As the holiday season approaches, Betsoft is rolling out a sun-drenched twist on traditional Christmas gaming with The Tipsy Tourist: Christmas Vacation – Hold & Win online slot, set to launch on December 4, 2025. The title brings back Gary—the cheerful character from – The Tipsy Tourist: Beach Bonanza Hold & Win – who returns for another getaway, this time celebrating Christmas on a snowy tropical beach. While the underlying mechanics remain consistent with its predecessor, the updated aesthetic transforms the experience into a lighthearted, beach-themed holiday escape.

Betsoft describes the release as your “ticket to a cheerful holiday escape where the cocktails are flowing and the action never stops!”

The game uses a 5-reel, 3-row, 20-payline setup and supports wagers between €0.20 and €80 per spin, making it accessible for a wide range of players. Although operators may adjust the RTP, the default setting offered by Betsoft is 96.06%, with alternatives at 94.04% and 92.16%. The gameplay carries a medium/high volatility profile and a hit frequency of 23.87%, allowing for stretches of anticipation punctuated by substantial potential payouts. Players can expect a max win of 5,000x the bet, reinforcing the appeal of this holiday-themed edition.

One of the standout elements is the game world itself. Set on a beach covered lightly in snow, the online slot mixes winter and summer in playful ways—string-lit palm trees, gift-scattered sand, and tropical cocktails decorated for the season. Gary reclines in his festive shirt, tropical drink in hand, showcasing Betsoft’s signature high-definition artwork. Even though some players may miss a traditional Christmas soundtrack, the unique atmosphere offers a refreshing shift from standard holiday slot designs.

A Breakdown of Symbols and Core Mechanics

Players create winning combinations by aligning three or more identical symbols from left to right. Lower-paying symbols include drinks such as beer, cherry cocktails, pineapple refreshments, and watermelon beverages, each awarding between 4x and 7.5x the bet for five of a kind. Higher-value symbols—Gary, his wife, a suitcase, and a purple star—can yield payouts from 17.5x up to 250x for five-symbol hits.

Several special symbols also shape the gameplay:

  • Wild Symbol – Appearing exclusively on reels 2–5, the Wild stands in for all regular paying icons. As the rules state, it “substitutes for all symbols except the Bonus and Collect Symbol,” and cannot replace +1 Spin or Expand symbols.
  • Stacked Mystery Symbols – Any reel may contain these positions, which transform into matching regular symbols once the spin concludes. They never reveal Wild, Bonus, or Collect icons.

Unlocking Prizes Through Hold & Win Features

The Hold & Win mechanic sits at the heart of the experience. Triggering requires “5 or more scattered BONUS symbols with 1 COLLECT symbol,” which grants nine respins. Throughout this phase, only blank spaces, Bonus icons, and Collect symbols appear. Bonus symbols may carry standard values from 0.5x to 50x, or transform into one of four jackpots—Mini, Minor, Major, or Grand—paying 10x, 30x, 100x, or 500x your stake.

Landing a Collect symbol immediately gathers all visible Bonus values before those icons disappear from the grid. The feature is further amplified by two special modifiers: the +1 Spin symbol, which adds an additional respin, and the Expand symbol, which extends a reel upward by one position and grants another spin. Players may also encounter the Cooler Box Bonus, a randomly activated boost that can add more Bonus or Collect symbols to the reels during the base game.

For those eager to jump straight into the action, the Feature Buy option offers instant access. The purchase price is listed as 46x the bet, delivering Hold & Win gameplay at an RTP of 96.03%.