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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where some entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

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

A low hand is more complex, 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 can be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.

It may seem complex initially, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing array of betting options and because you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, along with several shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.