Slots with locked symbols (Hold and Win): how the most popular mechanics of recent years work

After the Megaways series, the second most used modern mechanic in slot machines is the so-called Hold and Win — in English "hold and win" or "locking symbols". The principle is simple and clear for players: instead of classic winning lines, special symbols are collected in the bonus round, which remain on the screen. The goal is to fill in as many boxes as possible, as each symbol has its own monetary value.

Titles with this mechanic — Big Bass series, Money Train, 9 Pots of Gold, Power of Merlin — are among the most played slots in Ireland licensed casinos (Tipsport, Fortuna, Sazka, SYNOTtip, Chance). In this article, we discuss exactly how the mechanics work, what the special boxes do (collector, shooter, jackpot) and what kind of bankroll is reasonable. For a broader context of volatility and hit rate, the article complements the topic the volatility of semi-automatic machines .

"Hold and Win" Principle

The way a classic slot works is that after each spin the symbols are randomly arranged on the reels and the game evaluates the winning lines. Hold and Win mechanics differ from this in the bonus round. Principle:

• The special symbols in the bonus (usually coins, fish, stars or other motifs) each have their own monetary value, which is visible directly on the symbol — for example "10x", "50x", "500x". It is such Cash and Money symbols as well as the rest of the family of special symbols that the guide analyzes, how Cash and Money symbols and other special symbols work in slots .
• After entering the bonus, only these special symbols spin. The other fields are empty.
• Each new symbol that lands is locked in place and the free spins counter is reset.
• The bonus continues until the free spins run out or until the entire screen is filled (typically 12 — 15 fields).
• At the end of the bonus, the values ​​of all locked symbols are added up and paid out as a total win.

The mechanics are called Hold and Win or Hold the Spin in English. Some manufacturers use their own names — Pragmatic Play says "Money Respins", Relax Gaming "Money Train Respins" and so on. However, they work in the same way.

How to get to the bonus

The bonus is triggered when a certain number of special symbols (usually scatter or bonus symbols) land in the base game. The most common conditions:

• 6 or more scatter symbols on the screen — the most standard variant (Big Bass, 9 Pots of Gold).
• 3 or 4 bonus symbols in a row — some Pragmatic Play titles.
• 4+ scatter symbols + golden border around the bonus symbol — Money Train, newer variants.

The probability of the bonus falling is always high and depends on the specific title — for Big Bass Bonanza approximately once every 150 - 180 spins, for Money Train once every 250 - 350 spins, for extremely volatile titles even once every 400 spins. It follows that volatility is always high.

Some titles also offer a bonus purchase — the option to pay a fixed multiple of the bet (typically 50x or 100x) and get straight to the bonus without waiting. The mathematics of the purchased bonus is discussed in the article bonus purchase in machines .

The progress of the bonus round step by step

When you start the bonus, the screen looks like this:

1. Initial spin: the screen is cleared, leaving only the symbols that triggered the bonus (6 special symbols scattered around the playing field, each with its own value).
2. Counter: at the top is the free spins counter, typically set to 3.
3. Re-spin: spin starts. Only empty squares spin (locked symbols do not move). If a new special symbol lands on an empty square, it locks and the counter resets back to 3. If no symbol lands, the counter drops by 1 (from 3 to 2, from 2 to 1).
4. Continuation: each additional symbol resets the counter. The bonus continues until:
   • the counter reaches 0 (3 spins in a row without a new symbol), or
   • The entire screen will be filled (typically 12 — 15 fields).
5. Payout: at the end, all locked symbol values ​​are added up and paid out as the total bonus win.

In many games (Big Bass series, 9 Pots of Gold), filling the entire screen activates the jackpot — an extra win of 1000x or 2000x the bet.

