Gold Rush with Johnny Cash is a 5×3 hold-and-win slot from BGaming, released on 16 June 2022. Its hero is the studio’s own outlaw cowboy, Johnny Cash (press coverage calls him a gun-slinging cactus), who first appeared in a 2020 game of that name. He has nothing to do with the singer: BGaming’s materials describe him as its own character and mention no licence. The game is built around one feature, the Gold Respin, which starts with six respins rather than the usual three.
Key facts
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Release | 16 June 2022 |
| Grid and lines | 5×3, 25 paylines |
| RTP | 96.14% (BGaming); SlotCatalog lists 96.08% |
| Volatility | Very high |
| Max win | 5,624x the bet (BGaming); SlotCatalog lists 5,820x |
| Hit rate | 1 in 2.39 spins (about 41.84%) |
| Free spins rate | 1 in 182 spins |
| Bonus buy | Free Spins or Gold Respin |
Gold Respin: the core of the game
Six or more coins, each worth x1 to x20 the bet, start the Gold Respin. From there:
- All coins stay in place and the round begins with 6 respins.
- A Plus Spin symbol adds one respin; several in the same spin add up.
- A random Collect symbol adds up the value of every coin on screen.
- Filling all 15 positions pays the jackpot, worth up to 5,000x.
The difference from most hold-and-win games is in step 2. According to SlotCatalog, new coins don’t reset the counter here – only Plus Spins extend the round. You start with twice the usual respins, but the round doesn’t keep restarting the way it does in Elvis Frog in Vegas. There are no Mini or Major tiers either: the only jackpot is the full screen. The general rules of this round type are in our Hold and Win guide.
Free spins with top symbols only
Three TNT scatters on reels 1, 3 and 5 award 10 free spins (SlotCatalog says the middle three reels; we follow BGaming’s rules). During the round only the high-paying symbols – pickaxes, lamps, gold bags and mine carts – appear on the reels, and scatters in the round add 10 more spins. Removing the low symbols is a simple idea, but it makes every free spin count more than a base-game spin.
Bonus buy
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| Free Spins | 50x the bet |
| Gold Respin | 40x the bet |
BGaming shows the price on the buy button; the figures above come from SlotCatalog. Both are cheap compared with the 100x common in newer slots. BGaming lists no Chance x2 option for this game.
The Johnny Cash series and a twin
- Johnny Cash (30 October 2020) – the first game with the cactus cowboy.
- Gold Rush (16 June 2022) – this game.
- Train Heist Johnny Cash (8 July 2026) – a 6×5 cluster-pays sequel with cascades and a 10,000x cap.
- Johnny vs Chicken (15 September 2026) – a crossover with the rooster from BGaming’s Chicken Rush.
There is also a game with the same maths under a different name. Grand Mustang (August 2025) has the same 96.14% RTP, 5,624x max win, hit rate, free spins rate and Gold Respin rules. BGaming later built Grand Buffalo Hold and Win on what players liked about Grand Mustang.
Pros and cons
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Who it suits
[wpremark preset_name=”default-info” icon_show=”1″ icon_image=”info-circle-regular” icon_color=”#3da2e0″ icon_width=”32″ icon_height=”32″ icon_indent=”16″ background_show=”1″ background_color=”#e3f1f4″ border_top=”0″ border_right=”0″ border_bottom=”0″ border_left=”0″ border_width=”2″ border_color=”#3da2e0″ shadow_show=”0″ shadow_x=”0″ shadow_y=”5″ shadow_blur=”10″ shadow_stretching=”-5″ shadow_opacity=”0.3″ title_show=”0″ title_bold=”0″ title_italic=”0″ title_underline=”0″ title_uppercase=”0″ title_font_size=”18″ title_line_height=”1.5″ text_bold=”0″ text_italic=”0″ text_underline=”0″ text_uppercase=”0″ padding_top=”20″ padding_right=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”20″ margin_top=”20″ margin_right=”0″ margin_bottom=”20″ margin_left=”0″ border_radius=”5″]Good fit: players who want a simple hold-and-win game with cheap buys and a single clear goal – fill the screen. Poor fit: players who like respin rounds that keep resetting, or who want small jackpots along the way.[/wpremark]
Verdict
The game takes a familiar formula and changes the details: six respins instead of three, Plus Spins that extend the round (according to SlotCatalog, coins don’t reset it), a Collect symbol, and free spins with only top symbols. The 96.14% RTP and cheap buys are good; the very high volatility and the all-or-nothing jackpot mean most Gold Respins pay only the coins on screen.
Frequently asked questions
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18+. Cheap buys still add up quickly. Support services are listed on our responsible gambling page.
Sources
- BGaming – Gold Rush with Johnny Cash (RTP, rates, rules)
- BGaming Players’ Hub – Gold Rush with Johnny Cash
- SlotCatalog – Gold Rush with Johnny Cash (buy prices, respin rules)
- PokerListings – Gold Rush with Johnny Cash
- BGaming – Johnny Cash (2020)
- Gambling News – Train Heist Johnny Cash
- VegasSlotsOnline – Johnny vs Chicken
- BGaming – Grand Mustang
