Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where some entrants get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical notion in nearly all poker games.

The lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.

It may seem complicated initially, following a few hands you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of the game with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting assortment of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high, along with several battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi lo.