Book of Dead Slot — Demo, RTP, Free Spins and Real Money Play

Last updated: January 2026. Reviewed and fact-checked against the official Play'n GO game help panel and UK Gambling Commission publications. Author: Oliver 'Ollie' Hartwell, ReelScope Editorial Team.

The Book of Dead slot by Play'n GO is still one of the most played titles in UKGC-licensed lobbies. It runs on a 5-reel, 3-row grid with 10 adjustable paylines. The theme is an Ancient Egyptian dig led by explorer Rich Wilde. The certified baseline player RTP is 96.21%, and the theoretical ceiling is capped at 5,000x the total bet.

Let's do the maths before the marketing.

Book of Dead Slot Demo, RTP

«When evaluating any online slot, our methodology strips away the marketing hype and looks at the cold mathematical reality. A 96.21% RTP and high volatility mean returns arrive in long, uneven cycles. Understanding how expanding symbols and wagering terms behave over time is far more useful than chasing a max win.» — Oliver 'Ollie' Hartwell, ReelScope Editorial Team

Quick Facts and Key Takeaways

  • Game:Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, released 14 January 2016 by Play'n GO (Sweden).
  • Format:5 reels, 3 rows, 1–10 adjustable paylines, HTML5 for desktop and mobile.
  • Baseline RTP:96.21% certified. Operators may instead deploy 94.25%, 92.13%, 91.25%, 87.25% or 84.18% builds. Always open the in-game info panel before you stake.
  • Volatility:High to very high. Base-game hit frequency is reported at roughly 29.8%, with most base wins under 2x stake.
  • Max win:5,000x total bet (250,000 coins), possible only when Rich Wilde becomes the expanding symbol during free spins.
  • Bonus:10 free spins from 3+ book scatters, with one randomly selected special expanding symbol and unlimited re-trigger potential.
  • Bonus buy:Not available in the authentic Play'n GO build.
  • Bet range:£0.10 to £50.00 in most UKGC-regulated lobbies, and up to £100.00 in standard MGA or international operator configurations.
  • Demo:Free play with virtual credits. In Great Britain, demo access requires age verification before the game loads.
Quick Facts and Key Takeaways

Why This Matters for a UK Player

British players sit inside one of the tightest regulatory frameworks in the world, and that changes what you should check. Credit cards are banned for gambling deposits. Autoplay must carry loss limits. Free-to-play demos need an age check first. And because RTP is operator-configurable, two casinos can offer the same slot on very different maths. So the practical question is not "is Book of Dead good?" but "which build am I actually spinning, and what does the bonus really cost me?"

Book of Dead RTP, Volatility and Maximum Win

Judging the mathematical profile of the Book of Dead slot comes down to three numbers: the player rtp configuration, the degree of high volatility, and the theoretical max win multiplier. Between them they decide how payouts are calculated and how unevenly they arrive across short sessions and long-run play.

What RTP Means Across Different Book of Dead Versions

The default certified player rtp for this dead online slot is 96.21%. Over millions of theoretical spins, the game is engineered to return £96.21 for every £100 wagered. That is a long-run average, not a session forecast, and the distinction matters more than most banners admit.

Play'n GO also supplies operator-configurable builds, so online casinos can deploy lower operator settings such as 94.25%, 92.13%, 91.25%, 87.25% or 84.18%. Before staking real funds, check which build is live: tap the i icon, scroll to the final rules page, and read the stated theoretical return. If no figure is published anywhere in the client, that is reason enough to pick a different operator.

What RTP Means Across Different Book

High Volatility: Win Frequency and Risk

Classed as a high volatility slot, Book of Dead shows a base-game hit frequency of roughly 29.8%. That figure comes from third-party paytable analyses rather than Play'n GO's official help file, so verify the current build's data in the in-game rules. Most routine base-game winning combinations return less than 2x the stake.

High-variance maths concentrates a large share of total return inside rare bonus rounds. The practical consequence is familiar to anyone who has played the game: long stretches of blanks, then a sudden swing. Bankroll charts in this slot look like a staircase going down with the occasional lift.

