Hold and Win Slots: How the Respin Round Works on BitPlay

Hold and win slots (also known as hold and spin slots) will initiate a bonus round when a sufficient number of coin symbols land. The coins lock in place, and you get three respins, resetting each time a new coin lands. When the respins are exhausted, the coin values and any jackpots are tallied and paid. BitPlay is a social online casino that takes crypto and gives you access to platforms such as Game Vault, Golden Treasure, and Ultra Panda, where those titles are hosted.

What Are Hold and Win Slots?

What does hold and win mean in slots? It means the coins you've landed on stay on the reels as you spin again for more. Hold and spin is the same thing under a different name, and most 'Link' games use that same mechanic.

 

The base game is just like any other video slot. The difference is in the bonus round, which pays out from the coin values, and line wins have no bearing on it.

 

Hold and win is one of several slot mechanics. You can compare it with other types of slot machines, including reel-changing formats.

 

Those 'reel-changing' games have their own guide to Megaways slots.

How Does the Respin Round Work?

Here is how to play hold and win slots online, using the Ultimate Fire Link Riverwalk on Vegas X as the example. The fireballs are the coins.

 

1. Trigger: four or more fireballs anywhere in the base game will trigger the Fire Link feature.
2. Hold: the fireballs that caused it are locked in for the entire feature.
3. Respins: you get three spins. Only the fireballs count (on a separate set of reels).
4. Reset: every new fireball locks in, and the count resets to three.
5. Grow: 8 rows shown, 4 initially active. More rows open as the fireballs fill up, as shown in the table below.
6. Collect: when the spins are up, every fireball on an active row pays its value.

 

Fireballs held	Active rows
Up to 7	Rows 1 to 4
8 to 11	Rows 1 to 5
12 to 15	Rows 1 to 6
16 to 19	Rows 1 to 7
20 or more	Rows 1 to 8

 

Each fireball shows a cash value or a jackpot. On rows 1 to 7, values range from 1x to 100x the total bet or a Mini, Minor, or Major jackpot. Row 8 has the top tier (Mega), and the round ends immediately if all 40 positions are filled.

 

The same round works differently from game to game. Here is how the four tested titles compare:

 

Rule	Ultimate Fire Link Riverwalk	Heart Throb Lightning Link	Dragon Link Silk Road	Diamond Link Mighty Sevens
Coin symbol	Fireball	Heart	Orb	Diamond
Trigger	4 or more	6 to 14	6 to 14	6 or more, or a full progress meter
Respins	3, reset by each new coin	3, reset by each new coin	3, reset by each new coin	3, reset by each new coin
Positions	40, over 8 rows that open in stages	15	15	15
Jackpot tiers	Mini, Minor, Major, Mega	Mini, Minor, Major, Grand	Mini, Minor, Major, Grand	Mini, Minor, Major, Grand
Full screen	Ends the round	Grand plus every heart prize	Grand plus every orb prize	Grand only, other feature wins are voided

Hold and Win Slots on BitPlay

These are the hold and win titles that are listed on the BitPlay platforms. Lobbies are in flux, and a title can move or disappear at any time.

Title	Family	Platform
Heart Throb Lightning Link	Lightning Link	GoToSpin
Ultimate Fire Link Riverwalk	Fire Link	Vegas X, Game Vault, Game Room, Vegas Sweeps, Lucky Stars, Mafia, Cash Machine, Viva
Ultimate Fire Link Olvera Street	Fire Link	Vegas X, Game Vault, Game Room, Vegas Sweeps, Lucky Stars, Mafia, Cash Machine, Viva
Ultimate Fire Link China Street	Fire Link	Vegas X, GoToSpin, Game Vault, Game Room, Vegas Sweeps, Lucky Stars, Mafia, Cash Machine, Viva
Ultimate Fire Link Rue Royale	Fire Link	Vegas X, Game Vault, Game Room, Vegas Sweeps, Lucky Stars, Mafia, Cash Machine, Viva
Ultimate Fire Link Route 66	Fire Link	Game Vault, Game Room, Vegas Sweeps, Lucky Stars, Mafia, Cash Machine, Viva
Ultimate Fire Link North Shore	Fire Link	Game Vault, Game Room, Vegas Sweeps, Lucky Stars, Mafia, Cash Machine, Viva
Coin Strike 2	Coin Strike	Game Room, Viva
Crown Strike	Coin Strike	Game Room, Viva
Thunder Coins XXL	Classic hold and win	Game Room, Viva
Arizona Heist Hold and Win	Classic hold and win	Game Room, Viva
Touchdown Gold Hold & Win	Classic hold and win	Game Vault
Coin Link Jackpot	Classic hold and win	Game Vault
Cash'n Fruits Hold & Win	Classic hold and win	Astro7
777 Ultra Hold & Spin	Hold & Spin	GoToSpin
Floating Dragon Hold & Spin	Hold & Spin	GoToSpin
Hot to Burn Hold & Spin	Hold & Spin	GoToSpin
Dragon Link Silk Road	Dragon Link	GoToSpin
Dragon Link Collection	Dragon Link	Golden Treasure, Ultra Panda
Dragon's Blaze Link	Dragon Link	Golden Treasure, Ultra Panda
Dragon Link Fortune	Dragon Link	Golden Treasure
Legend of Spooky Link	Spooky Link	Golden Treasure, Ultra Panda, V-Blink
Tiki Link Holiday	Tiki Link	Golden Treasure, Ultra Panda, V-Blink
Phoenix Blaze Link	Link	Golden Treasure, V-Blink
Vegas Cash Link	Link	Golden Treasure, V-Blink
Jackpot Link	Link	Juwa
Buffalo Link	Link	GoToSpin
Diamond Link Mighty Elephant	Diamond Link	GoToSpin
Diamond Link Oasis Riches	Diamond Link	GoToSpin
Diamond Link Mighty Sevens	Diamond Link	GoToSpin
Diamond Link Mighty Buffalo	Diamond Link	GoToSpin
Diamond Link Mighty Santa	Diamond Link	GoToSpin

