Hold and win, also called lock-and-respin, is the coin-collecting feature behind some of the most-played pokies in our casinos' lobbies. This page explains how the mechanic works, names the real titles we have seen running it, and lists the six sites in our set that file these games under a dedicated Hold and Win tab. For readers aged 18 and over. If gambling stops being fun, call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.
What the hold-and-win mechanic is
Coins land, lock, and the reels respin
The feature starts when enough special coin or money symbols land on the reels at once. Those symbols lock in place and trigger a short respin round, where only the empty positions spin again. Every new coin that lands locks too and usually resets the respin counter, so a hot screen can keep the round alive. When the respins run out, the values sitting on the locked coins are added up and paid.
Why the fixed jackpots draw players
Most hold-and-win games carry fixed jackpot tiers that you win by filling a set number of positions, or the whole grid, rather than lining up a payline. That is the appeal: a clear collect-and-fill goal instead of ordinary spins. It is also why the base game can feel quiet, since a share of the maths is held back for the feature.
The real-money titles we have seen
Booongo, Playson and BetSoft builds
The hold-and-win games verified in our lobbies come from a few studios. Booongo runs "3 Coin Volcanoes" and the Egyptian-themed "Sun of Egypt". Playson supplies "Coin Strike" and "Buffalo Power". BetSoft carries "Coins of Ra - Hold & Win". These are the coin-collect titles you are most likely to meet when you open a Hold and Win tab at the sites below.
The pub-classic connection, told straight
You will not find the Aristocrat original offshore
Hold and win is the online cousin of the Hold & Spin feature on pub classics like Aristocrat's Lightning Link, with its Mini, Minor, Major and Grand jackpots. Aristocrat only licenses its real-money online games to regulated markets, and the offshore casinos we review are not one, so you cannot play the Lightning Link original for real money at them. The Booongo, Playson and BetSoft titles above are the real-money games that use the same lock-and-respin idea.
Casinos with a dedicated Hold and Win tab
The six sites in our set
Six of the ten casinos we review group these games behind their own Hold and Win tab, which saves you hunting through the main lobby: Neospin, RollXO, Neon54, Boho Casino, CrownPlay and Lucky Ones. Neospin pairs its tab with a separate Jackpot tab, since the linked pots on some coin games sit alongside the studio progressives. For how these fit the wider library, see our pokies games hub.
Frequently asked questions
It is a pokie with a lock-and-respin feature. Special coin symbols lock in place and trigger respins, and each new coin that lands resets the count. When the respins end, the values on the locked coins are paid, and filling enough positions can award a fixed jackpot tier.
Six of the ten we review: Neospin, RollXO, Neon54, Boho Casino, CrownPlay and Lucky Ones. Each files its coin-collect games under a dedicated Hold and Win tab rather than mixing them into the main lobby.
No. Aristocrat licenses its real-money online games only to regulated markets, so the Lightning Link original is not available for real money at the offshore casinos we review. Titles such as Booongo 3 Coin Volcanoes and Playson Coin Strike use the same lock-and-respin mechanic.
That is your call. They trade a quieter base game for the chance at fixed jackpot tiers, so treat them as entertainment, check the RTP on the info panel first, and set a deposit limit before you start.