Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many entrants can get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in nearly every poker game.

A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.

While it seems complicated initially, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of play easily enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an exciting collection of wagering possibilities and because you have several individuals shooting for the high, as well as many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.