Lightning Link pokies: features, versions and where to play

What are Lightning Link pokies?

Lightning Link pokies are a series of venue pokies made by Aristocrat, the games maker founded in Sydney. The series arrived in clubs, pubs and casinos in the mid-2010s and became one of the most played pokie families in Australia and overseas. Every version has its own theme and free games round, but they all share one feature: Hold and Spin, with four linked jackpot levels.

Lightning Link is also one of the pokies Australians search for most by name. This page explains how it works, where it can and cannot be played online, and what you will find instead at online casinos. For a wider view of pokie types, see our guide to types of pokies.

How does the Hold and Spin feature work?

The Hold and Spin feature starts when 6 or more special bonus symbols land in a single spin. From there:

1. The bonus symbols lock in their positions. Each shows a credit value or a jackpot name.
2. You get 3 respins. Only the empty positions spin.
3. Every new bonus symbol locks too and resets the respins to 3.
4. The feature ends when the respins run out or all 15 positions are filled.
5. You win the total of all values on the locked symbols, plus any jackpots shown.

That reset-to-three rule is what makes the feature tense: a single symbol on the last respin can keep it going. Many other studios have since built pokies around the same idea.

What are the Lightning Link jackpots?

Lightning Link has four jackpot levels, the same across the series:

In venues, some jackpot levels are progressive and linked across machines, while others are fixed amounts that depend on the denomination played. The exact setup is shown on the machine's information screen. Jackpots in general, including how progressive jackpots affect a game's base return, are explained in our guide to jackpot pokies.

What are the Lightning Link versions?

Lightning Link is a family of themed games rather than a single pokie. Each version keeps Hold and Spin and the four jackpots, and adds its own theme, symbols and free games round. High Stakes, with its Las Vegas theme, was one of the original versions. Other themes cover Asian, desert, ocean and island settings.

Aristocrat has also built related series on the same mechanic, most notably Dragon Link, which adds its own themes and jackpot presentation.

Can you play Lightning Link online for real money?

The original Lightning Link is rarely available at the online casinos that accept Australian players. Aristocrat brings the game online in two ways:

• Lightning Link Casino, a social casino app played with virtual coins. You cannot win money, and coins you buy cannot be cashed out.
• Real money versions at licensed online casinos in some regulated markets overseas, for example New Jersey and Michigan in the United States.

So when you see "Lightning Link pokies online real money" offered at a casino site for Australians, check the game's provider in the lobby. In most cases it is a hold and spin pokie from another studio, not the Aristocrat game.

How do online hold and spin pokies compare?

Online hold and spin pokies follow the same idea as Lightning Link, with differences worth checking:

Demo mode is the best way to compare them before you play for money: see our guide to free online pokies.

How does Lightning Link pay out over a session?

Much of Lightning Link's return is concentrated in the Hold and Spin feature and the jackpots, so there can be long stretches with only small wins in between. Plan your stake so your budget can survive those stretches, and remember that the Grand jackpot is a rare event.

How do you keep Lightning Link play under control?

Hold and Spin is designed to feel close to a big win on every respin, which makes it easy to keep going. Set a budget and a time limit before you start, and stop when you reach either. If you use the social app, set a spending limit in your app store settings, because coin purchases are real money with no return. Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858. For the sites we currently feature, see our online pokies Australia guide.

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