Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of entrants can get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical concept in just about every poker game.

A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When deciding on 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. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.

It may seem complex at the outset, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting range of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have many players shooting for the high, as well as a few battling for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.