Explained: Respins in Online Slots 

Learn everything you need to know about Respins in online slots with Niklas Mravlje, Commercial Director of Content at Bragg Gaming.

Respins in online slots. What are they? How do they work? How do you trigger them? These are all questions that we put to Niklas Mravlje, Commercial Director of Content at Bragg Gaming. 

Below, Niklas goes into great depth about the inner workings of the Respins mechanic and why it has become such a timeless classic. He also explains how studios are taking it to the next level to continue to develop edge-of-the-seat player experiences. 

Hold tight, as it’s an action-packed interview. 

What do we mean by Respins in online slots?

Respins are linked to the popular “Hold & Spin” mechanic, sometimes called “Hold & Win”, “Lock and Spin” and other variations of it. The mechanic triggers a feature in which the player is awarded a modest number of Respins, usually three. Then they play those Respins on an empty grid where Sticky symbols with Cash Values may land. Whenever one or more of these symbols do land, the Respins counter resets back to three. The feature continues until the grid is filled with Sticky symbols (the grand prize is won this way) or three Respins in a row result in no symbol landing. When the feature ends, all values from landed symbols are collected and awarded to the player.

The mechanic was originally introduced decades ago and has seen countless iterations since then – fast, slow, layered, with jackpots and more. It’s been reimagined by various studios and deployed in the majority, if not all, markets globally. One thing is certain. The mechanic is loved by players in the UK and across the globe.

How do players trigger Respins? 

The trigger varies from game to game. The most common way to trigger Respins is to land three or more Scatters or other types of Bonus symbols. Newer games, however, introduce different triggers. 

In Indigo Magic’s Bad Bass, even one single Scatter has a chance to trigger the mechanic, but there are also many other, new, and creative triggers, such as Clustered symbols, Collection Meters and Mystery symbol reveals. In Bluberi’s Devil’s Lock and the upcoming Shark’s Lock, players may activate the mechanic on any turn by landing the game’s main symbol on the most central position in the game. The only limitation to what triggers the feature is the creator’s imagination. 

Devil’s Lock by Bluberi, Powered by Bragg.

What are the different types of Respins players can unlock?

Just as with its trigger, the entire mechanic can be implemented in many ways. It can be something unique, like in Atomic Slot Lab’s 4 the Loot, which sees the player win eight Respins. The reset counter can’t be reset by landing more Cash symbols, but rather with Special symbols that grant additional Respins. The hook in this case is that the player gets to spin on four 5×3 grids at once, which gives them a good chance at landing many Cash Value symbols. 

A more traditional way would be to land Scatter or Bonus symbols, like in Bad Bass mentioned earlier. New popular additions to the mechanic are the Payer, Collector and other action symbols such as Expanders, Persistent Payers/Collectors, Snipers, Multipliers, and Mystery symbols. Payer symbols add their values to already landed symbols, while Collector symbols collect other values directly or aggregate them to be collected at feature end. These two add a lot to the gameplay experience as they can amass massive values from landed symbols and allow for huge wins from a single spin. 

Speaking of variations on established mechanics, studios that focus on a younger player base must innovate and offer new ways to play Respins. Games from studios such as Four Leaf Gaming, Indigo Magic, or Relax Gaming (the latter especially with its Money Train title) turn the mechanic into what practically becomes a movie-like experience, which mesmerises players with what is happening on the screen. 

Do Respins combine well with other bonus features?

Absolutely. Pairing Respins with other mechanics makes the game even more explosive. The Hold & Spin mechanic is a strong stand-alone mechanic by itself, but it can be layered with tons of other features as well. It combines very well with Free Spins and can lead to a different feature if certain positions are filled. In Phoenix Queen by Atomic Slot Lab, a feature-chaining powerhouse, one single spin can lead to no less than three consecutive chained features. Another great example is the Flaming Link series by GAMOMAT, where the grid in the Respins feature gets divided into random win zones. Filling up one of these zones awards an intermediate win, a sort of extra consolation prize for players who didn’t land a full grid of symbols, and the Grand Prize with it.

Roman Legion Flaming Link by GAMOMAT, Powered by Bragg.

Why should players try slots with Respins?

If something is successful for more than two decades, resonates with older and younger players, and has effectively become a staple of the online casino industry, there is a high chance you will love it, too! Like with anything else, you might not like the first brand you try, but I would be willing to wager that there is another brand out there that will definitely resonate with you. My suggestion would be to start with Bragg products and Bragg’s exclusive content partners first.

Do slots with Respins appeal to certain players more than others?

This mechanic is somewhat unique as it is universally loved across player demographics and national/regional markets. Certain implementations of it might appeal more to a certain type of player, but in general, it does not seem to be player-specific. With that said, elements like depth of implementation, volatility, hit frequency and other game-specific items might make a certain game more appealing to a specific player group. Flaming Link games, for example, normally have medium or high volatility, but the mechanic of intermediate wins that are easier to score than the Grand Prize appeals to the low-volatility crowd as well. 

What’s your favourite Respins slot and why?

I certainly have my favourites close to home from the Bragg portfolio. For traditional Respins, I’d say Indigo Magic’s Bad Bass; for synergy with Free Games, it’s Atomic Slot Lab’s Phoenix Queen, for a variation on Respins with frame mechanics, it must be Puff Puff Puffer; and for four-grid Respins, definitely 4 The Loot. All these rank very high for me, and based on the performance numbers, they seem to resonate with players as well. 

There is also a new game on the horizon: Four Leaf Gaming is about to release its first game in August 2025, titled Golden Gumballs. I played it a lot during development, and I must admit, I have a new crush…

Any final thoughts on Respins?

If you’re yet to encounter or play Hold & Win slots, you are in for a treat. Imagine your favourite video game or movie. You’re sad when it’s over, and you wish you could forget it so you could enjoy it again just like the first time. With this type of game mechanic, I guarantee you are in for a real good time. Or, in other words: one spin is to tease, but a Respin is to please.