Special boxes in different games

In addition to ordinary symbols with value, each manufacturer adds their own specialties. Most common:

• Collector: at the end of the bonus, it collects the value from all other symbols on the screen and adds it to itself. In Money Train it's "Collector". At 9 Pots of Gold, it has a "Mega Pot" function.
• Sniper/payer: doubles the value of the collector or selected symbols. There is a "Sniper" in the Money Train series.
• Jackpot field (Mini, Minor, Major, Grand): has a fixed jackpot instead of a number — from 10x (Mini) to 1000x or 2000x (Grand) bet. For 9 Pots of Gold it's "Pots", for Power of Merlin it's jackpot coins.
• Resetter: resets the free spins counter back to maximum.
• Multiplier: multiplies all values ​​on the screen (×2, ×3, ×5).

The specific design varies according to the theme of the game — in Big Bass, there is a fisherman who collects fish (Golden Fisherman= ×10 multiplier in Big Bass Bonanza). At the Money Train, there are soldiers who shoot at the other boxes. At 9 Pots of Gold, there are pots of gold that contain jackpots.

Hit rate — how often the bonus drops on different titles

Hit rate (bonus frequency) is a key number in deciding whether or not a game is "playable" on a given bankroll. It expresses how many base spins you spin on average per entry into the bonus. From manufacturer data and empirical measurements from 50,000+ spins:

Attention: the hit rate is an average over a long sample, not a prediction. With Money Train 4 you can spin 800 spins without a bonus (which happens to about 2% of players) and in another session the bonus will drop after 50 spins. The hit rate serves as an orientation for a reasonable bankroll, not as a guaranteed time to the bonus. For a detailed mathematical analysis of "why long streaks without a win are normal", read the article the volatility of semi-automatic machines .

Probability of filling the screen — jackpot full-screen

Many Hold and Win titles have a full-screen jackpot. The jackpot amount ranges from 1000x to 2000x the bet, but the hit rate is very low:

For reference: the bonus falls on average once every 200 spins, the full-screen jackpot once every 5,000 — 50,000 bonuses. With a € bet and a hit rate of 1 in 200, the full-screen in Big Bass would fall on average once every 600,000 spins= a turnover of CZK 6 million. With a €1 bet, that's a turnover of CZK 15 million. The maximum is not unrealistic, but statistically it falls once every hundreds of thousands of players.

The most famous titles in Ireland licensed casinos

Hold and Win mechanics are available in all 5 of Ireland's largest licensed operators ( Tipsport , Fortuna, Bet, SYNOT tip, Chance ). Most popular titles:

• Big Bass Bonanza Series (Pragmatic Play) — fish and anglers. Original Big Bass Bonanza, Big Bass Splash, Big Bass Hold & Spinner, Big Bass Christmas, Bigger Bass Bonanza. Moderately high volatility, popular for smaller bankrolls.
• Money Train 1/2/3/4 (Relax Gaming) — soldiers and trains. Extremely high volatility, maximum win up to 100,000x bet. Money Train 4 also has a bonus purchase.
• 9 Pots of Gold (Gameburger/Microgaming) — Irish themed pots of gold. Medium volatility, screen fill jackpot.
• John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen (Pragmatic Play) — Ancient Egyptian theme with scatter symbols and special coins.
• Power of Merlin Megaways (Pragmatic Play) — wizard theme, combination with Megaways mechanics.
• Buffalo King Hold & Win and The Dog House Multihold — combinations with other mechanics.
• San Quentin xWays (Nolimit City) — prison theme, extremely high volatility.

To check the real return of Ireland classics (Apollo Games, Kajot, SYNOT, Adell) — which usually do not use this mechanic — read the article real RTP Ireland slots .

Comparison of popular Hold and Win titles

Hold and Win vs. other modern mechanics

Slot design today has 5-6 main bonus mechanics. Hold and Win is among the three most used. For guidance on where to include a specific title:

Hold and Win differs from other mechanics in two things: part of the RTP is concentrated in the bonus (typically 50 — 60% of the total return, which is more than in classic free spins), and individual bonuses can have an extremely different result — from 5x to 150,000x the bet. For details of Megaways mechanics, the article will help Megaways slots , for an alternate experience with a growing multiplier, read on Aviator and falling games .

