Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering 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 many players get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in almost every poker game.

The lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since 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 eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.

It may seem difficult at first, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many players battling for the high hand, along with several battling for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.