Omaha Hi-Low: General Overview
Posted in Omaha on 08/20/2025 05:25 pm by Fernanda
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants can get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same concept in almost all poker games.
A low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems difficult at the start, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming assortment of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many individuals trying for the high, along with many shooting 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 High-Low.