Hold and Win Feature in Online Slots: A Comprehensive Guide
The “Hold and Win” feature has become increasingly popular in the world of online slots, captivating players with its unique mechanics and potential for big wins. It’s worth noting that this feature is also sometimes referred to as “Hold and Spin”.
One of the key reasons behind this surge in popularity is the feature’s simplicity. Both new and experienced players find it easy to understand and engage with. The potential for landing big wins through the accumulation of locked symbols adds to the excitement, while the bonus rounds offer a thrilling twist to traditional slot gameplay.
What is the Hold and Win Feature?
Hold and Win slots distinguish themselves through a unique bonus round that typically involves locking specific symbols in place while the remaining reels re-spin. These special symbols, often coins or cash symbols, hold their positions, and players are granted a set number of re-spins. With each re-spin, there’s a chance to land more of these triggering symbols, which also lock in place and reset the re-spin counter. This captivating cycle continues until no new triggering symbols appear or all reel positions are filled.
The allure of Hold and Win slots lies in the anticipation and the potential for accumulating substantial wins through these locked symbols. The bonus round offers a thrilling twist to traditional slot gameplay, providing an extra layer of excitement and engagement.
How Does the Hold and Win Feature Work?
The Hold and Win feature, while consistent in its core mechanics, can have variations in its presentation and specific rules depending on the slot game. However, the general process is as follows:
- Triggering the Feature: The Hold and Win feature is typically activated by landing a certain number of designated symbols, often scatter or bonus symbols, anywhere on the reels.
- The Hold and Win Round: Once triggered, the special symbols lock into their positions, and the player receives a predetermined number of re-spins, usually three.
- Re-spins and Symbol Accumulation: During the re-spins, if more special symbols land, they also lock in place, and the re-spin counter resets to its initial value.
- Bonus Round Conclusion: The Hold and Win round continues until the player runs out of re-spins or all reel positions are filled with the special symbols. In some games, filling the entire screen with special symbols, often referred to as a “blackout”, can result in winning the top progressive jackpot.
- Payout: At the end of the bonus round, the player receives a payout based on the accumulated value of the locked symbols. This value can vary depending on the specific symbols and the game’s rules.
Prominent Slots with the Hold and Win Feature
The Hold and Win feature has been incorporated into a variety of online slots, each with its own unique theme and set of rules. Here are some of the most well-known slots that offer this exciting feature:
| Slot Title | Provider | Theme | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lion Gems: Hold and Win | Playson | Animal, Gems | Jungle symbols, Hold and Win feature with respins and potential for jackpots. |
| Dragon Hot Hold and Spin | Pragmatic Play | Asian, Dragons | 5×3 grid with 20 paylines, Hold and Spin feature with respins and potential for jackpots. |
| Luxor Gold: Hold and Win | Playson | Ancient Egypt | Hold and Win feature with respins and potential for jackpots. |
| Wolf Power: Hold and Win | Playson | Animal, Wolves | 5×3 grid with 20 paylines, Hold and Win feature with respins and potential for jackpots. |
| Pirate Chest: Hold and Win | Playson | Pirates, Treasure | Hold and Win feature with respins and potential for jackpots. |
| Sunny Fruits: Hold and Win | Playson | Fruits | 5×3 grid with 10 paylines, Hold and Win feature with respins and potential for jackpots. |
| Buffalo Power: Hold and Win | Playson | Animal, Buffalo | Hold and Win feature with respins and potential for jackpots. |
| 777 Jackpot Diamond Hold and Win | Playson | Diamonds, Jackpots | Hold and Win feature with respins and potential for jackpots. |
| Mammoth Peak: Hold and Win | Playson | Animals, Mammoth | Hold and Win feature with respins and potential for jackpots. |
| Diamond Wins: Hold and Win | Playson | Diamonds | Hold and Win feature with respins and potential for jackpots. |
Money Train 3
Provider: Relax Gaming
Features: Money Train 3 is a 5-reel, 4-row slot with 40 fixed paylines. It features a futuristic, sci-fi theme and offers a variety of bonus features, including the “Money Cart” bonus round. This bonus round is a re-spin feature where special symbols with multipliers can land, potentially leading to significant wins. The game also includes a Persistent Shapeshifter symbol that can transform into other symbols, adding an extra layer of excitement to the gameplay.
