Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.

Omaha 8 or better begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. After all the players have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where many players often get confused. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical concept in almost all poker games.

The low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.

Although it seems complex at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play easily enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an exciting collection of betting choices and because you have numerous players shooting for the high, along with a few shooting for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.