Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of entrants often get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same concept in nearly all poker games.

The low hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest being 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 five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.

It may seem complex initially, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of the game with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting array of betting possibilities and because you have many individuals shooting for the high, and a few battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.