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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few players often get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same approach in almost every poker game.

A lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t 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 below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

It may seem complex at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming array of wagering options and because you have many individuals battling for the high hand, along with several shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.