Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.

Omaha/8 starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where many players get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in nearly all poker games.

A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.

It may seem complicated initially, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting collection of betting options and owing to the fact that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, along with a few trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.