Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a number of entrants can get confused. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in just about every poker game.

A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.

While it seems complicated at the start, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming range of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several players battling for the high, and a few shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi/low.