Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. After all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a few entrants often get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in just about all poker games.

The lower hand is more complicated, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since 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 smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.

It may seem complicated at first, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi low offers an overwhelming array of wagering choices and because you have many players shooting for the high hand, along with many trying for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.