Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so quickly.

Omaha hi lo starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. After all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where some entrants often get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same approach in just about all poker games.

A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.

It may seem difficult at first, following a few hands you will be able to get the basic subtleties of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming array of betting options and because you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, along with a few shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.