John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen Pokie Guide

Pragmatic Play released John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen in 2019. The theme is straightforward: explorer John Hunter delves into an ancient Egyptian tomb. The game uses a 5x3 layout with 25 paylines, which is standard for the studio's range.

What sets it apart is the Money Collect system. Instead of relying only on scatter-triggered free spins, the game gives you a secondary collection mechanic that can build value over a round. The wild symbol, Cleopatra, appears on every reel except reel 1, which affects how often you can complete winning lines.

The combination of a familiar layout with a collect-based feature makes it different from a plain 5x3 pokie where wins come only from matching symbols left to right.

To set up a spin, first choose your bet using the bet selector. The minimum is $0.25 and the maximum is $125 per spin. The game is a 5x3 grid with 25 paylines, so wins are read from left to right across the reels. The paytable and game info are accessible via the info or paytable button, usually next to the spin button. The spin button starts a single round at your current stake. There is no ante bet or bonus buy in this game, so each spin costs exactly what you stake. The controls are standard for Pragmatic Play pokies.

Volatility here is medium, meaning wins land at a moderate pace, but you should still size bets to survive dry spells. The bet range is $0.25 to $125 per spin.

For a $50 session, a sensible bet is around $0.50 to $1 per spin. That gives you 50 to 100 spins, which is enough to see the feature trigger reasonably often. For a $200 session, you can go up to $2 to $5 per spin, keeping 40 to 100 spins in reserve.

There is no bonus buy or ante bet in this game, so each spin costs exactly what you stake. No betting system changes the RTP; the house edge stays the same regardless of how you vary your bet size.

The key features, in the order they appear in the game:

• Free Spins: Three scatters on the three central reels award 8 spins. These can be retriggered without limit, so a long run is possible.
• Money Collect: Scarab money symbols land on reels 1–4. When a Collect scarab lands on reel 5, it gathers the value of all money symbols on the screen.
• Collect variants: There are five types of Collect scarabs: Collect, Extra Credit Collect, Multiplier Collect (up to 25x), Expanding Collect, and Respin Collect. Each modifies how the collection works.
• Final respin: On the last free spin, the game pays the value of all money symbols gathered during the entire round.

A win could build like this: you collect a few money symbols early, then a Multiplier Collect scarab multiplies their combined value by up to 25x, and the final respin pays everything again.

The default RTP is 96.5%. Pragmatic Play lists this on their official page. However, there are two main versions, with RTP ranging from 95.50% to 96.50%. A third variant at 90.02% has been reported by Bigwinboard.

What does a lower RTP mean in practice? At 96.5%, for every $100 wagered, the theoretical return is $96.50. At 95.5%, it's $95.50. At 90.02%, it's $90.02. The difference is small per $100, but over many sessions it adds up.

The maximum win is 10,500x your stake. For example, a $0.25 bet could return $2,625, and a $5 bet could return $52,500.

Always check the RTP version in the game's info panel before playing, as it can vary by casino.

The demo mode uses play credits but runs the same maths and RTP version as the real-money build at the casino you open it in. For a medium-volatility pokie like this, a demo session is useful for seeing how often the Money Collect feature triggers and how the five Collect variants behave. You can also test how bet size feels across the range from $0.25 to $125 without risking AUD. With real money, bets are real and your session limits matter. The demo gives you a feel for the game's pace before you commit.

You can play John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen at More Chilli, Genghis Khan. The game is available in AUD, and a demo mode is offered for trying it first.

Before playing for real money, check the RTP version available at More Chilli, as it may differ from the default.

Play responsibly. For help, contact Gambling Help Online at 1800 858 858.

Legacy of Egypt — Both are Egyptian-themed 5x3 pokies with medium-to-high volatility. Legacy of Egypt has a higher RTP of 96.5% and a max win of 5,000x, but uses a Wheel of the Gods feature instead of Money Collect. It offers a different free-spins structure with random multipliers.

Aztec Magic Deluxe — Aztec Magic Deluxe is a low-volatility 5x3 pokie with a similar max win of 5,000x. It features a gamble round and 10 free spins, but lacks a collect mechanic. Its RTP is higher at 96.96%, making it a calmer alternative.