Book of Cats is BGaming’s take on the classic “book” slot, released on 8 July 2020. Anyone who knows Book of Dead will recognise the structure – a book that is both wild and scatter, ten free spins and one expanding symbol. The twist is a small sixth cell to the right of the reels: it shows, during the base game, which symbol will expand when free spins arrive. The RTP is unusually high for the genre at 96.99%.
Key facts
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Release | 8 July 2020 |
| Grid and lines | 5×3 plus a one-cell sixth reel, 10 paylines |
| RTP | 96.99% |
| Volatility | Very high |
| Max win | 8,202x the bet (current official figure) |
| Hit rate | 1 in 2.78 spins (about 35.97%) |
| Free spins rate | 1 in 140 spins |
Older press coverage quotes a 10,000x maximum, and several databases also show a 94% RTP. BGaming’s current page lists 96.99% and 8,202x, and we use those; no source explains when the figures changed.
The sixth cell
In a standard book slot the expanding symbol is a surprise, drawn when free spins start. Here a single cell beside reel 5 shows a randomly selected symbol in the base game, and that symbol becomes the expanding symbol in free spins. You can’t influence it, but you can see it before the bonus – a premium symbol in the cell makes the next trigger more valuable.
Golden Book and free spins
- The Golden Book is the wild and the scatter.
- Three or more books award 10 free spins with the selected expanding symbol.
- During the round that symbol expands to fill all three positions on its reel, which is how wins across all ten lines happen at once.
- Three more books during free spins retrigger the round; one press report of a big win describes 10 more spins.
Free spins arrive about once in 140 spins, which partly offsets the very high volatility.
Gamble and bonus buy
After a base-game win you can gamble it by guessing the colour or suit of a face-down card. BGaming doesn’t publish a limit on steps.
The bonus can be bought; BGaming shows the price on the button. One database lists 97x the bet, and a 2021 press report implies about 94x, so check the button before buying. There is no Chance x2 in this version. How buys change the pace of a session is covered in our bonus buys guide.
Original or Megaways?
| Original | Megaways version | |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | 5×3 + cell, 10 lines | 6 reels, up to 117,649 ways |
| RTP | 96.99% | 97.07% |
| Free spins | 10, symbol shown in advance | 12, symbol picked at random |
| Wild multipliers | None | x2–x10 in free spins |
| Max win | 8,202x | 10,000x |
The full comparison is in our Book of Cats Megaways review.
Pros and cons
[expert_review params=”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”]
Who it suits
[wpremark preset_name=”default-info” icon_show=”1″ icon_image=”info-circle-regular” icon_color=”#3da2e0″ icon_width=”32″ icon_height=”32″ icon_indent=”16″ background_show=”1″ background_color=”#e3f1f4″ border_top=”0″ border_right=”0″ border_bottom=”0″ border_left=”0″ border_width=”2″ border_color=”#3da2e0″ shadow_show=”0″ shadow_x=”0″ shadow_y=”5″ shadow_blur=”10″ shadow_stretching=”-5″ shadow_opacity=”0.3″ title_show=”0″ title_bold=”0″ title_italic=”0″ title_underline=”0″ title_uppercase=”0″ title_font_size=”18″ title_line_height=”1.5″ text_bold=”0″ text_italic=”0″ text_underline=”0″ text_uppercase=”0″ padding_top=”20″ padding_right=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”20″ margin_top=”20″ margin_right=”0″ margin_bottom=”20″ margin_left=”0″ border_radius=”5″]Good fit: book-slot fans who want a higher RTP than usual and like knowing the expanding symbol in advance. Poor fit: players who want something new – apart from the sixth cell, this is the familiar book formula.[/wpremark]
Verdict
A well-made book slot with one genuinely useful idea: the sixth cell turns the expanding symbol from a surprise into something you can watch. A 96.99% RTP and free spins about once in 140 spins are solid numbers for the genre. The current 8,202x cap is lower than older sources suggest, so don’t plan around 10,000x.
Frequently asked questions
[expert_review_faq params=”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”]
18+. The gamble feature can lose a win in one click. Support services are listed on our responsible gambling page.
