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

Omaha/8 starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. After all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many players get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in just about all poker games.

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

Although it seems difficult initially, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming range of betting options and because you have numerous players battling for the high hand, along with a few shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.