Written by Emily Carter· Reviewed by Mark Rylance· Published 20 June 2026 · Updated 7 July 2026 · 3 min read
Respins reward a fresh spin on a locked layout without spending extra stake. Across 2233 titles the average RTP sits at 95.97%, and most of the payback is back-loaded into the feature itself.
Respins hold one or more symbols in place and re-spin the remaining reels, giving you an extra shot at a win without a new bet. Some studios brand the same idea as Hold and Win, Lock and Spin or Sticky Respins, so the label shifts but the maths stays close.
The mechanic went mainstream around the mid-2010s and now anchors 2233 titles from Play'n GO, Pragmatic Play and Microgaming. What I keep noticing is how central the round has become: on many of these games the published 96% figure hinges almost entirely on this round rather than the base spins.
How the mechanic works
A trigger, usually a Scatter or a filled reel, locks the qualifying symbols and awards a set of re-spins. Each fresh landing resets the counter, so the round extends until the reels stall. On Big Bass Bonanza and similar titles the retrigger loop drives the bulk of the payout, and the return leaks slightly when the retrigger fails to land.
Respins and RTP
On paper the feature accounts for the bulk of the payback. Strip out the bonus and the base game RTP drops to a thin slice, because the base spins hold only a fraction of the total return. The RTP breakdown splits cleanly between base and bonus, with the theoretical return climbing sharply once the round fires at its natural rate.
I always check whether a game offers a buy option, since where permitted the buy shifts the RTP to a different figure, sometimes higher, sometimes lower. A higher hit rate trades against a lower per-hit contribution, so frequent small locks rarely match the punch of a rare full-board fill. The certified return assumes the feature fires at its natural rate, not the buy.
Standout slots to test
Money Train 3 from Relax Gaming pushes the Respins ceiling hard, with a max win near 100,000x and an RTP around 96.2%. Fire in the Hole 2 pairs a collapsing grid with locking symbols and a similar top exit. For steadier pacing I rate Book of Ra Deluxe style locks less, and prefer the crisper Big Bass Splash.
Wolf Gold from Pragmatic Play keeps its Money Respin round simple and reliable, sitting at 96.01% RTP. Rise of Olympus by Play'n GO and Dead or Alive 2 round out the shortlist. The category average max win of roughly 8,761x is a loose guide only, given how wide the spread runs between these titles.
FAQ
On how many slots is the Respins feature available?
Respins appear across 2233 titles in the current catalogue. The mechanic is one of the most widely used feature types, offered by studios such as Play'n GO, Pragmatic Play and Microgaming.
What is the average RTP for Respins slots?
The average sits at 95.97%, close to the industry norm. Individual titles vary, with Wolf Gold at 96.01% and Money Train 3 near 96.2%, so it pays to check each paytable.
Which providers make the best Respins slots?
Play'n GO, Pragmatic Play and Microgaming lead the category. Relax Gaming also stands out with high-ceiling titles like Money Train 3 and Fire in the Hole 2.
Can you play Respins slots for free?
Most Respins titles run in a free demo with virtual credits and no sign-up. This lets you test how often the round triggers before committing real stake, which matters given how much payback is tied to the feature.
Why does the base game feel low without the feature?
Because most of the RTP is back-loaded into the Respins round, base spins carry only a thin slice of the return. The theoretical return climbs sharply once the feature fires at its natural rate.
All our content is written by our editorial team and checked before publication. We play the games ourselves, verify licences and withdrawal terms, and update every review as soon as something changes.
Under the supervision of Editor-in-Chief Mark Rylance
