Omaha Hi Lo: General Summary
Posted in Poker on 05/08/2025 09:25 am by Nolan
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. After all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants often get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize precisely three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because 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 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems complex initially, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of the game easily enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing array of betting options and because you have many individuals trying for the high hand, along with a few shooting for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha Hi-Lo.