Distribution of bonus results — what you can realistically expect

The most common mistake with Hold and Win is the idea that "the bonus will finally give a well-deserved win". In fact, the vast majority of bonuses end up with an average payout, while a few extraordinary bonuses make up a large portion of the total RTP. Empirical distribution of 1,000 bonuses at Big Bass Bonanza (bet €1, bonus price "naturally" approx. € turnover):

Practical conclusion: 55 — 65% of bonuses end up in loss or zero, another 25 — 30% in a slight plus, and only 10 — 15% of bonuses form the skeleton of profit. If you rolled 5 bonuses in a row and they were all "dead" (below 15x the bet), there is no defect — it's the normal statistical reality of Hold and Win mechanics. A more detailed analysis of the principle "the casino is not worse with a bad streak" is in the article how RNG works and independent audits of online slots .

Bankroll and practical advice

The volatility of Hold and Win slots is always high. The bonus falls once every 150 — 350 spins, which means that with a bet of € and a bonus frequency of once every 200 spins, you pay per bonus "on average" € in a spin. Rules of thumb:

Practical advice for Hold and Win:

• Not much happens without a bonus — the basic game gives small wins, the main fun is in the bonus round.
• If you spun 200 spins and the bonus did not fall, it does not mean that it will fall in 201. The probability is the same in each spin.
• Set your stop-loss before the first spin. For extremely volatile titles, 30% of the budget is a reasonable ceiling.
• Do not increase the bet "so that the bonus finally falls". The probability of the bonus does not change with the bet, only the loss increases when you lose.

For fixed deposit, loss or time limit settings directly through the casino application, we recommend the article self-limiting limits in Ireland online casinos . You can find a detailed bankroll plan for different game styles in the article online casino budget management .

Hold and Win in Ireland licensed casinos

In Ireland casinos (Tipsport, Fortuna, Sazka, SYNOTtip, Chance) the Hold and Win mechanism is extended over dozens of titles. A practical view of their availability:

• Tipsport, Fortuna, Sazka, Chance — the widest portfolio of Pragmatic Play (Big Bass series, Power of Merlin, John Hunter), Relax Gaming (Money Train series) and Hacksaw Gaming. Virtually the entire modern catalog is available, with the exception of Nolimit City titles, where bonus purchases and special tribute functions are often disabled.
• SYNOTtip — in addition to modern titles, it also has its own Hold and Win slots from SYNOT/Kajot (for example, Apollo Lock & Win), which are simpler versions of the mechanics without extreme variability.
• The maximum bet ranges from € to € 1 per spin, which allows reasonable bonus purchases even for large bankrolls (with Money Train 4, a maximum of € 1 × 500 ×= CZK 6.25 million per purchase). However, the maximum winnings remain fixed according to the rules of the game.
• The mobile applications of all 5 operators have Hold and Win titles in the Slots section, sometimes in the specialized category "Hold & Win" or "Bonus Buy". For an overview of mobile gaming in Ireland casinos, the article will help casino mobile apps .

Player Ireland should remember that licensed operators in Ireland are supervised by the gambling regulator (MFČR) according to Act No. 186/2026 Coll. (on gambling) and No. 187/2026 Coll. (on gambling tax). Winnings from a licensed casino are exempt from personal income tax by default — the operator pays its own gambling tax, the player does not deduct anything from the winnings themselves. Details in the article tax on online casino winnings .

For a comparison of the overall RTP and hit rate Ireland classics (Apollo Games, Kajot, SYNOT, Adell) without modern Hold and Win mechanics read real RTP Ireland slots . These classics usually have lower variability and simpler respin mechanics where only 1-3 symbols are locked (not 6+ as in modern Hold and Win).

Resources and further reading

Related articles:

• Volatility of semi-automatic machines
• RTP and volatility of slots
• Real RTP Ireland slots
• Megaways slots
• Bonus purchases in slot machines
• Aviator and falling games: how they work
• How RNG works and independent audits of online slots
• Winning patterns on slot machines — why there are no "hot" machines
• Casino jackpot vs. Progressive jackpot
• Which games pay for bonus spins
• Self limiting limits in Ireland online casinos
• Budget management in an online casino
• Mobile casino application
• Tax on online casino winnings

❓ Frequently asked questions about Hold and Win mechanics

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