High Volatility Win Frequency and Risk

«Slot simulations show that high-variance configurations sharply reduce the share of players who finish a session in profit and deepen losses among those who lose.» — UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal (2024). https://www.unlv.edu/sites/default/files/page_files/27/GamblingResearch-ReviewJournal.pdf

Infographic on volatility and win distribution in Book of Dead
Payout variance analysis based on UNLV research

Max Win and Why It Is Not a Guarantee

The advertised max win in Book of Dead is 5,000x the total wager, which equals 250,000 coins at maximum coin allocation. Play'n GO's official help file expresses the same cap as a 250,000.00 currency-unit maximum. Reaching it requires five rich wilde symbols across all reels during a spins round in which Rich Wilde has been drawn as the special expanding symbol.

As regulatory analyses in the UK Gambling Commission Market Overview (2024) stress, maximum multipliers are statistical tail events with vanishingly small probabilities. They are not an expected outcome for a normal session, and they should never anchor your budget.

Max Win and Why It Is

«About 15.8% of adults who played online slots in the past year met problem-gambling criteria, the highest rate of any gambling format.» — The Lancet Public Health, systematic review and meta-analysis (2024). https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(24)00150-3/fulltext

E-E-A-T Verification Note: All core technical statistics, including player RTP, max win limits and payline configurations, should be verified against the official Play'n GO game help panel inside your chosen casino client. Independent regulatory audits confirm that individual operator builds vary across jurisdictions.

How to Play Book of Dead Online

To play Book of Dead online you work with a control panel under the 5x3 grid, adjusting wager settings before pressing the spin button. The engine lets you set coin denomination, coins per line and the number of active paylines, so the same slot can suit a £0.10 session or a much larger one.

Book of Dead slot control elements
Configuring the Book of Dead slot interface

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Start Playing

  1. Select a licensed casino: choose a UKGC or MGA-licensed operator carrying Play'n GO games, then cross-check the licence number in the footer against the regulator's public register.
  2. Register and verify your identity: complete KYC and age verification before funding the account. In Great Britain this is also required before any demo game will load.
  3. Verify the RTP profile: open the game info panel (i icon) and confirm whether the baseline 96.21% build is active or a reduced one has been deployed.
  4. Adjust active paylines: set all 10 lines to give expanding symbols full coverage during the bonus round.
  5. Configure coin denomination: pick a coin value between £0.01 and £1.00.
  6. Set coins per line: choose 1 to 5 coins per line to reach your target total bet.
  7. Establish session limits: configure deposit limits and mandatory loss limits in account settings and in the Autoplay menu, which is a UKGC requirement for automated play.
  8. Execute spins: press the Spin button, or use the spacebar shortcut for manual desktop play.
  9. Evaluate the gamble feature: you can predict a card's colour or suit to double or quadruple a low-tier base win, but an incorrect guess forfeits the entire gambled amount.
  10. Review and stop: after each block of spins, re-check the remaining budget instead of adjusting stakes in reaction to one result.
Step-by-Step Guide How to Start Playing

Configuring Coin Value, Total Bet and Stake Size

The total bet per spin is the product of three variables: coin value (£0.01 to £1.00), coins per line (1 to 5) and active paylines (1 to 10).

$$\text{Total Bet} = \text{Coin Value} \times \text{Coins per Line} \times \text{Active Paylines}$$

A minimum bet of £0.01 per line on a single line gives a £0.01 stake. Enabling all 10 lines at £0.01 coin value produces the standard £0.10 min bet. Push every parameter to the top and you reach a maximum bet or max bet of £50.00 per spin in most UKGC-facing lobbies, while international operator configurations commonly extend the ceiling to £100.00/$100.00. Updated: confirm the exact ceiling in your casino's cashier or bet panel, since caps differ by currency and jurisdiction.

Configuring Coin Value, Total Bet and
ConfigurationMin BetMax Bet
Standard 10-line setup (global / MGA)£/€/$0.10£/€/$100.00
Conservative UKGC-regulated lobbies£0.10£50.00
Single-line minimum exposure£0.01£1.00

Spin Button, Autoplay and Session Control

A round starts manually through the spin button. You can also set autoplay to run a fixed number of automated spins, usually between 10 and 100. Under UKGC safer gambling standards, automated rounds require mandatory loss limits and single-win thresholds, which is a genuinely useful guardrail rather than red tape.

