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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 games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. After all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The players will need to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a few players get confused. Unlike Texas Hold 'Em, in which the board can be everyone's hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It's the strongest hand out of everyone's, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It's the same concept in almost all poker games.

The lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don't count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there's no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

It may seem complicated at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting array of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, and a few trying for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.