Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha/8 starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many entrants get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in almost all poker games.

The lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.

While it seems complex at first, after a couple of rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing array of betting choices and because you have many players shooting for the high hand, along with many battling for the low hand. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi/lo.