The sticky meaning in slots is anything that stays in place when the reels spin again: a sticky wild that remains for the rest of a bonus, a winning symbol that locks during respins, or a multiplier that carries over. In casino offers, “sticky” has a second meaning: bonus money that can’t be withdrawn.
Sticky means a symbol, wild, multiplier or reel stays put for one or more further spins.
Sticky features usually appear in free spins or respins, where they build towards bigger wins.
The value of sticky features is already counted in the slot’s RTP.
A sticky bonus is a casino bonus that can be played but not cashed out; wagering is capped at 10x since 19 January 2026.
Means
Stays in place across spins
Common forms
Sticky wilds, sticky respins, sticky multipliers
Usually found in
Free spins and respin features
Fruit machine cousin
The hold button
Offer meaning
Bonus funds that can’t be withdrawn
What sticky means on a slot machine
On the reels, sticky describes something that doesn’t move when the next spin starts. A normal symbol is replaced on every spin; a sticky one stays where it landed for a set number of spins or until a feature ends. The effect is that each new spin starts with part of the grid already filled in your favour.
Take an illustrative 5-reel game at a £1 stake with sticky respins. Pay values are invented to show the method.
The spin lands three crowns on a line: a win of £0.50. The crowns lock and the other two reels respin for free.
A fourth crown lands. The line now pays £1.50 instead of £0.50, and the four crowns lock for another respin.
A fifth crown lands, completing the line for £5.00. The respins end because there is nowhere left to fill.
Your result for the £1 spin is £5.00, paid as the final win rather than all three added together, in this example.
Had the second respin missed, you would have kept £1.50. Sticky features tend to turn small wins into medium ones some of the time, which is how they fit into the game’s RTP. Over 100 spins at £1 on a 96% slot the average cost is still £4.
Sticky reels on fruit machines: the hold
Pub fruit machines had the sticky idea long before video slots, in the form of the hold button. When the machine offers holds, you can choose reels to keep for the next game. Using an offered hold well can stop you missing a win the machine has made available, but it can’t beat the payout percentage built into the machine.
Sticky bonus: the casino offer meaning
In casino promotions, a sticky bonus is bonus money that you can play with but never withdraw. When you cash out, the bonus amount is removed and only winnings above it are paid. A non-sticky bonus keeps your own deposit separate and lets you withdraw it before the bonus comes into play. Always check which kind an offer is in the terms.
Since 19 January 2026, bonus wagering in Great Britain has been capped at 10 times, under the Commission’s bonus code of practice (opens in a new tab). So a £50 bonus can require no more than £500 of wagering. Our page on wagering on slots works through the maths.
Where to play slots with sticky features
Sticky features are online slot mechanics; search a casino’s lobby by game name, because availability changes. Neither of these offers involves sticky bonus cash. Coral Casino: new players aged 18+ who bet £10 on slots receive 100 free spins at 10p each on selected games, with 48 hours to accept and 7 days to use them, and no wagering on winnings; some payment methods are excluded.
Ladbrokes Casino: new customers 18+ who play £10 on slots get 50 free spins a day for 10 days, up to 500 at 10p each, with no wagering; claim each day by 23:59. Both are run by LC International Limited, so check the terms before joining both. Terms apply.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open a new account with another; check the terms before signing up.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Coral reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Ladbrokes reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: plan a slot budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
What does sticky mean in slots?
Sticky means a symbol, wild, multiplier or reel stays in place for one or more following spins instead of being replaced. It usually appears in free spins or respin features, where each spin starts with part of the grid already set. Sticky wilds are the most common type. The term also has a separate offer meaning, a bonus you can’t withdraw. For the reel features in depth, see sticky symbols.
How do sticky wilds work?
A sticky wild stays where it lands for the rest of a feature, usually free spins, substituting for other symbols on every spin that follows. Because it is already in place, each new spin has a better chance of a win through that position, and several sticky wilds can build up over a bonus. The game’s RTP already includes this. Read sticky wilds and wild symbols for the variations.
What is a sticky respin?
A sticky respin locks some symbols, often the ones that just formed a win, and spins the remaining reels again at no extra cost. If another matching symbol lands, it locks too and you usually get another respin. The feature ends when a respin adds nothing new. Thunderkick’s Midas Golden Touch is an example. Our respins and hold and win pages explain related features.
What is a sticky bonus at a casino?
A sticky bonus is bonus money that stays in your account to play with but is never paid out itself. When you withdraw, the bonus amount is taken off and only the remaining winnings are paid. Wagering on any bonus in Great Britain has been capped at 10 times since 19 January 2026. Check each offer’s terms. Our guides to wagering on slots and the wagering cap explain the rules.
Are sticky wild slots better than other slots?
Not in terms of return. Sticky features shift how wins are spread, often moving value into bonus rounds, but the overall return is set by the game’s RTP, which already includes them. A sticky wild slot at 96% returns the same long-run average as any other 96% slot. What differs is the experience and volatility. Reading up on volatility explains how features change the size and spacing of wins.
Is a fruit machine hold the same as a sticky reel?
It is a close cousin. A hold lets you keep chosen reels in place for the next game, which is the manual version of a sticky reel. The difference is that you choose, and only when the machine offers holds. Using holds well can help you collect a win the machine has offered, but no technique beats its payout percentage. See how fruit machine holds work for the detail.
Which slots have sticky features?
Examples on our fact sheets include Midas Golden Touch (sticky respins), Stormforged and Vikings Go Berzerk Reloaded (sticky wilds in free spins), Reindeer Royale (sticky reindeer), El Paso Gunfight (sticky xNudge wilds) and Extra Juicy Megaways (semi-sticky multipliers). Sticky Bandits and Stick ’Em carry the idea in their names. Check each game’s help screen for how long its sticky symbols last, and see El Paso Gunfight for one in detail.
Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Visit GamCare.org.uk and GamCare, or block yourself from all UK-licensed gambling sites with GAMSTOP.
This site contains adverts. We may earn commission when you sign up through our links. Advertiser disclosure.
We use no tracking cookies. We store one item in your browser to remember this notice. Casino sites may set their own cookies after you follow an advert link. Cookie policy
