Omaha Hi-Lo Poker Rules & Strategy
Owing to its frequently large pots,
Omaha Hi-Lo has quickly become a hugely popular game in
North America and Europe. Each player in an Omaha Hi-Lo
game is dealt four cards ("hole cards") which belong only
to that player. Five community cards are dealt face-up on
the "board". All players use two cards from their four
hole cards in conjunction with three cards from the board
to make the best five-card poker hand possible. The pot is
divided between the best hand for high and the best hand
for low. To view the rankings of poker hands for both high
and low, visit our
hand ranks page. Note that Omaha Hi-Lo is played with
an "8 or better" qualifier, which means that a hand must
be, at worst, an 8 for low to be eligible to win the low
portion of the pot.
  In
Omaha Hi-Lo, a disc also known as "the button", serves to
indicate which player is the nominal dealer for the
current game. Before the game begins, the player
immediately clockwise the button posts the "small blind",
typically half a small bet (for example, $1 in a $2/$4
game). The player immediately clockwise the small blind
posts the "big blind", which is always a full small bet
($2 in a $2/$4 game). Now, each player receives his or her
four hole cards. Betting action proceeds around the table,
starting with the player on the immediately clockwise the
big blind.
Now, the "flop" is dealt face-up on the board. The flop is
the first three community cards available to all active
players. Betting begins with the active player immediately
clockwise the button. All bets and raises occur in small
bets (increments of $2 in a $2/$4 game).
When betting action is completed for the flop round, the
"turn" is dealt face-up on the board. The turn is the
fourth community card in an Omaha Hi-Lo game. Betting
begins with the active player immediately clockwise the
button. On this round, betting doubles from the small bet
to the big bet. In a $2/$4 game, betting on the turn is
done in $4 increments.
When betting action is completed for the turn round, the
"river" is dealt face-up on the board. The river is the
fifth and final community card in an Omaha Hi-Lo game.
Betting begins with the active player immediately
clockwise the button.
If there is more than one remaining player when the final
betting round is complete, the last bettor or raiser shows
his or her cards. If there was no bet on the final round,
the player immediately clockwise the button shows his or
her cards first. The player with the best five-card hand
for high wins half the pot, and the player with the best
hand for low wins the other half. In Omaha, players must
use two and only two of their four hole cards in
combination with three cards from the board. In the event
of identical hands, the high and low shares of the pot
will be equally divided between the players with the best
hands. In the event that no hand qualifies for low, the
best hand(s) for high wins the pot.
After the pot is awarded, a new game of Omaha Hi-Lo is
ready to begin. The button now moves clockwise to the next
player.
Omaha Hi Poker Hand Rankings
The hand rankings are the same throughout all poker
games. If two people have the same hand, the person with
the highest card in the rank will win the pot.
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