Book of Dead Pokie Review — Class 777

Few pokies are as iconic as Book of Dead. Play'n GO's Egyptian adventure with explorer Rich Wilde has been a lobby staple since 2016, and it more or less wrote the rulebook for every "book" slot that followed. It's simple to play, deceptively deep, and famously high-risk — one good free spins round can pay enormous, but you'll work for it. Here's the honest rundown on how it plays at Class 777.

Straight up: this is a high-volatility pokie with a 5,000x max win and a 96.21% RTP on the standard build. The whole game hangs on the free spins and that one expanding symbol — the base game mostly just ticks over between bonuses. Below I'll break down the expanding-symbol feature, the gamble option, how it compares, and how to play it without burning your bankroll.

What is Book of Dead and how does the expanding symbol work?

Book of Dead is a Play'n GO pokie on a 5-reel, 3-row grid with 10 adjustable paylines. The Book itself (the Tomb) is the key symbol — it's both wild and scatter. As a wild it substitutes for other symbols; as a scatter, landing 3 or more anywhere triggers 10 free spins.

Here's the clever bit. Just before the free spins begin, the game randomly picks one regular symbol to become the special expanding symbol. During the round, whenever that symbol lands it expands to fill the entire reel and pays as if it's on every position — even if the matches aren't on consecutive reels. Land a high-value symbol as your expander and a single bonus can fill the screen. Three more books during free spins retriggers the feature, with no cap on retriggers.

• Studio: Play'n GO — released 2016, one of the most-played pokies ever.
• Grid: 5 reels, 3 rows, 10 adjustable paylines.
• RTP: 96.21% standard — operators can run lower versions, so check the info screen at Class 777.
• Volatility: High.
• Max win: 5,000x your stake.
• Book symbol: wild and scatter in one — 3+ trigger 10 free spins.
• Bonus: a randomly chosen expanding symbol fills reels; retriggers possible.
• Bet range: roughly $0.10 to $100 a spin.

Here's how the expanding symbol fills the reels during free spins:

That screen-filling potential is the entire appeal — but it's worth being honest: the bonus is rare, and high volatility means long, cold stretches are normal. If you'd rather steady, frequent wins with no waiting, a low-vol classic like Starburst is a far gentler ride, and the medium-vol Gold Rush sits between the two.

What is the gamble feature — and how does Book of Dead compare?

Book of Dead also offers an optional gamble after any win. Guess the colour of a face-down card (red or black) to double your win, or guess the exact suit to multiply it by four. Guess wrong and you lose the lot. It's a pure coin-flip — fun in small doses, ruinous if you keep pushing. Here's how it works:

The gamble is the same maths as any coin flip, so over time it neither helps nor hurts your expected return — but it massively widens your swings. Here's how Book of Dead sits next to a couple of other pokies you'll find at Class 777:

New to terms like volatility, RTP or expanding symbols? The glossary lays them out in plain English. For a similar tumble-and-multiplier thrill there's Gates of Olympus, while the modern "1000" pokies Sweet Bonanza 1000 and Sugar Rush 1000 chase far bigger ceilings.

How do you start playing Book of Dead at Class 777?

A couple of minutes and you're exploring. Here's the new-player path:

1. Open the Class 777 registration page and create your account with ID-matching details.
2. Make a deposit — AUD methods like card, PayID and e-wallets usually clear in seconds.
3. Grab a welcome bonus if it suits, and check the wagering terms first.
4. Open Book of Dead, confirm the RTP on the info screen, and set a small base bet to ride out the swings.
5. Play all 10 paylines, spin for the books, and decide in advance whether you'll touch the gamble feature.
6. Set a deposit limit and a session timer in account settings first. 18+ only.

Every result runs on a certified random number generator — no strategy changes the odds. Sign up at Class 777 and you're ready to roll.

Who is Book of Dead best for — and how do you play it responsibly?

This is one for fans of classic, high-risk adventure pokies who enjoy the chase and can stomach long dry spells for a shot at a screen-filling bonus. If that's not your speed, calmer pokies make more sense — Starburst and Gold Rush are far gentler. Want bigger, faster swings? Gates of Olympus, Sweet Bonanza 1000, Sugar Rush 1000 and Razor Shark turn the volatility up. After a progressive jackpot or a collection feature instead? Mega Moolah, Big Bass Bonanza and Wolf Gold have you covered, while NetEnt's Jack and the Beanstalk and the telly-style Deal or No Deal offer their own bonus-led fun.

Whatever you choose, keep it in check. Pokies are entertainment, not income — the house edge never goes away, and a high-vol game can run cold for a long time before it delivers. Set a budget you're genuinely fine to lose, use the deposit limits and reality checks at Class 777, and never chase a loss. If the fun stops, free confidential support is available through Gambling Help Online (1800 858 858), and BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, can block you from all licensed Australian operators at once. 18+ only.

Played patiently and within budget, Book of Dead is a true classic with a genuinely thrilling bonus — just spin it for the adventure, not the rent. Check the latest bonus at Class 777 and crack open the tomb on your own terms.