Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.

Omaha/8 starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of betting follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a few players can get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in just about all poker games.

A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might 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 worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.

While it seems complex initially, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental 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 in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting assortment of wagering choices and because you have several players shooting for the high hand, along with a few battling for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.