Mechanic collection
Hold and win slots
Lock the symbol, reset the counter: a respin feature that turns the bonus round into a collection game with its own paytable.
In a hold and win feature, special symbols that land are locked in place and trigger a short series of respins, typically three. Every new special symbol that lands resets the counter back to its starting value, so the round continues while symbols keep arriving. Each locked symbol carries a fixed cash value or a jackpot label, and the round pays the total collected when the respins run out.
Filter and sort the game list
| Game | RTP | Volatility | Grid / lines | Released | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wolf GoldPragmatic Play · Video slot
|
— | Not published | — | ||
Money Train 3Relax Gaming · Video slot
|
— | Not published | — | ||
Money Train 2Relax Gaming · Video slot
|
— | Not published | — | ||
Money Cart 3Relax Gaming · Video slot
|
— | Not published | — |
The structure of the feature
Hold and win, also sold as hold and spin, respin or link-style features, replaces spinning reels with a collection round. When the required number of special symbols lands, they lock in place and a respin sequence begins, usually with three starting respins; each respin gives a chance for new symbols to land, and every new one resets the counter back to three1.
Pragmatic Play describes the same structure in its own release for Floating Dragon Hold and Spin: a stack of three coin symbols on the central reel starts the mode, players get three respins which can reset if a coin is found, and the coins remain on the grid while the four remaining reels continue to spin2.
Why the reset rule matters
The reset is the whole feature. It converts the round into a sequence that continues only while it keeps producing results, which is a very different distribution from a fixed number of free spins.
Most rounds end quickly with a small collection. A small proportion run on, filling positions and accumulating values, and it is those that carry the round's potential. Each locked symbol carries a fixed value, and the round pays the accumulated total1.
Jackpots inside the feature
Many implementations attach jackpot labels to some symbols, typically structured in tiers such as Mini, Minor, Major and Grand, with higher tiers paying substantially more1. Some tiers are fixed multiples of the stake; others are progressive pools.
Where a tier is progressive, British technical standards require the game's rules to describe how the jackpot is funded, the startup seed and ceiling values, the return to player either combined or broken down, any eligibility restrictions and the theoretical return for players who are not eligible3. Filling every position on the grid is the most common way a Grand tier is awarded, and the condition is stated in the rules.
What it does to the payout shape
Because so much of the payout potential sits inside the feature, these games tend towards medium-to-high or high volatility, and published returns for the category generally fall in a range of roughly 94% to 97%1. Some titles publish a guaranteed minimum for the round: Pragmatic Play's Floating Dragon release states a minimum guarantee of 20 times the stake during the mode2, which sets a floor, not an expectation.
How our database records it
We tag a game with the hold and win mechanic when the provider describes a lock-and-respin round under any of its trade names. Jackpot tiers are recorded when the provider states them, and we distinguish fixed tiers from progressive pools where the rules make the difference clear.
FAQ
About hold and win slots
How many respins does a hold and win feature give?
Usually three to start with, and the counter resets to three every time a new special symbol lands. Pragmatic Play describes the same rule for Floating Dragon Hold and Spin, where three respins can reset whenever a coin is found. The round ends when the respins run out without a new symbol arriving.
Do I need to fill the whole grid to win the top jackpot?
In many implementations, yes, and the rules state the condition. Jackpots are typically tiered as Mini, Minor, Major and Grand, with the higher tiers paying substantially more. Where a tier is a progressive pool rather than a fixed multiple, British standards require the rules to set out how it is funded, its seed and ceiling values and any eligibility restrictions.
Are hold and win games more volatile than ordinary slots?
They tend to be, because the payout potential is concentrated inside the feature rather than spread through base-game wins. Games using the mechanic generally sit in the medium-to-high or high volatility range, with published returns of roughly 94% to 97%. The published figure for the specific title is the one that applies.
Does a guaranteed minimum mean the round cannot lose money?
No. A stated minimum, such as the 20 times stake guarantee Pragmatic Play describes for Floating Dragon Hold and Spin, is a floor on the round's payout, not on the session. It is also part of the maths the game was built around, so it is funded from the same theoretical return as everything else in the paytable.
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