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

Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The players will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a few entrants often get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be every player's hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is 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.

A low hand is more complicated, but really free's up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don't count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower 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 low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

While it seems complicated at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming range of betting possibilities and seeing that you have numerous individuals trying for the high, along with several battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it's not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.