Fire Link Games

The Fire Link family has six titles all named after city streets: Route 66, Olvera Street, China Street, Riverwalk, Rue Royale and North Shore. Ultimate Fire Link on Game Vault is one route in, and the same family is available on Game Room, Vegas Sweeps, Lucky Stars, Mafia, Cash Machine and Viva.

 

Vegas X carries four of them: Riverwalk, Olvera Street, China Street and Rue Royale. GoToSpin also has China Street, and Riverwalk's rules above show how the round plays.

Coin Strike and Classic Hold and Win

This is the classic coin look. Coin Strike 2 Hold and Win on Game Room sits next to Crown Strike, Thunder Coins XXL, and Arizona Heist Hold and Win, and Viva lists the same four.

 

Game Vault adds Touchdown Gold Hold & Win and Coin Link Jackpot, and Astro7 lists Cash'n Fruits Hold & Win. GoToSpin carries three titles under the Hold & Spin name: 777 Ultra, Floating Dragon and Hot to Burn.

Dragon, Spooky and Tiki Link Games

Golden Treasure offers Dragon Link Collection, Dragon's Blaze Link, and Dragon Link Fortune. Golden Treasure also has Legend of Spooky Link, Tiki Link Holiday, Phoenix Blaze Link, and Vegas Cash Link, and GoToSpin has Dragon Link Silk Road (tested above).

 

Tiki Link Holiday on Ultra Panda is in the same lobby as Legend of Spooky Link, Dragon Link Collection, and Dragon's Blaze Link.

 

V-Blink lists Phoenix Blaze Link on V-Blink alongside Vegas Cash Link, Tiki Link Holiday, and Legend of Spooky Link. Juwa carries Jackpot Link.

Games Like Lightning Link on BitPlay

Lightning Link is a land-casino hold and spin series, and one of the online titles from that series is currently in a BitPlay platform lobby (Heart Throb Lightning Link on GoToSpin). The rules screen credits Aristocrat. Six to 14 hearts on the board start the Hold & Spin Feature, and filling all 15 positions pays the Grand jackpot on top of the heart prizes.

 

Three tested games like Lightning Link play the same way, with locked coins, respins that reset, and tiered jackpots:

 

• Dragon Link Silk Road (GoToSpin) is the closest. Six to 14 orbs will start the three resetting respins, and 15 orbs will pay the Grand Plus on every orb prize.
• Diamond Link Mighty Sevens (GoToSpin): six blue diamonds or a full progress meter to start the round. Fill all 15 positions for the Grand, but that will nullify any other feature wins.
• Ultimate Fire Link Riverwalk (Vegas X): four fireballs to start the round on a grid that expands to eight rows with Mega as the top jackpot.

 

GoToSpin also lists four further Diamond Link games and Buffalo Link. Rules vary by game, and each game's info screen shows its own trigger and jackpot names.

Are Hold and Win Slots Worth Playing?

Most of the value in hold and win slots sits in the bonus round. The base game can go on for a long time without any features. That gap is a major reason why bonus-heavy slots swing more than steady ones.

 

Check each game's info screen prior to playing. Riverwalk's info screens will list the feature rules and the expected return on its Buy Pass options. Buy Pass lets you pay a set amount (often many times the base bet) to enter a feature.

 

New BitPlay players can try Link games with free play. A $20 Welcome Bonus is added to your Bonus Wallet upon account verification (no deposit required). Funds in the Bonus Wallet cannot be withdrawn directly, and players must be 21+.

 

Decide how much time and how much money you're going to spend before you open that bonus-heavy slot and stop when you've hit your limit. Always play responsibly!

FAQ

What triggers the hold and win feature?

The trigger varies from game to game. Ultimate Fire Link Riverwalk requires 4 or more fireballs to start the round. Heart Throb Lightning Link, Dragon Link Silk Road, and Diamond Link Mighty Sevens all require 6 coins. The coins that trigger the round are held in place until the round ends.

How many respins do you get in hold and win?

All four of the games we tested give you three respins. Each time a new coin drops, it locks in, and the count goes back to three. The round is over when you've used up your respins or when all the positions are filled (40 in Riverwalk and 15 in the other three).

Can you win the Grand jackpot in hold and win?

The Grand is dependent on the title. It is paid in Heart Throb Lightning Link and Dragon Link Silk Road (all 15 positions), in addition to the coin prizes. Diamond Link Mighty Sevens pays the Grand on its own. Ultimate Fire Link Riverwalk has no Grand, and its top is Mega.

Can you play hold and win slots free?

New BitPlay players get a $20 Welcome Bonus in their Bonus Wallet after account verification, with no deposit or promo code needed. You can use it on platforms that carry Link games, but you can't withdraw Bonus Wallet funds directly. Third-party demo apps are not connected to BitPlay.