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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some entrants get flustered. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in just about all poker games.

The lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.

It may seem complicated initially, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming collection of wagering options and because you have many players trying for the high hand, as well as several battling 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 compete in Omaha/8.