Reading the Book of Ra numbers
Return, volatility and max win each answer a different question about the game.
Seven RTP configurations, one game#
Novomatic supplies Book of Ra Classic in seven return configurations. The casino picks one, and the game then pays back that share of all stakes over the very long run: from 88.21 units per 100 staked in the lowest setting to 96.99 in the highest. A single session can land far above or below that line; the RTP describes the game across millions of spins.
That is why a single figure printed without context can mislead. The same reels, symbols and Free Games run in every configuration, and only the return changes. Before you play, open the game’s information screen at your casino and read the figure it shows. The difference between the top and bottom settings is almost nine percentage points, which is worth a minute of checking.
Volatility 5: what it feels like#
Novomatic rates Book of Ra 5 on its volatility scale from 0.5 to 5, the highest mark. In practice that means wins arrive in uneven waves. About 30% of spins land a win with all 9 lines in play, many of them small card-royal lines, while the Free Games, the source of the biggest wins, arrive on average once every 150 to 200 games.
High volatility rewards a budget planned by the session. A stake that covers a few hundred spins leaves room for the bonus round, and a fixed stopping point keeps the session enjoyable whatever the reels do. Stick to the stake you planned, even after a quiet stretch.
Max win: two ceilings#
Book of Ra has two numbers worth knowing. In the base game, five Explorers on a line pay 5,000 times the line bet, the highest line win in the paytable. In the Free Games, the Special Expanding Symbol pays on every selected line, so an Explorer that expands across all five reels with 9 lines in play pays 5,000x nine times: 45,000 times the line bet in one Free Game. The Book of Ra free spins page breaks down every symbol behind those figures.
The versions and their volatility#
Each edition in the series has its own profile. Book of Ra Deluxe, Book of Ra Deluxe 6 and Book of Ra Magic all sit at 5 on Novomatic’s scale, like Classic. Book of Ra Deluxe 10, with its two reel sets and 100 lines, is rated 2, a much smoother ride. Their pages carry the details: Book of Ra Deluxe slot, Book of Ra Deluxe 6 slot and Book of Ra Magic slot, with the rest of the family on the Book of Ra versions page.
The original game is profiled in full on the Book of Ra slot page, and Play Book of Ra on your phone explains how the same game opens on a phone.