Hold and win (also called hold and spin, or lock and spin) is one of the most common bonus rounds in modern pokies. Instead of free spins, you get a small number of respins in which special coin symbols stick to the reels. Every new coin keeps the round alive, and when it ends, the values on the coins are added up and paid. This guide explains each step so you know what is happening on screen.
In the base game, some symbols carry a value or a jackpot label — usually coins, orbs, pots or similar. Landing enough of them on one spin starts the hold and win round. Six is a common number, but each game sets its own trigger, and some games use a separate bonus symbol instead. The paytable shows exactly what is needed.
Coin values are shown as a multiple of your bet or as an amount based on your bet, so a bigger bet means bigger coins. Some coins show a named jackpot instead of a value, usually in tiers such as Mini, Minor, Major and Grand. In many games, filling every position on the screen awards the top jackpot. These jackpots are usually fixed multiples of your bet rather than progressive prizes — the paytable tells you which.
Not every game has these, and the names change from studio to studio. If a symbol appears that you do not recognise, the info screen explains it.
Say you are betting $1 and land six coins worth 1×, 2×, 1×, 5×, 1× and Mini. The round starts with three respins. On the first respin nothing lands (two left). On the second, a 3× coin lands and the respins reset to three. Two more empty respins follow, then one more coin worth 2× lands and the respins reset again. Three empty respins later the round ends. You are paid the coin values (1 + 2 + 1 + 5 + 1 + 3 + 2 = 15×, or $15) plus the Mini jackpot. The numbers here are made up to show the steps; real values depend on the game.
Hold and win games often pay a large share of their return through the bonus round, so the base game can feel quiet between triggers. Many are medium to high volatility. The bonus can end quickly with only the trigger coins, or keep going for a long time if coins keep landing. Neither result says anything about the next round. Check each game's RTP and rules in its info screen, and read RTP and volatility explained if those terms are new.
The table below is built from our studios’ game lists each time the site is updated. It counts games with “Hold and Win” in the title, so the list can change as studios add or remove games.
| Studio | Hold and Win titles | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| BNG (Booongo) | 82 | 4 Fire Rockets: Hold and Win, 3 Thunder Coins: Hold and Win, 4 Clover Pots: Hold and Win |
| KA Gaming | 1 | Santa Bumble Bee Hold and Win |
Other studios use their own name for a similar feature, so a game without "hold and win" in its title may still have a lock-and-respin bonus. The game's info screen will tell you.
A pokie whose bonus round locks special coin symbols on the reels and gives you a few respins. Each new coin resets the respins, and the coin values are paid when the round ends.
Three is the most common, and the count usually resets to the starting number every time a new coin lands. Check the game's paytable for its exact rule.
In most hold and win games the jackpots are fixed multiples of your bet. Some games have progressive jackpots instead; the paytable says which type the game uses.
Coin and jackpot values usually scale with your bet, so the amounts are bigger. It does not make the bonus trigger more often.
Lightning Link is a well-known land-based series that made the feature famous in Australian venues. Many online studios now make their own hold and win games with similar rules, but each game has its own symbols and pays.
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