How to Play Book of Dead: Rules & Guide

How to Play Book of Dead: A Complete Guide for Australian Pokies Players

Book of Dead is one of those pokies that's been around long enough to prove itself, yet it still holds up brilliantly on modern devices. Play'n GO designed this Egyptian-themed slot with a 5x3 grid and 10 paylines, and it's become a staple in Australian online casinos. If you're new to this game, I'll walk you through exactly how it works—from placing your first bet to triggering the free spins that make this pokie genuinely exciting.

Understanding the Grid and Paylines

Let's start with the basics. Book of Dead uses a 5-column by 3-row layout. That means you've got five reels stacked vertically with three symbols visible on each one. The game features 10 paylines, which are the winning combinations that run across the reels from left to right.

I noticed that: a winning combination forms when matching symbols land on the same payline consecutively, starting from the leftmost reel. You don't need all five reels to match—three symbols in a row can already deliver a payout. The more symbols you stack, the bigger your win multiplies. This structure is straightforward once you've spun a few times and seen it in action.

Setting Your Bet: Finding Your Comfort Zone

Before you hit spin, you'll need to decide how much to wager. Book of Dead offers flexibility here. The minimum bet sits at A$0.01 per spin, which is genuinely low—perfect if you want to learn the game without risking serious money. On the other end, the maximum bet reaches A$100.0 per spin, catering to players who prefer higher stakes.

For beginners, I'd recommend starting somewhere in the middle ground. Try A$0.50 to A$2.00 per spin initially. This gives you enough action to experience the features without draining your bankroll too quickly. Once you're comfortable with how the symbols behave and the bonus triggers work, you can adjust upwards or downwards based on your budget and playing style.

The bet adjustment buttons are usually located at the bottom of the screen. In the game you'll see clear plus and minus buttons to increase or decrease your stake. Take your time here—there's no rush to spin.

How to Spin: Manual and Autoplay Options

While testing I noticed: once your bet is set, you've got two ways to get the reels moving.

1. Manual spins: Press the main spin button and watch each reel stop individually. This is the traditional way to play, and it gives you that moment of anticipation as each column settles into place.
2. Autoplay: Set the game to spin automatically for a predetermined number of rounds. This is handy if you want to sit back and watch multiple spins without tapping the button repeatedly. Book of Dead supports autoplay, though there's no Bonus Buy feature available—you can't purchase free spins directly.

Quick Spin mode is also available if you prefer faster gameplay. This skips the reel-spinning animation and jumps straight to the result, which suits players who want to move through sessions quickly.

Symbol Values and Payouts

Book of Dead uses a mix of low-value and high-value symbols. The lower-paying icons are typically card ranks—tens, jacks, queens, kings, and aces. These deliver smaller payouts when they line up, but they land more frequently, which keeps the game ticking over.

The premium symbols are themed around ancient Egypt. Expect to see scarabs, idols, and other archaeological imagery. Landing five of these across a payline generates significantly larger payouts than the card symbols. In my testing, the difference between hitting five aces and five high-value symbols was substantial—we're talking roughly double the payout or more.

From my perspective: the exact payout amounts depend on your bet size. If you're wagering A$1.00 per spin and hit a winning combination of five premium symbols, you'll see a different return than if you'd bet A$0.50. The multiplier effect applies consistently across all bet levels.

Special Symbols: Wild, Scatter, and Bonus

Three special symbols elevate Book of Dead beyond basic pokie mechanics. The Wild symbol acts as a substitute for any regular symbol, helping you complete winning paylines. It appears on the middle three reels, which is a smart design choice that keeps wins realistic but achievable.

The Scatter symbol is your gateway to free spins. Land three or more Scatter symbols anywhere on the reels—they don't need to be on the same payline—and you'll trigger the free spins feature. This is where Book of Dead genuinely shines. During free spins, one random symbol becomes fully expanding, meaning it can cover entire reels and generate massive wins. I've seen single free spins deliver payouts that rival 20-30 regular spins combined.

The Bonus symbol appears less frequently, but when it does, it can unlock additional features or multipliers depending on how many land during a single spin.

Mobile Play: Touch Controls and Responsive Design

In my experience: book of Dead runs beautifully on mobile devices. The layout adapts perfectly whether you're using a smartphone or tablet, and the touch controls are responsive and intuitive.

On mobile, the spin button is usually larger and centred for easy thumb access. Bet adjustment happens via swipe or tap gestures—no fiddly mouse movements required. The autoplay menu expands when you tap it, giving you clear options for how many spins you want to run automatically.

What surprised me during my mobile testing was how smooth the free spins animation remains even on older devices. The expanding symbols don't lag, and the payout calculations happen instantly. If you're playing on the commute or during a break, mobile Book of Dead delivers the same experience as desktop, just in a more compact format.

One practical tip: if you're playing on mobile with autoplay enabled, set a loss limit through your casino account. It's easy to lose track of spins when you're not manually clicking each time. Responsible gambling means knowing your limits before you start.