Wolf Gold
Provider: Pragmatic Play
Features: Wolf Gold is a 5-reel slot with 25 paylines and a Native American theme. It features stacked wild symbols, free spins, and a Money Respin feature. The Money Respin feature is triggered by landing 6 or more Money symbols, which hold their positions while the remaining reels re-spin. This feature can lead to significant wins, especially if players manage to fill the entire screen with Money symbols.
Big Bass Bonanza
Provider: Pragmatic Play
Features: Big Bass Bonanza is a 5-reel, 3-row slot with 10 paylines and a fishing theme. It features a free spins bonus round where a fisherman wild symbol collects cash values from special fish symbols. The game also includes a re-trigger feature and multipliers, offering the potential for big wins.
Providers of Hold and Win Slots
| Provider | Key Features | Popular Hold and Win Slots |
|---|---|---|
| Pragmatic Play | Diverse portfolio, innovative features, high-quality graphics | Wolf Gold, Sweet Bonanza, Floating Dragon Hold & Spin, Big Bass Bonanza |
| Playson | Wide range of themes and features, focus on Hold and Win mechanics | Lion Gems: Hold and Win, Luxor Gold: Hold and Win, Wolf Power: Hold and Win |
| iSoftBet | Innovative Hold and Win slots with unique themes | Colt King Hold & Win, Riches of Aus Hold & Win |
| Relax Gaming | Incorporation of Hold and Win mechanics into popular titles | Money Train 2, Money Train 3, Templar Tumble 2 Dream Drop |
| BGaming | Unique features and engaging gameplay | Catch the Gold – Hold & Win, Lucky Lady Moon – Hold and Win |
Variations and Special Mechanics
The Hold and Win feature can be enhanced with various additions and variations to make the gameplay even more exciting. Some of the common variations include:
- Multipliers: Some Hold and Win slots incorporate multipliers that can increase the value of the locked symbols or the overall payout. For example, in Floating Dragon Hold & Spin, the fish money symbols have multipliers that increase with each new lady symbol that lands.
- Jackpots: Many Hold and Win slots offer jackpots that can be won during the bonus round, often by filling all reel positions with special symbols. These jackpots can vary in value and are often categorized as Mini, Major, and Grand jackpots.
- Special Symbols: Some games introduce special symbols during the Hold and Win round that can have unique effects, such as collecting the values of other symbols or adding extra re-spins. For example, in Money Train 3, the “Money Cart” bonus round features special symbols like the Persistent Collector and the Persistent Sniper, which can significantly increase the payout potential.
Similar Features in Online Slots
While the Hold and Win feature is unique in its implementation, there are other similar mechanics in online slots that share some common elements. These include:
- Cascading Reels: This feature, also known as tumbling reels or avalanche reels, removes winning symbols from the grid and replaces them with new ones, potentially creating consecutive wins in a single spin.
- Megaways: This mechanic offers a massive number of ways to win by dynamically changing the number of symbols on each reel with every spin.
- Cluster Pays: This feature awards wins for landing clusters of matching symbols, rather than lining them up on traditional paylines.
The Hold and Win feature has undoubtedly made a significant impact on the online slot landscape, offering players a thrilling and rewarding gaming experience. Its simple yet captivating mechanics, coupled with the potential for big wins and exciting variations, have solidified its place as a popular feature among slot enthusiasts.
The Hold and Win feature has been widely adopted by various software providers, each adding its own unique twist to the mechanic. This has resulted in a diverse range of Hold and Win slots with different themes, features, and payout potentials, catering to a wide variety of player preferences.
As software providers continue to innovate and introduce new Hold and Win slots with unique themes and features, this feature is likely to remain a staple in the world of online gambling. For players seeking an engaging and potentially rewarding slot experience, exploring the world of Hold and Win slots is highly recommended.
