Omaha Hi-Low: General Outline
Posted in Omaha on 06/12/2025 07:25 pm by Ayden
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in nearly all poker games.
A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, 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 worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems difficult at the outset, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing assortment of betting options and owing to the fact that you have several players trying for the high hand, and several shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi low.