button in SafariHold & Win
Hold and Win is a slot feature that has become extremely prominent in recent times. It is based on winning symbols remaining on the slot grid for multiple spins, which increases the potential for larger payouts.
What is a Hold and Win?
A hold and win is a bonus feature that is involved in slots that can help to multiply or increase winnings during a slot’s bonus round.
When the hold and win feature is activated, any symbols involved in its activation remain in place and the spin either continues, or the player is taken to a different special slot grid.
The feature will involve respins, and any winning symbols that land will remain in place, alongside the original trigger symbols. Every time a winning symbol lands, the respins are reset, and the process continues until there are no respins left.
Example of a Hold and Win Slot
Hold and Win features can vary vastly between games, with different themes dictating how they appear, and what is involved in them.
In many, the symbols that are held payout directly, but in others such as Money Train, the symbols are multipliers to the total win.
When three bonus symbols are landed on the Money Train slot, the Hold and Win feature is activated. The bonus symbols remain in place, and the player is granted three bonus respins.
During the feature, all of the purple multiplier boxes remain in place when hit, and every time one appears, the number of respins is reset to the original three. The process continues until no spins remain, and the multipliers can make for big wins.
When does a Hold and Win Feature Land?
There is no set rate at which a hold and win feature lands on a slot that offers it. However, on any specific hold and win slot, the number of features hit will depend on both the Return to Player (RTP) and volatility of the slot.
The appearance of a feature is completely random, much like the appearance of the symbols that cause it, such as scatters.
How is a Hold and Win Feature Triggered?
- Scatter Symbols: Scatter symbols are symbols that can trigger a bonus feature such as a hold and win. They do not have to show up on a specific payline, and a set number will have to land on the grid to trigger the bonus.
- Bonus Symbols: Bonus symbols are similar to scatter symbols, and will refer to a certain bonus game. In Money Train, shown above, three bonus symbols landing triggers the hold and win feature.
- Random Triggers: Some hold and win features may be triggered randomly by the slot, coming at an unexpected time, with some random symbols being held for the respins.
Hold and Win vs. Sticky Wilds - What’s the Difference?
Hold and Win is a set feature that involves symbols remaining on the grid for multiple respins to increase wins, with new symbols replenishing the number of spins left.
Sticky wilds are similar in that they stay on the grid, however they aren’t a feature themselves, and often make up part of a bonus round. They can act as any other symbol to increase wins.
| Hold and Win | Sticky Wilds |
|---|---|
| Is a certain type of bonus feature | Often involved in bonus rounds, but are just symbols |
| Involves symbols that stay in place for multiple spins | Type of symbol that stays in place for multiple spins |
| Can be used to increase winnings | Can be used to increase winnings |
| Every symbol landed replenishes respins | Doesn't increase number of respins |
Best Slots with Hold and Win Features to Play
Not every slot has the hold-and-win feature, but there are a few options if you want to play a game with this dynamic. To find a greater list, some online casino sites allow you to filter your slots search by feature - including hold and win. But here are a couple of our favorite and best online slots with a high RTP that have hold and win features.
Money Train
Money Train, from Relax Gaming, offers an above-average 96.2% RTP, as well as a great hold and win feature where each purple box landed increases the win multiplier, and resets the respins.
Wolf Gold
Wolf Gold is a very popular medium to high volatility slot with an RTP of 96.01%. The wolf symbol acts as a wild, and also appears in the hold and win bonus feature. Every wolf landed resets the respins to three, and the payout gets bigger with every symbol landed.
Hold and Win FAQs
Do Hold and Wins guarantee a win on slots?
Given that the feature triggers stay in place, at least a small win will come from the hold and win bonus round, however it can’t guarantee a big win. The more symbols that land and hold in place, the bigger the win.
Is Hold and Win a standard slot feature?
Hold and Wins are bonus features that appear on some slots but not all. It counts as a bonus round, and can lead to bigger wins from the slot than the base game.
Which game offers the best Hold and Win feature?
That depends on the RTP of the game, as well as user preference. Check out PokerNews’ slot reviews to find out more about different slot games and their hold and win bonus rounds.
How often does a Hold and Win feature land?
Hold and win features land randomly on a slot, and there is no set probability of one hitting, but the rate can be related to the slot’s volatility and its RTP.
What happens if all symbols on a Hold and Win grid are full?
This is a real possibility, as the symbols that land are held in place and replenish the number of respins. A full grid most likely offers the max win or jackpot available on the slot, and can even pay a progressive jackpot
