Omaha

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha hi/low begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many players can get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in almost every poker game.

A low hand is more complicated, but really free’s 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 lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as 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 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

It may seem difficult at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing assortment of betting possibilities and seeing that you have numerous individuals battling for the high, and many shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.