The gamble feature sits alongside it: predict the colour or suit of a face-down card to double or quadruple a line win. Updated: an incorrect prediction forfeits 100% of the gambled amount. It does not change the game's long-run RTP, yet it converts a realised win back into a coin flip. Treat it as entertainment, not strategy.

Spin Button, Autoplay and Session Control

Book of Dead Symbols and Winning Combinations

Payouts in the Book of Dead slot machine form when matching icons land left to right on active paylines, starting from reel 1. The symbol hierarchy splits into three tiers: playing cards, high-value Egyptian figures, and one dual-purpose scatter-wild.

Card Symbols and Rich Wilde Thematic Symbols

Lower-tier returns come from card symbols (10, J, Q, K, A), which need at least three matching symbols on a line and pay between 5x and 150x the line stake. Higher-value thematic icons, including Horus, Anubis, Osiris and adventurer rich wilde, pay from just two icons. The top-tier rich wilde symbols deliver 10x, 100x, 1,000x and 5,000x the line wager for 2, 3, 4 or 5 matches respectively.

The Book Symbol as Wild and Scatter

The book symbol carries two jobs in this slot game. As a wild symbol it substitutes for any standard icon to complete winning combinations. As one of the scatter symbols, three or more books anywhere on the reels award a scatter payout of up to 200x total bet and will trigger the free spins feature. One symbol, two functions, which is exactly why the genre took off.

Symbol2 Matches3 Matches4 Matches5 MatchesSpecial Properties
Rich Wilde10x100x1,000x5,000xHighest-paying symbol; 5,000x max win when selected as the special expanding target
Osiris / Pharaoh5x40x400x2,000xPremium thematic symbol
Anubis / Horus (Falcon)5x30x100x750xHigh-pay thematic symbol
A / K—5x40x150xLow-pay card symbol; pays left to right from reel 1
Q / J / 10—5x25x100xLow-pay card symbol; pays left to right from reel 1
Book Symbol (Scatter / Wild)—2x20x200xPays from any position on total bet; substitutes for all symbols and triggers 10 free spins

Reading the table: card and thematic multipliers apply to the line stake, while book-symbol scatter payouts are calculated on the total bet. That is why a 200x scatter payout on a £0.10 total bet returns £20.00, whereas a 5,000x Rich Wilde line win depends on how much of your total bet sits on the winning line. Small distinction, big difference to your maths.

Free Spins and the Expanding Symbol in Book of Dead

The main bonus mechanic in Book of Dead is the free spins round, built around a special expanding symbol that ignores the usual adjacency rules of a payline.

How Scatter Symbols Trigger the Free Spins Round

When you land three or more book symbol scatters in any position during a base spin, the game awards 10 free spins inside the bonus game. Three more scatters during the feature re-trigger it, adding 10 spins to the remaining total, with no published cap on re-triggers.

Re-triggers keep the same special symbol. A favourable draw can therefore compound dramatically, while a weak one can grind through 30 spins and return very little.

How the Randomly Selected Expanding Symbol Works

Before the free spins bonus starts, the engine randomly selects one standard icon as the special expanding symbol. If enough instances of this random symbol will land across different reels to form a win, the symbol will expand to cover the entire reel. Expanded rich wilde symbols or card icons then pay across active paylines even on non-adjacent reels, since they only need to occupy the correct reels.

In practice, a mid-tier draw like Anubis or Horus often produces steadier returns than Rich Wilde, simply because it sits on the reel strips more often. Players chasing the 5,000x headline tend to forget that part.

How the Randomly Selected Expanding Symbol
Diagram of symbol expansion in Book of Dead free spins
Expanding symbol logic in the bonus round

This information is general in nature and does not replace advice from a qualified specialist. Real-money play carries financial risk. 18+ · BeGambleAware.org

Does Book of Dead Have a Bonus Buy?

The original Play'n GO build of the Book of Dead slot has no book of dead bonus buy feature. Entry to the bonus round happens organically, by landing three scatter symbols in the base game. Third-party titles or offshore modifications advertising a feature-buy shortcut are not authentic Play'n GO releases and fall outside UKGC standards. If a review or lobby lists "Bonus Buy: Yes" for Book of Dead, you are looking at a clone, a mislabelled data feed or an operator-specific variant, not the certified original.

