On this page
- What Book of Shadows is
- Grid, rows and win lines
- How a spin works step by step
- Lucky Locks explained
- Free spins and the Golden symbol
- A worked example of the Golden expansion
- Gamble and Wheel of Bonus
- Buying the feature
- How it compares with Book of Dead and Book of Ra
- Testing it in the demo
- Book of Shadows free demo
- Frequently asked questions
What Book of Shadows is
Nolimit City released Book of Shadows on August 20, 2020. It was the studio's first step into dark magic themes, and it borrows the best-known formula in slots, a book that works as both Wild and Scatter plus one expanding symbol in free spins, then gives you far more say in how each spin is set up. The provider describes it as an interactive title where you decide the number of rows, which reels to lock and whether to gamble.
The published math: RTP is 96.01%, made up of 58.7% from the base game and 37.31% from free spins. Operators can also run 94.09% or 90.15% builds. Nolimit City rates the volatility as Extreme, 10 on its scale. A win lands roughly once every three spins, free spins arrive on average once in 154 spins, a win of 100x or more comes about once in 843 spins, and the top payout is 30,338x the bet, a figure simulated over 10 billion spins. Stakes start at 0.10 and go to 100, or up to 200 with the boosted setup.
Grid, rows and win lines
The base layout is five reels by three rows with 10 win lines, the same shape as most book slots. Shadow Rows let you add a fourth and a fifth row by clicking the upper rows above the reels. Each added row brings 5 more paylines and an extra cost per spin:
| Rows played | Grid | Win lines |
|---|---|---|
| 3 (default) | 5x3 | 10 |
| 4 | 5x4 | 15 |
| 5 | 5x5 | 20 |
The game has 11 symbols in total, and different reel configurations are used in the main game and in the bonus modes. The exact symbol values are shown in the in-game paytable at your current stake. Note that the extra rows change the return: the rules list a separate RTP for 4 and for 5 Shadow Rows, so read those lines before you commit to a larger grid.
How a spin works step by step
- Set your stake and choose 3, 4 or 5 rows. The spin cost updates with each row you add.
- Spin. Wins are paid on the active win lines according to the paytable.
- Book of Shadows symbols act as Wilds and substitute to complete line wins. Three or more anywhere trigger free spins.
- After a winning spin, you may gamble the win, either 50/50 or on the Wheel of Bonus.
- After a main game spin, you may lock up to four reels and respin the rest at an adjusted price with Lucky Locks.
Lucky Locks explained
Lucky Locks is the feature that sets the game apart from other book slots. After any main game spin you can hold up to four reels and respin the others. The adjusted bet appears next to the lock before you confirm, so you always see the price of the respin first. Setups with no chance of winning cannot be locked, and you can hold at most two Scatters.
The rules state the best approach for return directly: the highest RTP with Lucky Locks comes from locking two Scatters and respinning for the third. Changing your bet, buying the feature or triggering free spins clears any Lucky Locks setup. Lucky Locks also has its own RTP line in the rules, so check it in your version.
Free spins and the Golden symbol
Three or more Book of Shadows symbols award 10 free spins played on the number of rows you had active when the round triggered. Before the round starts, a Golden symbol is picked at random. If you do not like the draw, you get one free reshuffle. The rules advise reshuffling whenever the first draw is not one of the five top-paying symbols.
During the round, the Golden symbol expands to cover its entire reel, across all active rows, whenever doing so creates additional wins along a win line. Three or more Books during free spins retrigger the feature.
Changing rows before the round
You can also change the row count before the spins begin, and the number of spins moves with it, two spins per row. Trigger on 3 rows and you can play 10 spins on 3 rows, 8 on 4 rows or 6 on 5 rows. Trigger on 5 rows and the offer runs the other way: 10 spins on 5 rows, 12 on 4 or 14 on 3. A 4-row trigger gives 10 on 4 rows, 12 on 3 or 8 on 5. According to the rules, the best return comes from keeping the same number of rows as when the round was activated.
