Omaha Hi-Lo


Omaha Hi-Lo, also known as Omaha 8-or-Better or Omaha/8, has gained popularity through versatility, allowing poker players to win a portion of the pot not only for the best hand, but for the worst! Omaha Hi-Lo is a mixed variation of Texas Hold'Em and Omaha Poker. The difference between Omaha and Omaha Hi-Lo is that each player must design two separate 5-Card hands from the same 9 cards available (4 hole card, 5 community cards), utilizing only 2 hole cards and 3 community cards for each hand. One hand will be the highest possible, the second will attempt to qualify as a Low hand (nothing over 8-high). The same player can actually win both the Low and High Omaha Hi-Lo hands.


Played with a single, standard deck of 52 cards, Omaha Hi-Lo offers a wide variety of possibilities since each player is working towards so many goals. For this reason, online poker rooms grant more time for a player to make a decision than they would be allotted in a Texas Hold'Em online poker game.


Though Omaha Hi-Lo can be found in No Limit, the game is most commonly offered as a Pot Limit poker game. Because of this, no matter the starting Blinds, players may find finishing a single hand to become quite expensive.


Omaha Hi-Lo - Objective


To create a 5-card hand that ranks higher than any of your opponents, utilizing only 2 Hole Cards and 3 Community Cards. At the same time, using any 2 Hole Cards plus 3 Community Cards to attempt the lowest qualifying hand as well. (See Omaha Hi-Lo - Terminology > 'Qualifying Low Hand' below.)

Omaha Hi-Lo - Lingo and Terminology


Let's go over a few terms you'll need to know to understand the rules and game play of Omaha Hi-Lo.


Qualifying Low Hand: Omaha Hi-Lo (Omaha 8-or-better, Omaha/8) awards half the pot to the owner of the lowest qualifying poker hand. In order to qualify to win the Low hand, the player must have no card higher than an 8 (except Ace, counted as a 1). He must not have any pairs either. Straights and Flushes are not counted as combinations in a Low hand, therefore...


The Best Possible Low Hand is: 5-4-3-2-A (5-high)


Hole Cards: The first 4 cards, dealt face down to each player, are called their Hole Cards. A player may only use 2 of these cards (plus 3 Community Cards) to create the highest possible 5-Card hand. A player may also use any 2 of these cards (not necessarily the same 2) to make the lowest ranking hand.


Community Cards: Dealt face-up to the center of the table, all players may use any 3 of the 5 Community Cards when developing a High and Low hand. They do not need to use the same 3 Community Cards for each hand.


Flop-Turn-River: The Flop is the first 3 Community Cards, dealt all at once. The Turn is the 4th Community Card, the River is the 5th.


Dealer Button: The Dealer Button is used to determine the Small and Big Blind bettors. The Small Blind is the player seated directly left of the Dealer Button.


Small Blind: Before any cards are dealt, the Small Blind Bettor (seated directly left of the Dealer Button) places a bet equal to the low-end of the stakes. For example, in a $1/$2 Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo game, the Small Blind Bet is $1.


Big Blind: After the Small Blind bettor comes the Big Blind, seated directly left of the Small Blind bettor. The Big Blind Bettor places a bet equal to the high-end of the stakes. For example, in a $1/$2 Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo game, the Big Blind Bet is $2.


Pot Limit: When playing any Pot Limit poker game, the maximum bet is always equal to the current size of the pot. If the Pot contains $5, the next player may bet $5. If he does, the Pot will become $10, allowing the next player to bet up to $10, and so forth. (Did I mention Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo can become very expensive?!)


Check: A player may only Check if no other player has bet before him in the current round of betting. To Check is to place no bet, but remain in the hand. If any player after him places a bet in the current betting round, the Checked player must at least Call the bet, or Fold his hand.


Call: To match the bet of the previous player.


Raise: To place a higher bet than the previous player. Players may Raise a maximum of 3 times in a single round of betting.


All In: To bet all chips remaining. Placing all chips into the pot, a player is not required to place any further bets during the hand. However, the player cannot win any amount from a single player higher than the amount of his own All In bet. If lost, the All In bettor is out of the game.

Fold: To throw in your cards, giving up the current hand and losing all chips, if any, placed into the pot thus far.


Muck: To Fold a hand without showing other players your hole Cards. (Not all online poker rooms allow mucking.)


Omaha - Betting System / Game Play


The game begins with the Small and Big Blind bettors placing their respective, forced bets. Now 4 Hole Cards are dealt face down to each player.


1st Betting Round: Beginning with the player directly left of the Big Blind bettor, the first round of betting commences. Players must at least Call the Big Blind. If no Raises are made, betting ends with the Dealer Button. Small and Big Blind bettors will have the option of Raising after the Dealer has bet.


The Flop: 3 Community Cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table.


2nd Betting Round: The Small Blind Bettor will begin the second round of betting.


The Turn: 4th Community Card dealt to the middle of the table.


3rd Betting Round: Another round of betting, same as the last.


The River: 5th and final Community Card dealt to the middle of the table.


4th Betting Round: The last round of betting.


The Showdown: The remaining players reveal their Hole Cards to determine the winner.


 

Omaha Hi-Lo - The Winners


High Hand: Each player, using any of his 2 Hole Cards and any 3 Community Cards, creates their highest 5-card poker hand - highest hand wins.


Low Hand: Now each player will do the same, attempting to create a Qualifying Low Hand (8-or-better). The lowest qualifying hand splits the pot with the highest hand winner.


No Low Hands Qualify: If no Low hand qualifies, the high-hand winner takes the entire pot.


Note that it is possible for the same player to win the High and Low hand.


  • Omaha Hi-Lo - Poker Hand Ranks
  • Royal Flush (A-K-Q-J-10 suited)
  • Straight Flush
  • 4 of a Kind
  • Full House
  • Flush
  • Straight
  • 3 of a Kind
  • 2 Pair
  • Pair
  • High Card

Where to Play Online Omaha Hi-Lo


Most online poker rooms will provide Omaha Hi-Lo Poker, but not all of them have a good enough rate of player traffic in Omaha Hi-Lo to be worth registering. Poker players looking for a good variety of Omaha Hi-Lo Poker tables can try one of the following online poker rooms:


*Online poker rooms marked with a * average 500+ Omaha Hi-Lo poker players at peak hours!