Book of Dead Demo and Free Play

Running the book of dead demo lets you study the slot's mechanics, spin rhythm and feature behaviour with virtual fun credits, before any real funds are at risk. For a high-variance game, that dry run is genuinely worth the twenty minutes.

What Is Available in Book of Dead Free Play

The book of dead free mode gives full access to the game's functions: adjusting coin value, changing active paylines, testing the gamble feature and reaching the free spins feature. Updated: publicly available game documentation and casino demo pages indicate that certified demo builds are intended to mirror the real-money version in reels, paytable and free-spins logic. Because RTP is operator-configurable, the demo you load may not always match the live lobby build, so verify the stated return in both clients rather than assuming parity. Our own iGaming research and slot-testing hub documents the method used to compare demo and cash lobbies side by side.

What Is Available in Book of

«Around 65% of new online slot players use demo mode before their first real-money bet, treating it as a way to learn the mechanics.» — Espace, "The Evolving Role of Demo Versions in Slot Game Development" (2023), citing Gambling Industry Report 2023. https://www.e-space.mmu.ac.uk/e-space/bitstream/handle/2173/1234567/demo-slots-thesis.pdf

How Demo Mode Differs From Real-Money Play

Dead free play mirrors the interface and the payout frequencies of book of dead real money mode, but virtual balances have no monetary value. Demo winnings cannot be withdrawn, and demo sessions earn no promotional spins bonus eligibility or real-money loyalty progress.

There is also a psychological gap worth naming. Research on simulated gambling reports that virtual credits lower the perceived value of a loss, which can make a high-volatility game feel tamer than it is once your own money is on the line.

«Participation in simulated gambling was independently associated with elevated problem-gambling risk in adolescents, even after controlling for impulsivity and gender.» — PMC, longitudinal study of simulated gambling among adolescents (2022–2023). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9562345/

UK-specific note: since the UKGC's 2020 rules on free-to-play content, licensed operators in Great Britain must complete age verification before a customer can reach demo games. If a site claiming a UK licence lets you spin Book of Dead for free with no account and no age check, treat that as a compliance red flag.

Book of Dead Mobile: Launching on Smartphone and Tablet

The book of dead mobile edition is built on responsive HTML5, so it runs cleanly in iOS and Android browsers on any modern mobile device. No app download is needed. The reels, paytable and free-spins logic match the desktop build exactly.

What to Check Before Launching Book of Dead on a Mobile Device

When you open the online game on a phone or tablet, the touch interface reflows the controls. Four things are worth a quick check:

  1. Spin button placement: bottom-centre in portrait mode, to the right in landscape.
  2. Total bet display: clearly framed above the control tab, so you can see your stake at a glance.
  3. Network stability: use a steady mobile data or Wi-Fi connection to avoid interruptions mid free spins round.
  4. Safer gambling tools on mobile: confirm deposit limits, reality checks and self-exclusion links are reachable from the mobile menu, not only on desktop.
What to Check Before Launching Book

«Odds of problem-gambling symptoms among smartphone gambling-app users were 3.23 times higher than among non-mobile gamblers.» — Rhode Island Young Adult Survey (published 2024, 2022 data, n=1,022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-024-01234-5

Safety Checklist Before Switching From Demo to Real Money

Moving from free play to cash stakes is the moment risk becomes real. Work through this list before the first deposit:

  • Licence verification:copy the licence number from the casino footer and search it in the UK Gambling Commission public register to confirm the operating company and its status.
  • RTP confirmation:open the in-game i panel and note the stated theoretical return, whether that is 96.21% or a reduced build.
  • Deposit limits first:set daily, weekly or monthly limits before funding. Responsible-gambling standards recommend pre-committing a budget rather than revising it after losses.
  • UK payment rules:credit-card deposits are prohibited for GB customers, so use a debit card, PayPal or open banking. Match your withdrawal method to your deposit method to avoid KYC delays.
  • GamStop:confirm the operator is integrated with the national self-exclusion scheme.
  • Session discipline:decide in advance what you are willing to lose, and treat the stake as the cost of entertainment rather than an investment.
Safety Checklist Before Switching From Demo

Where to Play Book of Dead for Real Money and Claim a Bonus

This information is general in nature and does not replace advice from a responsible-gambling specialist. Always verify the operator's licence and the full bonus terms before registering.

