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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 is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.

Omaha hi-low begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where many entrants often get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo 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. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in almost every poker game.

A low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

Although it seems complex at the outset, following a few hands you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of play easily enough. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi lo provides an amazing array of betting options and because you have many individuals battling for the high, and several trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha hi/lo.