How To Play Omaha
- How To Play Omaha
- How To Play Omaha Texas Hold'em
- How To Play Omaha 8
- How To Play Omaha Hi Lo Poker
- How To Play Omaha Hi-lo
- Rules Of Omaha
Owing to its frequently large pots, Omaha Hi/Lo (also called ‘Omaha High Low’, ‘Omaha H/L’, ‘Omaha/8’ or ‘Omaha 8-or-better’) has become a hugely popular game around the world. Each player in an Omaha Hi/Lo game is dealt four private cards (‘hole cards’) that belong only to that player. Five community cards are dealt face-up on the ‘board’. All players use exactly two cards from their four hole cards in conjunction with exactly 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 – hence the name, Omaha Hi/Lo. You may use different combinations of two cards from your hand to make your high hand and your low hand, but in each hand you must use precisely two from your hand and three from the board – no more, no less. Visit the poker hands page to view the rankings of hands in Omaha Hi/Lo.
Omaha Hi-Lo Poker – How to play Omaha Hi Lo. The same rules of playing apply, except when it comes to the Showdown. In the Showdown, a player can play for a High, Low, or Both. However, they still must use two of their cards, and three of the community cards. In Omaha Hi-Lo, the Low hands are determined using the same method as 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo. Omaha Hi/Lo (aka Omaha 8-or-better, Omaha 8, or Omaha/8) In addition to Omaha poker, PokerStars also offers the popular variant of Omaha Hi/Lo. This version of Omaha splits the pot between the highest and lowest poker hands, giving the game a whole different feel. Learn How to Play Omaha for Free.
Omaha Hi/Lo is played with an ‘8-or-better’ qualifier, which means that a low hand must consist of five different cards – ranked eight or below – to be eligible to win the low portion of the pot. Low hands in Omaha Hi/Lo are determined in exactly the same way they’re determined in 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo. If there is no qualifying low hand, the high hand wins the entire pot.
Omaha Hi/Lo uses the ‘Ace to Five’ or ‘California’ system for ranking low hands. Straights and flushes do not count against a hand, and Aces are always low in reading the low hand, so the best possible hand is a ‘wheel’: 5, 4, 3, 2, A. To help understand the ranks of low hands, the following sample qualifying low hands (not a complete list) are ranked from least powerful (#1, will rarely win the low half of the pot) to most powerful (#10, the nuts):
- 8, 7, 6, 5, 4
- 8, 7, 6, 5, 3
- 8, 6, 4, 2, A
- 8, 4, 3, 2, A
- 7, 6, 5, 4, 2
- 7, 6, 5, 2, A
- 7, 5, 4, 3, 2
- 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
- 6, 4, 3, 2, A
- 5, 4, 3, 2, A
Note that a low hand is always ranked from its highest card downwards. So for example, hand #9 is known as a ‘Six-low’ because its highest card is a Six. Hand #5 is a ‘Seven-low’, and Hand #1 is an ‘Eight-low’. In poker slang, you distinguish between close low hands by going further down the ranks, so hand #9 would be called a ‘Six-Four low’, which beats hand #8, a ‘Six-Five low’.
Also remember that straights and flushes do not count against your low hand, so making a qualifying low that is also a straight or a flush is a very powerful hand, that could win both the high and low halves of the pot. That’s called a ‘scoop’.
Types of Omaha Hi/Lo Games
Omaha Hi/Lo can be played in the following formats:
- Limit Omaha Hi/Lo – Specific betting limit applied in each game and on each round of betting.
- Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo – Bets are limited to the amount of chips in the pot.
- No Limit Omaha Hi/Lo – A player can bet all of the chips he has available.
- Mixed Omaha Hi/Lo – The game alternates between rounds of Limit and Pot-Limit. The blinds are increased when the game switches from Pot-Limit to Limit, to ensure that the stake levels are consistent.
Rules for Playing Omaha Hi/Lo
In Omaha Hi/Lo, a marker called ‘the button’ or ‘the dealer button’ indicates which player is the nominal dealer for the current game. Before the game begins, the player immediately clockwise from the button posts the ‘small blind’, the first forced bet. The player immediately clockwise from the small blind posts the ‘big blind’, which is typically twice the size of the small blind, but the blinds can vary depending on the stakes and betting structure being played.
