Book Of Ra
What is Book of Ra?
Book of Ra is an Egyptian-themed slot from Novomatic, now distributed online by Greentube, the company’s digital division. It first became popular in land-based Novoline machines and later built a strong following online, especially in Germany.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Developer | Novomatic / Greentube |
| First release | 2005 |
| Layout | 5 reels, 3 rows |
| Paylines | 9 in Classic; 10 in Deluxe versions |
| Theme | Ancient Egypt, treasure hunting, explorer adventure |
| Key feature | 10 free spins with one randomly selected expanding symbol |
| Volatility | High |
| Official game website | booksof-ra.de |
This guide covers the Book of Ra family as a whole, including the Classic original, Deluxe, and other versions you may find at licensed online casinos serving the German market. Each version is explained later in the guide.
The game is built around a simple idea: an explorer searching ancient Egyptian tombs for treasure. That theme shapes the symbols, the bonus round, and the overall feel of the slot.
How does Book of Ra work?
Book of Ra is a 5-reel, 3-row slot with 9 paylines in the Classic version. In Book of Ra Deluxe and most newer online versions, that usually rises to 10 paylines. You choose how many paylines to activate before each spin, and that affects both your stake and your chances to land a win.
Stake controls
The cost of a spin comes from two settings: how many paylines you play and how much you stake per line. Lowering the number of active paylines reduces the cost, but it also leaves fewer winning line options in play.
How wins are formed
Winning symbols need to land on an active payline from left to right. Most symbols pay for three matching icons in a row, while the two highest-paying symbols can also pay for two of a kind. After a win, the base game usually offers a gamble feature, where you can try to double the payout by guessing the card colour.
Book of Ra symbols and payouts
The Book of Ra symbol is the key icon in the game. It works as both a Wild and a Scatter: it can replace other symbols to help complete wins, and it also triggers the free spins bonus when three or more land on the reels. No other symbol has that double role.
Symbol hierarchy
The paytable is easy to read. The main premium symbols are tied to the Egypt theme, while the lower-paying ones are standard card ranks.
| Symbol | Role | Relative value |
|---|---|---|
| Explorer | Highest-paying regular symbol | Highest |
| Pharaoh mask / sarcophagus | Premium symbol | High |
| Scarab | Premium symbol | High |
| Isis statue | Premium symbol | Medium-high |
| Book of Ra | Wild + Scatter | Bonus symbol |
| A, K, Q, J, 10 | Low-paying symbols | Low |
The Explorer is the top-paying regular symbol. In many online versions, the maximum line win is shown as 5,000 credits for five Explorers, although the exact payout display can differ between Classic, Deluxe, and Deluxe 6.
How the Book pays
In the standard Classic and Deluxe online versions, three, four, or five Book symbols anywhere on the reels usually pay 2x, 20x, or 200x the total bet and also trigger the free spins round. Two Books do not pay. This payout is separate from normal line wins.
During free spins, one regular symbol is randomly chosen as the special expanding symbol. It can’t be the Book itself. That feature can make the bonus round much stronger, but the base paytable does not change.
Paytable values may be shown as credits or as line-bet multiples, depending on the version and operator. It’s worth checking the in-game paytable before you play.
How the free spins feature works
Three or more Book symbols anywhere on the reels trigger 10 free spins. Before the bonus starts, one regular symbol is chosen at random as the expanding symbol. That symbol is the key part of the feature.
The expanding symbol
When the chosen symbol lands in a winning position, it expands to fill all three positions on every reel where it appears. If it doesn’t form a win, it stays as it is. In practice, the bigger results usually come when a higher-value symbol such as the Explorer or Pharaoh is selected, but any regular paytable symbol can be chosen.
Retriggers
If three or more Books land again during the free spins round, you get another 10 spins. The same expanding symbol stays active. The rules don’t give a fixed cap on retriggers, although they don’t happen often.
