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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of players get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in just about every poker game.

The low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.

While it seems complex at the start, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha hi-low provides an overwhelming array of betting possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals shooting for the high, along with a few shooting for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.