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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha hi-low starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many players often get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in just about every poker game.

The low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because 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 eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.

While it seems complex at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming array of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many players trying for the high, as well as a few trying for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha hi-low.