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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha Hi-Lo begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where many entrants often get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in almost all poker games.

The low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.

While it seems complex initially, after a couple of rounds you will be able to get the basic subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming array of betting choices and seeing that you have several players battling for the high hand, along with a few trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.