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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some players often get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same notion in nearly every poker game.

A low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.

It may seem difficult at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an amazing collection of wagering options and seeing that you have several players shooting for the high hand, as well as a few trying for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.