Quick Stats
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Provider | BF Games |
| Game Type | Video Slot |
| RTP | 96.33% |
| Volatility | High |
| Reels / Rows | 5 × 3 |
| Paylines | 10 Fixed |
| Min Bet | $0.10 |
| Max Bet | $200.00 |
| Max Win | 5,000x line bet |
| Features | Free Spins, Expanding Symbol, Scatter/Wild, Gamble Feature |
| Theme | Ming Dynasty China |
| Release Date | 29 December 2017 |
| Platform | Desktop & Mobile |
What Is Book of Ming?
Book of Ming is an Asian-themed slot inspired by China’s Ming Dynasty (roughly the 14th to 17th centuries). You’re spinning the reels of a palace draped in red and gold, with lanterns, carved pillars, and rows of famous Ming vases setting the scene. The gameplay sits firmly in the book-style slot tradition — one bonus trigger, one expanding symbol mechanic, and a clean paytable built around a handful of premium characters.
This pokie suits players who prefer a game where the base game keeps them afloat while they wait for the free spins bonus to deliver something bigger. Unlike some high volatility pokies where the base game runs cold for long stretches, multiple reviewers and player accounts note that Book of Ming pays out smaller wins with reasonable frequency. That said, the big wins concentrate in the free spins round, particularly when a high-value symbol like the Emperor is chosen as the expanding symbol. It’s not the right game for players chasing a six-figure jackpot or a complex multi-feature bonus structure.
RTP and Volatility
The headline RTP is 96.33%. In practical terms, the game returns $96.33 for every $100 wagered over millions of spins — not your session, not your hour, but across an enormous sample. Your results in a single session can look dramatically different in either direction.
BF Games classifies the volatility as high, and the source page echoes that. In practice, player experience suggests the base game pays smaller wins more often than many book-style slots — some reviewers describe it as playing closer to medium variance during base game spins, with the real variance spike arriving in the free spins round. Start with a $20 session budget at $0.10 per spin and you have 200 spins to work with. Expect some base game wins along the way, but manage your expectations for the bonus round — that’s where the game genuinely earns its “high volatility” label.
Betting Range
The minimum bet is $0.10 per spin, the maximum is $200.00. With the Emperor paying 5,000x your line bet for five of a kind, the actual dollar ceiling depends on your stake per line — at $0.10 total bet across 10 lines, that’s $0.01 per line, making five Emperors worth $50. Raise your total stake and the ceiling rises proportionally. There is no progressive jackpot, so the maximum win is fixed to your chosen bet size at the time.
How to Play Book of Ming — Step by Step
- Open the INFO button in the lower left of the screen to check the paytable. Note which symbols pay from two-of-a-kind rather than three — the Emperor, Empress, Dragon, and Vase all pay for landing just a pair.
- Set your bet using the “-” and “+” controls next to the BET field. A MAX BET shortcut is also available for experienced players.
- Press the main spin button to play, or activate AUTOPLAY for a set number of rounds. The game will continue spinning until your chosen number of rounds completes or a feature triggers.
- Wins pay left to right across active paylines, starting from reel one. Only the highest win per payline is paid — wins don’t stack on the same line.
- Land three or more Book scatter symbols anywhere on the reels to trigger 10 free spins. The game selects an expanding symbol at random before the round begins.
- After any win, the gamble feature activates. Press the gamble button and choose red or black. A correct guess doubles your win; a wrong one loses the entire amount. Collect your win by pressing the hand icon to skip the gamble.
Try this: Before your first real-money spin, load the demo version and trigger the free spins feature at least once so you understand how the expanding symbol behaves before you have money on the line.
Symbols and Paytable
Book of Ming carries nine symbols in two clear tiers.
The low-paying group uses standard card faces. Landing five 10, J, or Q symbols on a payline pays 100x your line bet. The K and A step up slightly to 150x for five of a kind.
