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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has increased in popularity so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few entrants get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in nearly every poker game.

A lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When deciding on 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 A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

Although it seems complex at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the base nuances of play with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming assortment of wagering options and because you have several players trying for the high, and a few shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.