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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It's a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of entrants can get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone's hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone's, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in nearly every poker game.

The lower hand is more complex, but certainly free's up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don't count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there's no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.

It may seem complex at first, following a few rounds you will be able to get the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming collection of betting options and because you have several players shooting for the high, and many battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.