Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of betting follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. Another round of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few players can get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

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

The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.

While it seems complicated at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing range of betting possibilities and seeing that you have many players battling for the high hand, along with several trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.