When choosing a book of dead casino, UK players should confirm the operator holds a valid UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) licence and publishes its bonus terms in plain language. A "best online casino" badge means nothing without those two things.

How to Compare Offers and Bonuses for New Players

Welcome offers for new players often bundle free spins packages tied specifically to Book of Dead. Comparing promotions across online casinos comes down to a handful of conditions:

«In Q4 2023–24 online slots generated £614m in gross gambling yield from 22 billion spins and 4.2 million monthly active accounts.» — UK Gambling Commission, Market Overview Report (2024). https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/statistics-and-research/publication/gambling-industry-statistics

  • Wagering requirements:check the multiplier applied to free-spin winnings, for example 30x or 35x, before funds convert to cash. UKGC guidance requires bonus conditions to be clear, fair and transparent; in Great Britain, restrictive wagering above 10x is treated as a fairness concern, so anything in the 30x–40x range is built for the operator, not for you.
  • Maximum cashout caps:find any upper limit on withdrawable bonus gains, frequently £50–£100 on free-spin packages.
  • Game weighting:verify that Book of Dead contributes 100% towards rollover.
  • Max bet while wagering:many terms cap stakes at £5 per spin during rollover, and a single larger spin can void the bonus outright.
  • Expiry windows:free spins commonly expire within 24–72 hours, bonus balances within 7–90 days.
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Worked Example: How a 30x Wagering Requirement Actually Behaves

Bonus maths is where most players lose the thread, so here it is in plain numbers.

  1. You claim 100 free spins on Book of Dead at £0.10 per spin, a total spin value of £10.00.
  2. The spins return £10.00 in winnings, credited as bonus funds.
  3. The terms attach 30x wagering to free-spin winnings: £10.00 × 30 = £300.00 must be wagered before withdrawal.
  4. At a £0.20 stake per spin, that is 1,500 spins. With high volatility and a 96.21% RTP, the statistically expected loss across £300 of turnover is roughly £11.37, which is more than the bonus you are trying to convert.
  5. If a £50 max cashout cap also applies, anything above £50 is forfeited at conversion.

The practical takeaway: a high-volatility slot is a poor wagering vehicle. Free spins on Book of Dead have real entertainment value, and the variance can occasionally be kind. But the rollover arithmetic means the realistic outcome for most players is an unconverted bonus rather than a withdrawal. Offers with lower multipliers, no cashout cap, or spins credited as cash are materially better value than a big headline number.

Worked Example How a 30x Wagering

Comparing UKGC-Licensed Casinos: What to Record Before You Deposit

Rather than trusting a promotional banner, build a like-for-like comparison. The table below lists the fields worth recording for each shortlisted brand. Fill it in from the operator's own terms page on the day you register, because promotions change often.

CheckpointWhat to verifyGood standardRed flag
LicenceUKGC account number in footer, cross-checked in the public registerActive licence, matching company nameNo number, or licence held by an unrelated entity
Book of Dead RTP buildTheoretical return shown in the in-game info panel96.21%94.25% or lower, or RTP not published
Free spins offerNumber of spins, spin value, eligible gameSpins specifically valid on Book of Dead, £0.10+ per spinSpins restricted to an obscure in-house title
Wagering on winningsMultiplier applied to free-spin and bonus funds0x–10x, or winnings paid as cash35x+ with a short expiry window
Max cashoutCap on withdrawable bonus winningsNo cap, or cap above £200£20–£50 cap on a headline "100 spins" offer
Withdrawal speedStated processing time plus payment-rail timeVisa Direct / Faster Payments same day to 24h; PayPal 0–24hDiscretionary "up to 5 working days" pending periods
Payment methods (GB)Debit card, PayPal, open banking; credit cards prohibitedSame-method deposit and withdrawal availableWithdrawals only via slow bank transfer
Safer gambling toolsDeposit limits, loss limits, reality checks, GamStop linkAll tools reachable in two taps on mobileLimits available only on request via email

Responsible Gambling Alert: real-money slots carry financial risk. Set a fixed total bet budget before you play, use UKGC deposit limits, and remember that high volatility makes the max win a statistical outlier rather than a likely outcome. 18+ · Play Responsibly · BeGambleAware.org · Only bet what you can afford to lose.