There’s no extra multiplier in the bonus. The feature pays through the expanding symbol creating multiple wins on the same spin, which is why it’s the main reason players look for the free spins round.
Book of Ra versions
The main versions German players are likely to see are Book of Ra Classic, Book of Ra Deluxe and Book of Ra Deluxe 6. They share the same basic idea, but the layout and pace differ enough to matter.
Book of Ra Classic
The original version. It uses a 5×3 grid with nine paylines and has a more old-school look. It’s less common at licensed German operators now, but some casinos still offer it.
Book of Ra Deluxe
Deluxe is the version most players in Germany will run into online. It keeps the same free spins feature and expanding symbol, but adds a tenth payline and a cleaner presentation.
Book of Ra Deluxe 6
This version adds an optional sixth reel. With it active, you play on a 6×3 grid with ten paylines, and the stake per spin is higher. The bonus round works much the same, but the extra reel can improve the chance of longer symbol runs.
You may also see spin-offs such as Book of Ra Magic, Book of Ra Deluxe: Win Ways, Book of Ra Deluxe Bonus Spins and Cash Connection - Book of Ra. Which ones are available depends on the casino.
RTP, volatility and win potential
RTP varies by version, and figures you see on comparison sites can sometimes mix different Book of Ra releases. The safest approach is to check the game’s own info screen before you play.
Return to player by version
| Version | Commonly cited RTP | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Book of Ra Classic | ~92.13% | Lower than most newer online slots |
| Book of Ra Deluxe | ~95.10% | The version most often listed at online casinos |
| Book of Ra Deluxe 6 | ~95.03% | Similar to Deluxe, with a sixth reel changing the layout |
Different Book of Ra titles use different maths, so don’t assume every version has the same RTP.
Volatility
Book of Ra is a high-volatility slot in its main forms. That means wins can be uneven, with long dry spells followed by occasional bigger hits. The free spins feature, especially when it lands with a strong expanding symbol, is where most of the game’s bigger payouts usually come from.
Win potential
For Classic and Deluxe, the maximum win is commonly quoted at around 5,000× your stake. Some newer versions may differ. In Germany’s regulated market, the €1 stake limit also caps the euro value of a single spin, which matters when you think about the size of any possible win.
Is Book of Ra legal in Germany?
Yes, online slots are legal in Germany under the Glücksspielstaatsvertrag (GlüStV), the interstate gambling treaty that took effect in July 2021. Book of Ra can be played for real money at operators that hold a German licence for virtual slot games and are supervised by the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL).
Rules that affect how you play
Germany’s licensed slot rules change the experience compared with many other markets. Licensed operators have to enforce them:
- Stake limit: maximum of €1 per spin.
- Spin timing: at least five seconds between spins.
- Deposit cap: €1,000 per month across all licensed operators, monitored through LUGAS.
- Autoplay: not allowed.
- Identity checks: required before unrestricted real-money play and withdrawals.
These rules apply to all GGL-licensed slot sites, not just Book of Ra. If an operator doesn’t follow them, it’s not operating within the German licensing system. OASIS is the national self-exclusion system, while LUGAS is used to track limits across operators.
The monthly deposit limit is shared. If you deposit €600 at one licensed site, you can only deposit €400 more at other licensed operators that month unless a higher limit has been formally approved for your account.
How to find a licensed casino for Book of Ra
The GGL whitelist is the first place to check. The Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder keeps a public register of operators licensed to offer online slots in Germany. If a casino isn’t on that list, it doesn’t have a valid German licence, no matter what its homepage says.
What to check on the whitelist
Search by operator name or brand. The entry shows who holds the licence, what type of gambling is allowed, and whether the licence is active. This matters because one company can run several casino brands under the same licence, so the legal company name may be different from the site name you know.
Trust signals on the site itself
Licensed casinos should also show their licence details clearly, usually in the footer. You should normally see the company name, licence reference, and responsible gambling tools. If the licence information is missing, vague, or hard to find, that’s a warning sign.
