Omaha Hi Lo: Basic Summary
October 26th, 2025 at 9:25
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. After all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players can get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same notion in just about all poker games.
The low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complicated initially, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi-low provides an exciting range of wagering choices and because you have numerous individuals trying for the high, as well as a few shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha/8.