Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few entrants get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in nearly every poker game.

A lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like 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 few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an exciting array of wagering possibilities and because you have many individuals battling for the high hand, along with many battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.