What are Book Slots?
At first glance, Book slots are exactly what they sound like, and, semantically speaking, you wouldn’t be wrong.
But the magic and appeal of these slots lies in the Book symbol itself.
Acting as both a Wild and Scatter, the Book symbol substitutes for other symbols while also unlocking Free Spins when enough land (usually three or more).
The reel page-turning action comes from the Free Spins round, where a randomly selected symbol can potentially expand across entire reels, opening the door to big wins.
All of the best online casinos these days are fully stacked with libraries full of Book-style slots, and pretty much every provider has had their eyes locked on a Book slot or two.
Still, some providers and their games are certainly more bookish than others, writing up several slots under this mechanic.
Our Favourite Book Of Slots (Of All Time)
Book of Ra
Book of Ra is the game that started the entire Book movement, released back in 2005 by Novomatic.
The theme is ancient Egyptian, with striking golden hieroglyphics and atmospheric SFX.
The standout is, obviously, the Book of Ra symbol, which acts as a Wild and Scatter.
Landing three or more triggers 10 Free Spins, during which a randomly-selected expanding symbol is selected to expand and cover the entire reel, with the potential to appear on all five reels.
Strictly speaking, Book of Ra is timeless and a classic – considered the holy scripture that all Book of slots follow as a guide.
Book of Dead
If Book of Ra wrote the first chapter, then Book of Dead turned it into a bestseller in 2016.
Play’n GO’s iconic title, Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, follows intrepid adventurer Rich Wilde (who’s very Indiana Jones-coded) – dashing, rugged, and constantly veering on the edge of danger.
The setup is pretty standard, with the Book of Dead acting as both a Wild and Scatter, unlocking 10 Free Spins when three or more land anywhere on the reels. A symbol is chosen at random to expand, but it’s the 5,000x max win and Gamble Feature that really put Book slots on the map and made it a phenomenon.
So much so that it really kicked off the entire Rich Wilde slot series, setting up Play’n GO for life.
Book of Shadows
It’s no secret that Nolimit City always scores highly in our books (pun intended), and Book of Shadows is so unlike anything else the macabre studio has produced over the years.
Not one to play things by the book, Nolimit City veers away from the bog-standard Egyptian theme you’d normally associate with Book slots, instead offering an occult twist and black magic from the get-go.
Pentagrams, potion bottles, and bloodied symbols all create an eerie atmosphere, but the game shines with its Shadow Rows – an adjustable row system where players decide their risk level for an additional cost.
Free Spins stick to tradition, triggered by a Grimoire symbol, with a golden expanding symbol selected at random, but there’s also the option to reshuffle for a better one – or a worse one.
Released in 2020, Book of Shadows dares to be different and but is still unmistakably Nolimit.
Book of 99
Book of 99 by Relax Gaming is the first of its kind, released in 2021.
Yes, it is still a Book slot, but it trades ancient Egypt for a clear Grecian vibe, and delivers a fixed 99% RTP, one of the highest you’ll ever find in a slot.
Outside of its impressive RTP rate, Book of 99 stands out for its innovative collection mechanic in the base game – gather 99 Book symbols to trigger Free Spins, or land three the usual way.
In the Free Spins round, it keeps the classic expanding symbol feature, but adds a sense of progression that can catapult the win potential to 5,000x bet.
Book of 99 doesn’t reinvent the wheel and simply follows the notes of those before it, but it still gives stats-hungry players something juicy to get stuck into.
Big Bam-Book
While most Book slots are Egyptian-themed by default to pay homage to the mechanic’s origins, Push Gaming decided to push the boat out with Big Bam-Book in 2024.
Mashing together elements from the Big Bamboo series with traditional Book mechanics, wrapped up with an Asian fusion theme, this one introduces Mystery Symbols, Instant Prizes, Progressive Free Spins, and increasing Multipliers.
The Free Spins are triggered by landing three or more Book Scatter symbols, as per usual, but additional Book symbols feed into a prize meter, boosting multipliers and unlocking extra spins along the way.
Big Bambook undoubtedly offers a modern twist on a classic, offering plenty of re-readability.
Book of Abyss
While some providers are one-and-done with Book slots, Just Slots proves that sometimes, sequels and spin-offs are just as successful.
Following the release of Book of Arcane, they reignited the fire of this classic mechanic with Book of Abyss.
Just Slots leans into a darker, underworld theme here, but the headline comes from the 150,000x maximum win.
As tradition dictates, Book Scatters act as Wilds; the key to Free Spins. Alongside the usual expanding symbol, there’s also a randomly assigned Multiplier (up to x100) plus a Gamble Mode where you can play it safe, push both further, or lose them entirely.
All in all, Book of Abyss is unapologetically volatile but definitely worth a read for any risk-takers out there.
Final Thoughts
These slots prove that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
They may look simple on the surface, but that’s exactly why they’re so popular, proving to be very beginner-friendly and a great segue into the slots world.
Book slots have withstood the test of time, inspired countless others, and continue to reel players in between their pages as constant staples at UK slots sites.
Whether you prefer originals like Book of Ra or Book of Dead, or more modern twists like Book of Shadows and Big Bam-Book, one thing’s immediately clear: this is one chapter of slot history that’s far from finished.
