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

Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on 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 utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in nearly all poker games.

The low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because 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 low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.

It may seem difficult at the start, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming range of betting options and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals trying for the high hand, along with many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.