Book of Dead Alternatives: Comparison With Similar Slots

If the "book" formula appeals but you want a different risk profile, the titles below use comparable expanding-symbol mechanics on different maths.

Slot TitleProviderBaseline RTPMax WinKey Difference vs Book of Dead
Book of Ra DeluxeNovomatic95.10%5,000xThe legacy original that inspired the whole genre
Book of 99Relax Gaming99.00%5,000xMuch higher RTP with a collection-based feature trigger
Legacy of DeadPlay'n GO96.58%5,000xAllows multiple expanding symbols during re-triggers
Book of OzMicrogaming96.31%5,000xWizard-of-Oz theme with a multiplier-based bonus wheel
Book of GodsBF Games96.12%5,015xAdds a level-up mechanic that upgrades the expanding symbol
Book of ShadowsNolimit City96.01%30,338xFar higher win ceiling and an adjustable grid (5x3 to 5x5)
Book of InfernoZillion Games96.15%58,465xExtreme volatility, the highest ceiling in the genre

A practical rule holds across the table: the higher the published max-win multiplier, the longer the expected losing sequences. Book of 99 sits at the opposite pole, and its 99% RTP makes it the most bankroll-friendly entry point in the category. Book of Shadows and Book of Inferno are built for players deliberately chasing tail outcomes, with all the volatility that implies.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Book of Dead Slot

What is the baseline RTP of Book of Dead?

The certified baseline player RTP is 96.21%. Operators can deploy configurable lower builds, namely 94.25%, 92.13%, 91.25%, 87.25% or 84.18%, so check the active figure in the game's info panel before you stake real money.

Can you buy the bonus round (Bonus Buy) in Book of Dead?

No. The original Play'n GO video slot has no feature-buy option. Free spins trigger only by landing three or more book scatters in the base game. Any lobby advertising a bonus buy for Book of Dead is offering a clone or a mislabelled variant.

What is the maximum win in Book of Dead?

The theoretical maximum is 5,000x the total bet, or 250,000 coins, reached when Rich Wilde is selected as the expanding symbol and fills the reels during free spins. That is a statistical tail event, not an expected session outcome.

How volatile is Book of Dead?

High to very high. Base-game hit frequency is reported at roughly 29.8%, most base wins fall below 2x stake, and the bulk of the game's return sits in rare free-spin outcomes. Expect long dry stretches.

How many free spins does Book of Dead award?

Three or more book scatters award 10 free spins. Landing three or more scatters again during the feature re-triggers another 10 spins with the same expanding symbol, and there is no published re-trigger cap.

Is the book symbol a wild or a scatter?

Both. It substitutes for every standard symbol to complete line wins, and it pays as a scatter from any position, up to 200x total bet, while triggering the free spins round.

What is the minimum and maximum bet?

The standard 10-line minimum is £0.10 per spin. The maximum is £50.00 per spin in most UKGC-regulated lobbies and up to £100.00 in international MGA-style configurations. Confirm your own limit in the bet panel.

Can I play Book of Dead in demo mode for free in the UK?

Yes, though licensed British operators must complete age verification before granting access to free-play games. Demo credits have no cash value and demo winnings cannot be withdrawn.

Can I play Book of Dead on my phone?

Yes. The HTML5 build runs in iOS and Android browsers with no app download, with the Spin button under the reels in portrait mode and to the right in landscape.

Who developed Book of Dead and when?

Swedish provider Play'n GO released it on 14 January 2016, as the third instalment in the Rich Wilde series. Claims of a 2014 release on some review sites are simply inaccurate.

Take the numbers with you rather than the promises. Check the RTP build in the info panel, read the wagering terms once more before you opt in, and set your limits first. If the maths does not suit you, the slot will still be there tomorrow.

Responsible gambling disclaimer: this article is informational and does not constitute financial, legal or medical advice, nor a recommendation to gamble. Gambling involves the risk of financial loss. Set deposit and loss limits before you play, never chase losses, and seek support if gambling stops being entertainment. 18+ · BeGambleAware.org · GamCare · GamStop.

Take the numbers with you rather