A worked example of the Golden expansion
Take a 1.00 stake with 5 rows and 20 lines active in free spins. The Golden symbol lands on reels 1, 3 and 5 and expands on all three. Every one of the 20 lines now crosses the Golden symbol on three reels, so the round pays the symbol's three-of-a-kind line value 20 times over, since the rules count expanded wins anywhere along a win line. On a 3-row, 10-line round the same landing pays that value 10 times. If the Golden symbol fills four or five reels, each line pays the four- or five-of-a-kind value instead, which is how full screens of one symbol produce the game's biggest results.
This is also the trade-off behind Shadow Rows: 5 rows doubles the number of lines on which an expansion pays compared with 3 rows, but the round gives you fewer spins if you switch up after a 3-row trigger, and every base game spin costs more while you play the larger grid.
Put the spin counts side by side. After a 3-row trigger, staying on 3 rows gives 10 spins with 10 lines each, 100 line chances for an expansion in total. Switching to 5 rows gives 6 spins with 20 lines each, 120 line chances, but fewer spins in which the Golden symbol can land on enough reels. More lines per spin raises the size of a good spin; more spins raises the number of attempts. The rules favor keeping the row count you triggered on, and that is the sensible default.
Gamble and Wheel of Bonus
Two gamble options follow a win. The 50/50 gamble is double or nothing. Wheel of Bonus lets you stake the win for a chance at free spins: the arrow must land in the colored area, and the probability is based on the average payout of the feature. The wheel is only available while the win stays below a set multiple of your bet. Per the rules, the 50/50 gamble is the choice with the highest return. Both options may be disabled in some jurisdictions.
Buying the feature
The Nolimit Bonus feature buy takes you directly into free spins. Nolimit City does not publish the price on its game page or game sheet, so check it in the buy menu at your stake. The rules list separate RTP values for buying with 3, 4 or 5 Shadow Rows, which shows the purchase is tied to your row choice. A feature buy clears any Shadow Rows and Lucky Locks changes, and it may be removed in some regulated markets.
How it compares with Book of Dead and Book of Ra
The core is the same as in Book of Dead and Book of Ra: a book that is Wild and Scatter, and one symbol that expands in free spins. The differences are in the numbers. Book of Dead runs 10 fixed lines on 5x3 and caps at 5,000x, while Book of Ra uses 9 lines. Book of Shadows starts at 10 lines, lets you play up to 20 on a 5x5 grid, adds reel locking and a symbol reshuffle, and raises the ceiling to 30,338x.
Testing it in the demo
Use the free demo to learn how the costs move. Add a row and watch the spin price change, then try Lucky Locks after a spin with two Books and note the adjusted bet shown next to each lock. In the rules screen, check the RTP of your version (96.01%, 94.09% or 90.15%), the separate figures for extra rows, Lucky Locks and the buy, and the bet limits your operator allows. Keep stakes small; with free spins about once in 154 spins, a session needs room to wait.
Where to play Book of Shadows for real money
Frequently asked questions
What is the RTP of Book of Shadows?
The default RTP is 96.01%, with 58.7% from the base game and 37.31% from free spins. Nolimit City also offers 94.09% and 90.15% builds. Shadow Rows, Lucky Locks and the feature buy each have their own RTP listed in the game rules.
What is the max win in Book of Shadows?
The maximum payout is 30,338 times the bet, based on a simulation of 10 billion spins. The biggest results come in free spins when the Golden symbol expands across several reels on 20 active lines.
How many paylines does Book of Shadows have?
It plays 10 lines on the default 5x3 grid. Shadow Rows add a fourth and fifth row, each adding 5 lines, for 15 lines on 5x4 and 20 on 5x5. Every added row increases the cost of a spin.
What are Lucky Locks?
After a main game spin you can lock up to four reels and respin the rest for an adjusted bet shown next to the lock. You can hold at most two Scatters, and the rules say locking two Scatters gives the highest return.
How do the free spins work?
Three or more Book symbols award 10 free spins on the rows active at the trigger. A random Golden symbol, which you can reshuffle once, expands to fill its reel when it creates extra wins. Changing rows changes the spin count by two per row.
Is Book of Shadows volatile?
Yes. Nolimit City rates it Extreme, 10 on its scale. A win lands about once every three spins, but free spins arrive on average once in 154 spins and most of the upside sits inside that round.
What is the bet range?
According to the provider's game sheet, stakes start at 0.10 and go up to 100, or 200 with the boosted setup. Your operator may set narrower limits, so check the bet menu.