Book of Ra is available at more than one licensed casino in Germany, so there isn’t a single “official” real-money home for the game. Availability can change by lobby and by operator, but it’s not unusual to find it at several legal sites.
- Novoline.de — operator-owned brand with several Greentube titles, including Book of Ra variants.
- Jokerstar.de — lists Book of Ra, Book of Ra Deluxe, Book of Ra Deluxe 6 and Book of Ra Magic.
- StarGames.de — offers several Book of Ra titles for the German market.
Can you play Book of Ra for free?
Yes, demo versions do exist, but access isn’t always consistent on the regulated German market. Some casino sites offer Book of Ra in play-money mode, while others focus only on real-money play or don’t offer a demo at all.
A free version is useful if you want to see how the bonus round works, check the game’s pace and volatility, or compare Book of Ra Classic and Deluxe before playing for real. The rules and paytable are the same as in the real-money version, but there are no actual payouts.
Whether you can try it for free depends on the operator. Some Germany-facing sites let you launch a demo instantly in the browser, while others may ask you to register first.
Book of Ra on mobile
Book of Ra usually runs directly in a mobile browser, so there’s no need to download an app. On licensed casino sites, it should work on both iPhone and Android devices through Safari, Chrome, or another standard browser.
The layout adapts to smaller screens. The symbols stay readable, and the main controls move to make tapping easier. Spin and stake controls are usually at the bottom of the screen. On smaller phones, the paytable can feel a bit cramped, but it’s still usable.
Does anything change on mobile?
The game itself doesn’t change. The RTP, hit rate, and bonus features are the same as on desktop. What may feel different is the presentation: animations can seem a little faster or slower depending on the device and connection, but the actual game rules stay the same.
Some casinos also offer an app that includes Book of Ra. Whether you use an app or the browser version is mostly down to preference. The browser version saves storage and updates automatically, while an app may be more convenient if you want quicker logins.
Deposit and payout methods for German players
Licensed German casinos usually offer a fairly similar set of payment methods, but availability still depends on the operator. Before signing up, check which options work for both deposits and withdrawals — not every method does.
Common deposit methods
| Method | Type | Deposit | Withdrawal | Typical processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa / Mastercard | Card | Yes | Varies | Instant for deposits; 1–5 banking days for payouts |
| PayPal | E-wallet | Often | Often | Instant for deposits; often same day to 24 hours after approval |
| Sofort / Klarna / Trustly | Bank-based | Often | Varies | Usually instant for deposits; payout speed depends on the operator |
| Bank transfer | Bank | Yes | Yes | Same day to 2 days for deposits; 1–3 days for payouts |
| Paysafecard / myPaysafe | Prepaid | Yes | Varies | Instant for deposits; payout support depends on the site |
| Skrill / Neteller | E-wallet | Operator-dependent | Operator-dependent | Instant for deposits; usually up to 24 hours after approval |
PayPal and Paysafecard are familiar to many German players, but neither is available everywhere. Card payments, bank-based methods and wallet options are also common. If you deposit with a prepaid method, make sure you have a valid withdrawal option set up as well.
Fees and limits
Most licensed casinos don’t charge deposit fees, although your bank or card issuer might. Withdrawal fees are uncommon, but minimum payout amounts can vary. Germany’s €1,000 monthly deposit limit under GGL rules applies across all payment methods combined. It’s a regulatory cap, not a payment-provider limit.
Always check the exact processing times and any operator-specific conditions before you deposit.
Other popular slots in a similar style
Book of Ra is a slot, so crash games like Aviator or Spaceman aren’t really close comparisons. If you want something more similar, look at other book-style slots built around free spins and expanding symbols.
Common alternatives for German players include Book of Dead, Legacy of Dead, Eye of Horus and Ramses Book. They follow the same basic pattern: a bonus trigger, free spins and one special symbol that expands during the feature.
If you mainly like the high-risk, high-reward feel of Book of Ra, these games are a better match than crash titles.