You’re sitting there, scrolling through the app store, and you see it. Ruby Seven Video Poker. It looks like every other casino app, right? Honestly, that's what I thought at first too. But after spending way too many hours chasing a Royal Flush on my phone, I realized there’s a lot more going on under the hood of this specific developer's ecosystem than just a simple deck of digital cards.
Most people download these games thinking they’re just another "win real money" scam or a cheap knockoff. They aren't. Ruby Seven Video Poker is basically the "Lego set" of the social casino world. They’ve built this massive library of games—over 50 of them in some versions—that actually use the same math and logic you’d find on a real floor in Vegas. But there’s a catch. Or rather, a few things people consistently misunderstand about how these apps work and why they actually exist.
Is It Real Money? (The Big Misconception)
Let’s get the elephant out of the room. No. You aren't going to pay your mortgage with winnings from a Ruby Seven game. It's a social casino. This means you’re playing with "credits" or "coins."
I’ve seen people get really frustrated in the reviews because they hit a massive jackpot and then realized they couldn't hit a "withdraw" button. Here is the deal: Ruby Seven Studios—the team behind apps like Multi-Play Video Poker and Best-Bet Video Poker—specifically designs these for "simulated gambling." You can spend real money to buy more coins (those in-app purchases can go up to $100 or more if you aren't careful), but the money only flows one way. Into the app.
Why play, then? It’s for the practice. Seriously. If you’re planning a trip to the Bellagio or Caesars, you don't want to be the person fumbling with the buttons while the guy next to you sighs impatiently. These apps are perfect for mastering strategy without losing your actual shirt.
The Multi-Strike and Multi-Play Obsession
The reason Ruby Seven Video Poker stands out in a crowded market isn't just the standard Jacks or Better. It's the "weird" stuff. They have a partnership with IGT (International Game Technology). That’s a huge name. It means they get to use the actual, authentic Multi-Strike Poker™ mechanics.
In Multi-Strike, if you win a hand, you move up to the next level where the payout is doubled. Then quadrupled. Then octupled. It’s stressful. It’s fun. It’s exactly how the machines in a real casino operate.
Then you’ve got the Multi-Hand stuff. You can play up to 25 hands at once. Imagine seeing 25 sets of cards flying at you. It’s chaotic. Honestly, it’s a bit much for me sometimes, but for people who want to burn through hands and see the statistical variance play out in real-time, it’s the gold standard.
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The Games You’ll Actually Find
- Classic Jacks or Better: The baseline. If you can’t play this, don't touch the others.
- Deuces Wild: Every 2 is a joker. It changes the strategy completely.
- Double Double Bonus: This is where the "kickers" come in—higher payouts for specific four-of-a-kinds.
- Multi-Rise Trio: A unique spin where you get three chances to climb the multiplier ladder.
The "Free" Coin Trap
They give you a welcome bonus. Usually, it’s something like 150,000 credits. It feels like a lot. It’s not.
If you’re betting the "Max Bet" (which you should always do in video poker to get the Royal Flush bonus), those credits vanish fast. Ruby Seven keeps the lights on by hoping you’ll run out and buy a "poker pack."
However, you can actually play for free indefinitely if you're patient. They have bi-hourly credit boosts and daily scratchers. I usually just check in, grab my freebies, and wait until I have a decent stack before I actually sit down to play a serious session. It’s a game of discipline. If you treat the fake money like real money, you’ll actually get better at the game.
Who is Ruby Seven Studios Anyway?
They aren't some fly-by-night operation in a basement. They’re based in Reno, Nevada, and Kochi, India. Being in Reno is a big deal—that’s the heart of the gaming industry. They were founded around 2012 by Michael Carpenter, who used to be an executive at PopCap Games (the people who made Bejeweled and Plants vs. Zombies).
That pedigree shows in the UI. The apps are polished. They don't crash every five minutes like some of the lower-tier gambling apps. They’ve also partnered with land-based casinos like Foxwoods and Mystic Lake to create "branded" social experiences. This adds a layer of legitimacy that most social casino apps just don't have.
The Strategy: Don't Just Click Buttons
If you’re playing Ruby Seven Video Poker just to kill time, fine. But if you want to actually "win" (gain more credits), you need to learn the math. Video poker is one of the few games in a casino where the player’s choice actually matters.
For instance, in Double Double Bonus, the payout for four Aces is huge. If you have three Aces and a King, do you keep the King? No. You toss it and go for the fourth Ace or a "kicker" (a 2, 3, or 4) to maximize the payout.
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The app includes "Double or Nothing" features too. After a win, it asks if you want to gamble it all to double up. Statistically, this is a 50/50 shot. It’s the "fairness" of a coin flip, but it’s also the fastest way to go broke. I usually skip it. The house edge is already thin enough in video poker; no need to tempt fate.
A Few Practical Tips for New Players:
- Check the Pay Tables: Not all "Jacks or Better" games are the same. Look for the "9/6" version (9 credits for a Full House, 6 for a Flush). It’s the best return.
- Facebook Linking: It’s annoying, but linking your account usually nets you a massive coin bonus (sometimes 500,000+). Just set the app's post visibility to "Only Me" so you don't spam your friends.
- Watch the Challenges: They have weekly challenge maps. Completing these is a much faster way to get coins than just grinding the standard tables.
The Reality of RNG (Random Number Generators)
People love to claim these games are "rigged" when they lose. I’ve read the forums. "The app knew I needed a spade!"
Here’s the truth: Ruby Seven uses a certified RNG. The cards are shuffled virtually, and the outcome is decided the moment you hit "Deal." The app doesn't "know" what you need; it just follows the statistical probability of a 52-card deck. Sometimes you hit a dry spell of 50 hands. That’s not a glitch. That’s just gambling.
The benefit of playing on a platform like this is that you get to see those "dry spells" without it costing you a paycheck. It builds a sort of psychological callousness that is actually quite helpful if you ever decide to step into a real casino.
Final Actionable Steps
If you’re ready to dive into Ruby Seven Video Poker, don’t just start mashing buttons. Start by downloading the Multi-Play version—it’s the most updated. Take that initial 150,000 credit bonus and go straight to the "Classic" Jacks or Better.
Spend your first hour focusing on "Perfect Strategy." There are plenty of strategy charts online you can pull up on a second screen. Follow them exactly. Don't play by "gut feeling." Once you can play 100 hands without making a strategic error, then—and only then—move on to the high-variance games like Triple Double Bonus or the Multi-Strike levels. This disciplined approach is how you turn a simple mobile game into a genuine training tool for the real world.
Stay away from the "Double or Nothing" button for at least your first week. It’s a credit-drainer designed to get you to the "Purchase" screen. Keep your sessions to 20 minutes; any longer and your brain starts making lazy mistakes, which is exactly what the "house" wants, even when the money is fake.