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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha hi low starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few entrants get baffled. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be every player's hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It's the best hand out of every player's, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in just about every poker game.

The low hand is more complicated, 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 might be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don't 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 takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there's no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

While it seems difficult at first, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/lo offers an amazing range of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have several players battling for the high, and a few shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.