Pragmatic Play’s John Hunter series has been raiding Egyptian tombs for years now, and Book of Tut Megaways is the latest expedition. Released in September 2023, this one takes the familiar “book of” formula and bolts on the Megaways engine. It’s not exactly a fresh concept; the combination of ancient Egypt, expanding symbols, and variable reel sizes has been done plenty of times before. But there’s a reason these ingredients keep getting used. They work. The question is whether this particular version brings enough to the table.
Slot Basics
The game runs on a 6-reel setup where each reel can display between 2 and 7 symbols per spin, giving a maximum of 117,649 ways to win. Visually, Pragmatic Play haven’t reinvented the wheel here. Pyramids, palm trees, golden sand, and a dramatic sky form the backdrop, while the reels feature card ranks (10 through Ace) as lower-paying symbols alongside scarab jewellery, a cat statue, a pharaoh, and John Hunter himself as the premium icons. A wild symbol appears on the three central reels, substituting for regular pay symbols but not the scatter.
RTP sits at 96.0%, which is perfectly respectable, though it’s worth checking your chosen casino is running this version rather than a reduced one. Volatility is high, as expected from this type of game. Stakes range from £0.20 up to a hefty £240 per spin. There’s also an Ante Bet option that bumps the cost by 25% in exchange for improved free spins trigger rates, nudging the RTP marginally to 96.01%. Hit frequency is roughly 1 in 4.5 spins, so the base game doesn’t feel completely barren. Free spins, however, trigger at around 1 in 400 spins. That’s a long wait.
Bonus Features
The Book of Tut acts as both the scatter and the key to the bonus round. Land three or more of them to trigger the free spins feature, where a special expanding symbol is randomly selected before the round begins. This chosen symbol can expand to fill entire reels when it forms part of a win, and it pays in any position rather than needing to connect from left to right. On the Megaways grid, a fully expanded symbol across all six reels can produce enormous results.
Additional scatters during free spins award extra rounds, keeping the feature alive longer. The expanding symbol mechanic is really where the entire game’s potential lives. Without a good symbol selection and some fortunate reel expansion, the feature can feel underwhelming. Get the right combination, though, and the maximum win of 10,000x stake is within reach. It’s a classic high-variance setup: plenty of disappointing bonus rounds punctuated by the occasional monster hit.
The Ante Bet deserves a mention because it materially changes the trigger frequency. Spending that extra 25% per spin means more scatters appear on the reels, making the long gap between bonuses slightly less painful. Whether the trade-off is worth it depends on your bankroll and patience.
Book of Tut Megaways is a solid, if unspectacular, addition to the crowded “book of” genre. Pragmatic Play have executed it competently, the Megaways mechanic adds genuine excitement during the bonus, and the 10,000x cap is decent for this style of game. On the other hand, it doesn’t do anything particularly new, and that 1 in 400 free spins frequency means long dry stretches are inevitable. This slot suits players who already enjoy the John Hunter series or “book of” games and simply want another variant with more ways to win. If the theme feels tired to you by now, nothing here will change your mind.
