Book of Ra
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Novomatic ยท The Original Egypt Slot ยท 2005
The slot that started it all. Novomatic’s Book of Ra โ released in 2005 โ became the most influential Egypt slot ever made, spawning an entire genre. Ten free spins, one expanding symbol, and a 5,000ร jackpot waiting inside the ancient tomb.
WIN: NZ$0
BET: NZ$0.90
The Slot That Changed Everything
In 2005, Novomatic released Book of Ra as a land-based casino machine in Austria and Germany. It was unlike anything before it โ a 5ร3 slot with 9 paylines, two premium symbols (the Pharaoh and the Explorer), and a single mechanic that made it legendary: the Book, a combined Wild and Scatter, that triggers 10 free spins and turns one randomly chosen symbol into an expanding wild.
Within years, Book of Ra had been adapted for online play, spawning six sequels (Deluxe, 6, Magic, Mystic Fortunes, and more). It became the most-copied slot concept in the industry โ Book of Dead, Legacy of Dead, and dozens of others are direct descendants of its formula.
Two decades after its release, the original Book of Ra Classic remains a staple of NZ online casinos โ beloved for its straightforward mechanics, nostalgic charm, and genuine potential for huge wins in the free spins round.
*Multipliers applied to line bet. Explorer 5ร pays 5,000ร the total bet on a NZ$0.90/spin bet.
Inside the Free Spins Round
Ten free spins. One expanding symbol. Zero limits on what you can win.
Land 3, 4 or 5 Book symbols anywhere on the reels. The Book pays as both a Wild (substitutes all symbols) and a Scatter (triggers free spins regardless of position).
Before the spins begin, one symbol is chosen at random. During all 10 free spins, when that symbol lands it expands to fill the entire reel โ covering all 3 rows.
If the expanding symbol fills all 5 reels across a payline โ that’s the full payout. Landing 3 more Books during free spins retriggers 10 additional spins with the same expanding symbol. No retrigger limit.
Book of Ra vs Book of Dead
Two legends. Same DNA. Different eras. Here’s how they compare head-to-head for NZ players.
How to Play
Book of Ra
in New Zealand
HIGH (4/5)
Extreme
Expect long dry spells. The feature is rare but the expanding symbol can deliver life-changing payouts in a single round.
Session Planner โ Book of Ra NZ
Plan your NZD budget before you open the game. Every row assumes a NZ$100 starting balance.
NZ$100 budget
RTP 95.10%
avg estimate
5,000ร line bet
โญ Classic
With a NZ$500 welcome bonus at NZ$0.90/spin, you get 555+ spins โ statistically 3โ4 free spins triggers.
All figures theoretical based on 95.10% RTP. High volatility โ actual results vary significantly. Gamble responsibly.
Why Book of Ra
Is Still King
in New Zealand
Two decades of newer, flashier competitors. Megaways mechanics. Cluster pays. Cascading grids. Buy features. Yet Book of Ra โ a 2005 slot with 9 paylines and no special features beyond free spins โ continues to rank in the top 10 most-played slots at NZ online casinos. Here’s why.
The original. Land-based Novomatic cabinet. 5 reels, 9 lines, expanding symbol mechanic born here.
Upgraded graphics, 10 paylines, updated sound. The most-played version at online casinos worldwide.
Six reels added. More complex but loses some of the original’s purity. Cult following but less popular.
Not a sequel but the most successful clone. Higher RTP (96.21%) and 250,000ร max win. Outsold the original online.
Modern re-skin with bonus buy feature (where available) and enhanced animations. New audience.
The Classic remains available and actively played at NZ online casinos. Its simplicity is its immortality.
Loved Book of Ra? Explore These Next
Book of Ra FAQ
Yes. Book of Ra (Classic and Deluxe versions) is available at One Casino NZ fully in New Zealand Dollars. Minimum bet is NZ$0.09 (9 lines ร NZ$0.01) up to NZ$900 per spin. No currency conversion, no hidden fees. Register, deposit, and find the game in the slots lobby โ usually under “Classic Slots” or search “Book of Ra”.
The Classic version has 9 paylines and older graphics โ the original 2005 look that many purists prefer. The Deluxe version (2008) adds a 10th payline, improved animations and sound, and slightly updated visuals. The core mechanic โ expanding symbol free spins, 5,000ร max win โ is identical in both. Most NZ players prefer Deluxe for the cleaner interface, but Classic has a devoted following.
The maximum win is 5,000ร your line bet. This occurs when the Explorer (๐) is the chosen expanding symbol, fills all 3 rows on all 5 reels, and hits on all 9 paylines simultaneously during free spins. At NZ$0.10 line bet (NZ$0.90 total), this pays NZ$5,000. At NZ$1.00 line bet (NZ$9.00 total), it pays NZ$50,000. At maximum line bet (NZ$100), the theoretical maximum payout is NZ$500,000.
Book of Ra has a 95.10% RTP, while Book of Dead is 96.21%. Over millions of spins, that 1.11% difference is meaningful โ Book of Ra returns about NZ$1.11 less per NZ$100 wagered on average. However, in a short session of 100โ500 spins, the difference is negligible compared to the natural variance of high volatility play. For bonus wagering purposes, both qualify fully at One Casino NZ. If you’re playing for the nostalgia and history, Book of Ra is worth every spin.
Yes. Book of Ra is a qualifying slot title for the One Casino NZ welcome bonus (100% match up to NZ$500). It contributes 100% toward the 35x wagering requirement โ the most efficient category. At NZ$0.90/spin with a NZ$500 bonus, you have 555 spins to work with โ enough to realistically trigger free spins 3โ4 times and complete a significant portion of your wagering in one session.
Yes. The modern HTML5 version of Book of Ra runs on any iPhone, iPad, or Android device via your browser โ no download or app install required. The classic 5ร3 grid scales perfectly to smaller screens. Open One Casino NZ on your mobile browser, log in, search “Book of Ra”, and start spinning within seconds.
The Gamble feature lets you double (or lose) any win by guessing the colour of a face-down card โ red or black, exact 50/50 odds. In theory it’s neutral EV, but in practice it’s one of the fastest ways to lose accumulated winnings. Our recommendation: skip the Gamble feature entirely, particularly when using bonus funds. If you’re up significantly and want to gamble further โ cash out instead, and start a fresh funded session.
Two decades of legend. 5,000ร maximum win. The expanding symbol that built an entire genre. Play the original at One Casino NZ โ in NZD, with your NZ$500 welcome bonus ready.
18+ only ยท NZD play ยท RTP 95.10% ยท High volatility ยท Play responsibly โ gamblinghelponline.org.au