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

Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many entrants get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize precisely three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical concept in just about every poker game.

A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because 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 smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.

It may seem complex at the start, following a few hands you will be able to get the basic nuances of play with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting array of betting possibilities and because you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, along with many shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.