Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a number of entrants get flustered. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

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

A lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the worst 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 possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.

It may seem complicated at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an amazing assortment of betting options and because you have numerous individuals trying for the high, and a few trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.