The premium symbols are where the game’s real payout potential lives. The Ming Vase and Dragon are equal in value, paying from two-of-a-kind up to 750x for five on a line. The Empress steps that up to 2,000x for five, and the Emperor tops the regular paytable at 5,000x for five of a kind. Both imperial characters pay from just two symbols on a payline — a notable feature that makes even partial premium hits meaningful in the base game.
The golden Book of Ming serves as both the wild symbol and the scatter. As a wild, it substitutes for all other symbols to complete payline wins. As a scatter, it pays independently of paylines and can appear only once per reel per spin, which means the maximum scatter count in any single spin is five. Landing three or more scatter books anywhere triggers free spins.
Bonus Features
Free Spins with Expanding Symbol
Three or more Book scatter symbols anywhere on the reels award 10 free spins. Before the round starts, the game randomly selects one of the regular line symbols — not the scatter itself — to become the Special Expanding Symbol for the entire session.
When that chosen symbol lands on the reels during free spins, it expands vertically to fill all three rows of its reel. Wins from the expanded symbol are then evaluated across the 10 paylines. Critically, wins can pay on non-adjacent reels as long as the expanded symbol appears — which is how large multiplier payouts become possible when a high-value character like the Emperor is chosen.
Free spins can retrigger. Landing three or more scatter books during the bonus round adds 10 more spins, maintaining the same expanding symbol. There is no stated cap on retriggers from available sources, but each retrigger adds exactly 10 spins.
The expanding symbol chosen at random is what separates a routine free spins session from a big win. Getting the Emperor as your expanding symbol is the scenario every Book of Ming player is hoping for — five expanded Emperor reels can chain payline wins across the full board.
Gamble Feature
After every base game win, a gamble button appears alongside a collect option. Pressing gamble takes you to a simple card-colour guess. Red or black — get it right and your win doubles; get it wrong and you lose the entire amount. There is no half-gamble or escalating gamble mechanic. You can repeat the gamble on your doubled win, or collect at any point. This feature is optional and entirely separable from the main game mechanics.
Developer Background
BF Games is a British-based slot developer with over two decades of industry experience, originally focused on land-based gaming before transitioning to online HTML5 titles. Book of Ming was one of their early standout online releases and remains among their most recognised titles. The studio’s catalogue includes book-style sequels and other Asian-themed pokies, with Book of Ming regularly appearing as a free spins target in casino promotions.
Is Book of Ming Worth Playing?
Pros:
- A legitimate 96.33% RTP, above the industry average — meaningful if confirmed at your specific casino.
- Five-thousand-times line bet top payout is achievable during free spins with the right expanding symbol.
- Base game hits with reasonable frequency compared to other high volatility book slots, making sessions feel less one-dimensional.
- Free spins retrigger adds genuine upside to the bonus round.
- Gamble feature gives aggressive players a controlled risk lever after each win.
- Clean, well-crafted visuals that have held up since the 2017 release.
Cons:
- Some operators deploy a low RTP variant (92.08%) — that’s a significant difference and worth verifying before you deposit.
- Max win of 5,000x per line bet is respectable but trails newer book-style pokies that push 10,000x or beyond.
- Only one bonus feature — no buy-in option, no pick game, no additional bonus tiers.
- The source page incorrectly lists max win as N/A, which suggests the game data on some casino sites is not properly maintained.
Book of Ming is a solid, no-nonsense book-style pokie with good base game rhythm and a free spins mechanic that can genuinely pay. Verify the RTP your casino is using before playing — 96.33% is worth your time, but 92.08% is not. If you’re comfortable with a single, straightforward bonus round and enjoy the Ming Dynasty aesthetic, this is a reliable choice. Don’t expect fireworks outside of free spins.
Responsible Gambling
Book of Ming uses a certified random number generator (RNG). Every spin is independent — no previous result influences the next, and no strategy or timing can change the outcome. Set a firm budget before you start and walk away when you reach it. If gambling is affecting your wellbeing, contact a responsible gambling support service in your region.