Hold and win pokies use a feature that keeps qualifying symbols in place while other positions continue to spin. New symbols may add prizes, reset a respin counter or change the board according to the particular game’s rules.
The format is easy to recognise, but its details are not universal. The trigger, starting respins, reset condition and full-board award can differ. Read those four parts together before interpreting a screen full of coins or a jackpot label.
What is held, and what keeps spinning?
In a typical hold-and-win feature, designated prize symbols remain on the grid after the feature begins. Empty positions are then evaluated during further respins. A newly landed qualifying symbol can lock into its position, adding to the board.
The game decides which symbols qualify. A coin, pearl, fireball or other themed object may show a stake multiple, a currency amount or a special function. Ordinary symbols from the main reels may be absent from the feature or behave differently.
Feature trigger
Read the required number or arrangement of symbols. Some games also have random activations or paid entry. The trigger is not necessarily the same as the ordinary free-spin trigger.
Held positions
Identify what remains locked and what a newly landed symbol changes. A collector, multiplier or special symbol may have a different role from a standard prize symbol.
End condition
The feature may end when the counter reaches zero, a grid fills or another stated condition occurs. Read the award rules before assuming a nearly full board guarantees the top prize.
Related names such as hold-and-spin or hold-and-respin can describe similar ideas, but a similar label does not prove identical rules. Our video pokie guide covers ordinary paylines and symbols, while classic pokies shows that respins can also appear on compact layouts.
How to read a resetting respin counter
A counter can show the respins remaining before the feature ends. In games with a reset mechanic, landing a qualifying new symbol restores the counter to a stated value. The sequence can therefore last longer than its initial number of respins.
A hypothetical three-respin sequence
Start with three respins. One empty result reduces the counter to two. If the next result adds a qualifying symbol and the rules reset to three, the counter returns to three rather than continuing to one. If three later results add nothing qualifying, it reaches zero and the feature ends.
This example explains a reset rule, not a rule for every title. Some games start with a different count, award extra respins, clear completed rows or open additional boards. Follow the actual counter and help screen instead of relying on memory from another game.
A reset extends the current feature under its rules. It does not necessarily represent a fresh paid stake, and it does not promise another reset. A crowded board can still finish without filling its final positions.
Watch whether the displayed amount is a running prize total or a value already included in that total. Adding every animation yourself can double-count the same award. The final round summary and balance transaction are more useful than a single frame of the feature.
Coins, multipliers and jackpot labels
Prize symbols can display different units. A value of 10 might mean ten credits, ten times the underlying stake or a currency amount. The paytable should say which. Check the stake used when the feature began, rather than the amount shown after changing a setting later.
For example, in a hypothetical feature where values are multiples of a $0.40 stake, symbols worth 2, 5 and 10 times that stake total 17 times, or $6.80, before any additional rules. That calculation is different if the numbers are already cash values.
Special collectors and multipliers can change how totals are formed. A collector might aggregate eligible values; a multiplier might apply only to selected positions or a particular stage. Read its scope before multiplying the whole board.
A named jackpot is not automatically progressive
Mini, Minor, Major and Grand can be labels for fixed stake multiples. Other games combine fixed lower tiers with a growing top pool. The word jackpot alone does not establish a network pool, a live balance or a particular winning probability.
Our progressive jackpot guide explains the distinction. A full-grid reward also needs its exact conditions checked: a filled screen, completed rows and a named symbol collection can be different requirements.
Developer examples of different feature structures
These official pages give reference points for reading feature rules. They do not certify that the games are available at the casino offers below. Versions, configurations and enabled options can differ.
Divine Fortune Gold: held prizes and row awards
NetEnt’s Divine Fortune Gold describes Bonus Spins on a five-by-five feature area. Cash prizes remain in place, new cash prizes reset the counter to three, and the feature ends when the counter runs out or the area is filled. Its Bronze, Silver and Gold modes add different effects.
The developer also distinguishes fixed awards for filling fewer rows from a progressive reward for filling all five. It is an example of why the reset rule and prize-tier rules must be read separately. Read NetEnt’s Divine Fortune Gold rules.
Ultra Hold and Spin: a compact respin game
Pragmatic Play describes Ultra Hold and Spin as a three-by-three video slot with a respins feature and a Diamond Money Symbol. Its compact layout is a reminder that this style is not limited to five-reel screens.
Use the in-game help for the trigger, counter and prize conditions rather than transferring the Divine Fortune Gold rules to it. See Pragmatic Play’s Ultra Hold and Spin page.
See NetEnt, Pragmatic Play and the provider hub for software context.
