Hold and Spin

Detailed Explanation

Hold and Spin (also called Respins or Lock and Spin) is a bonus feature where special symbols — typically coin symbols, coin stacks, or jackpot tokens — land on the reels and trigger a respin phase. The triggering symbols lock in their positions and the remaining reels re-spin. If new matching symbols land, they also lock, and the respin counter resets to three. The feature ends when no new symbols land, and all locked values are summed.

Some coins carry fixed cash values; others trigger jackpots (Mini, Minor, Major, Grand) when specific conditions are met — for instance, filling all 15 positions with coin symbols awards the Grand jackpot. Popularised by games like Konami's 'China Shores' and Aristocrat's 'Dragon Link' series, Hold and Spin became one of the most widespread slot mechanics of the 2010s–2020s.

The feature's appeal lies in its interactive lock-in element, which creates a sense of player agency and growing anticipation as positions fill. Mathematically, the feature typically concentrates a significant share of the game's RTP in the bonus, with the base game often returning below 85% while the overall RTP (including bonus) reaches 95%+.