamble is off during Auto Play, and Play'n GO's rules for some markets, such as Spain and Portugal, have no gamble at all. If your copy has it, the sensible default is to collect.
Book of Dead RTP and volatility
Play'n GO gives Book of Dead's return to player as 96.21%.
Paying for Book of Dead in rand
We found Book of Dead at 5 casinos. All take Ozow and cards, 2 take Capitec Pay and 3 take cash vouchers.
The lowest minimum deposit among them is R1, at Hollywoodbets and Luckyfish.
Winnings are paid to a bank account in your own name, after the FICA check.
Get FICA done first (the ID and address check every licensed site runs) · How to deposit in rand · Every payment method
Is Book of Dead legal in South Africa?
Book of Dead is a slot. In South Africa you find it at licensed bookmakers, next to their sports markets.
All 5 operators we list for Book of Dead hold a South African provincial licence.
Before you play with real money
Set a budget and a deposit limit before your first round. If it stops being fun, the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation helpline is free on 0800 006 008.
Pros, cons and verdict
- Simple, readable and fast on any phone
- The expanding-symbol round is full of suspense
- A known quantity: it has been around long enough to be well understood
- The base game is plain by modern standards
- The round's outcome hinges on one random draw you cannot influence
- The gamble feature adds variance dressed up as a reward
Book of Dead has lasted because the core idea is good: one random choice, then a round that lives or dies by it. It is simpler than the Pragmatic slots around it and quick to read on a phone. Leave the gamble alone and it is a clean slot that does what it says.
Book of Dead FAQ
What is the expanding symbol?
One symbol chosen at random before free spins begin. During the round it can expand across its whole reel, by Play'n GO's rules only when that adds a prize, and it pays outside the normal adjacency rules.
Can I influence which symbol is chosen?
No. It is drawn at random before the round, and you cannot see or affect it.
Should I use the gamble feature?
By Play'n GO's rules it 'will not impact the overall RTP': a colour guess doubles the win 1 time in 2, and a suit guess quadruples it 1 time in 4. It adds variance without adding return, so our suggestion is to collect.
Is Book of Dead available in South Africa?
The casinos at the bottom of this page are the ones where we have found Book of Dead.
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Where to play Book of Dead in South Africa
Licensed South African operators where we have found Book of Dead, with each one's licence and our score. Ordered by that score. How we score Offers checked September 2026.
Betway SA
4.9
Luckyfish
4.9
Sportingbet SA
4.9
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