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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so quickly.

Omaha Hi-Lo starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where some players get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be every player's hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It's the strongest hand out of every player's, it doesn't matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It's the very same notion in nearly every poker game.

The lower hand is more complex, 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 can be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there's no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

While it seems difficult at the outset, following a few hands you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha Hi-Lo offers an overwhelming assortment of betting options and owing to the fact that you have many players shooting for the high, along with many shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it's not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.