Compare the whole game, not just the feature screen
The respin feature is one part of the game’s overall return. Its visual intensity does not tell you how often it triggers or what an ordinary session will return. A theoretical maximum is not a typical feature payout.
- Read the trigger: identify required symbols and any alternative activation route.
- Check the reset: note precisely which new result restores or adds respins.
- Confirm prize units: distinguish credits, stake multiples and displayed currency.
- Find special effects: check collectors, multipliers, extra boards and row-clearing rules.
- Read RTP and mode information: use the correct configuration rather than a number copied from another installation.
RTP is a theoretical long-run average, while volatility concerns the distribution of results. Neither predicts the next trigger. Read odds and RTP explained and volatility for those distinctions.
If a game sells feature entry, calculate the full charge separately. Buying access does not guarantee that held prizes will exceed its price. The bonus-buy guide includes cost examples and account restrictions.
Casino welcome offers
These four commercial placements are general welcome promotions, not confirmed listings for the example games or their feature purchases. Deposits are required. Check eligibility, currency, game availability and complete conditions at the linked destination.
| Casino | Welcome offer | Bonus code | Offer page |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 300% + 50 free spinsCash Bandits 2 · Minimum deposit $20 | 300-WELCOME | View offer |
 | 400% up to $4,000 + 20 spinsCash Bandits 3 · Welcome promotion | 400CB20 | View offer |
 | 400% up to $4,000 + 100 spinsCash Bandits 3 · Welcome promotion | BANDIT4000 | View offer |
 | 100% up to $1,000 + 40 spinsFortunate Buddha · Minimum deposit $20 | RC400 | View offer |
18+ · Affiliate links may earn commission. Promotion headings and codes checked on 20 October 2026. Advertised amounts are not necessarily AUD. Affiliate disclosure.
Operators are prohibited from providing real-money online pokies to people in Australia. An overseas licence does not establish Australian authorisation. Read ACMA’s consumer guidance.
Account promotions can restrict eligible games, maximum wagers and feature buys. A casino-issued free-spin offer is separate from a respin awarded inside a game. See bonus terms explained for account conditions.
Practise reading the counter and total
Official demo access, where available and permitted, can help you distinguish held symbols, remaining respins and the round total. Practice credits cannot be withdrawn, and a successful feature does not predict a cash result.
On mobile, check that you can read small prize values and open the help screen without hiding the counter. Our free pokies page covers practice play, and mobile pokies covers device considerations.
A nearly full board is not a reason to increase spending after the round ends. Keep limits independent of a recent feature. Visit responsible gambling for support and ways to step back.
Hold and win pokies FAQs
What is a hold-and-win feature?
It is a feature in which qualifying symbols stay in place while other positions continue to spin. New symbols may add prizes, reset respins or activate special effects according to the game’s rules.
Do all hold-and-win games start with three respins?
No. Starting counts and reset arrangements vary. Read the particular game’s rules rather than assuming that a familiar feature label guarantees three respins or an identical counter.
What does resetting the respin counter mean?
In a game with that rule, a qualifying result restores the counter to a stated value. The feature can therefore last longer than its initial allocation. Check exactly which symbols or events qualify for a reset.
Does a nearly full board guarantee the top prize?
No. Empty positions may remain when the feature ends. The game specifies the conditions for a full-grid or jackpot award, and the visual appearance of being close does not predict the next result.
Are the numbers on prize symbols cash amounts?
Not always. They may be credits, multiples of a stake or currency values. Read the paytable’s unit and the feature’s stake basis before calculating the amount.
Are Mini, Minor, Major and Grand always progressive jackpots?
No. Those names can identify fixed prizes, progressive pools or a mixture. Check each tier’s funding and award rules rather than assuming that every jackpot label means a growing pool.
Is a respin the same as a promotional free spin?
No. An in-game respin follows the feature rules. Promotional free spins are allocated through a casino offer and have separate account conditions, including eligible games and possible wagering restrictions.
Can I buy entry to every hold-and-win feature?
No. Some games offer paid entry and others do not, and availability can depend on the configuration and jurisdiction. Where offered, check the full purchase price and account restrictions. Entry does not guarantee profit.
Does a feature-heavy game automatically have a higher RTP?
No. Visual features and reel formats do not establish the mathematical return. Check the RTP for the exact configuration and mode. A long-run average does not predict an individual feature or session.
Does an overseas licence authorise these games for Australians?
No. Overseas licensing does not establish Australian authorisation. ACMA says operators are prohibited from providing real-money online pokies to people in Australia; a working game page does not change that.