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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.

Omaha Hi-Lo starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where some players get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in just about every poker game.

A low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, 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 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.

Although it seems complex at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting range of betting choices and because you have many players shooting for the high, along with several shooting for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.