Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of entrants can get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
Although it seems complicated at the outset, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting array of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals trying for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
This entry was posted on October 30, 2025, 7:25 pm and is filed under Omaha. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.