In Limit games, the big blind is the same as the small bet, and the small blind is typically half the size of the big blind but may be larger depending on the stakes. For example, in a $2/$4 Limit game the small blind is $1 and the big blind is $2. In a $15/$30 Limit game, the small blind is $10 and the big blind is $15.
In Pot Limit and No Limit games, the games are referred to by the size of their blinds (for example, a $1/$2 Omaha Hi/Lo game has a small blind of $1 and a big blind of $2).
Now, each player receives their four hole cards. Betting action proceeds clockwise around the table, starting with the player ‘under the gun’ (immediately clockwise from the big blind).
Pre-Flop
After seeing his or her hole cards, each player now has the option to play his or her hand by calling or raising the big blind. The action begins to the left of the big blind, which is considered a ‘live’ bet on this round. That player has the option to fold, call or raise. For example, if the big blind was $2, it would cost $2 to call, or at least $4 to raise. Action then proceeds clockwise around the table.
Note: The betting structure varies with different variations of the game. Explanations of the betting action in Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, No Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, and Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo can be found below.
Betting continues on each betting round until all active players (who have not folded) have placed equal bets in the pot.
The Flop
After the first round of betting is complete, 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 from the button. Another round of betting ensues. In Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, all bets and raises on the flop are in increments of the small bet (for example, $2 in a $2/$4 game).
The Turn
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. Play begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the button. Another round of betting ensues. In Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, bets and raises on the turn are in increments of the big bet (for example, $4 in a $2/$4 game).
The River
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 from the button. A final betting round ensues.
The Showdown
If there is more than one remaining player when the final betting round is complete, the last person to bet or raise shows their cards, unless there was no bet on the final round in which case the player immediately clockwise from the button shows their cards first. The player with the best five-card hand for high wins half the pot, and the player with the best five-card hand for low wins the other half. Remember, in all Omaha games, players must use two (and only two) of their four hole cards in combination with exactly 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 (i.e. is an ‘eight low’ or better), the best hand(s) for high wins the whole pot.
After the pot is awarded, a new Omaha Hi/Lo game is ready to be played. The button now moves clockwise to the next player.
Limit, Pot Limit, No Limit Omaha Hi/Lo
Omaha Hi/Lo rules remain the same for Limit, No Limit and Pot Limit poker games, with a few exceptions:
Limit Omaha Hi/Lo
Betting in Limit Omaha Hi/Lo is in pre-determined, structured amounts. Pre-flop and on the flop, all bets and raises are of the same amount as the big blind. On the turn and the river, the size of all bets and raises doubles. In Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, up to four bets are allowed per player during each betting round. This includes a (1) bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise, and (4) cap (final raise).
Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo
The minimum bet in Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo is the same as the size of the big blind, but players can always bet up to the size of the pot.
Minimum raise: The raise amount must be at least as much as any previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, if the first player to act bets $5 then the second player must raise a minimum of $5 (total bet of $10).
Maximum raise: The size of the pot, which is defined as the total of the active pot, plus all bets on the table, plus the amount the active player must first call before raising.
Example: If the size of the pot is $100, and there is no previous action on a particular betting round, a player may bet a maximum of $100. After that bet, the action moves to the next player clockwise. That player can either fold, call $100, or raise any amount between the minimum ($100 more) and the maximum. The maximum bet in this case is $400 – the raiser would first call $100, bringing the pot size to $300, and then raise $300 more, making a total bet of $400.
In Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed.
No Limit Omaha Hi/Lo
The minimum bet in No Limit Omaha Hi/Lo is the same as the size of the big blind, but players can always bet as much more as they want, up to all of their chips.
Minimum raise: In No Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, the raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, if the first player to act bets $5 then the second player must raise a minimum of $5 (total bet of $10).
Maximum raise: The size of your stack (your chips on the table).
In No Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed.
Omaha Hi/Lo is growing very fast in popularity, especially with the exposure of online poker. So while learning the rules of Omaha Hi/Lo can take some getting used to, it is an entertaining poker variant that many players have learned to enjoy.
Learn How to Play Omaha Hi/Lo for Free
If you are unfamiliar with Omaha Hi/Lo, we recommend you try that poker game out to get a feel for how the game is played. You are always welcome to play on the free poker tables at the poker rooms, so that you can sharpen your skills before playing real money poker.
Will it ever catch up and become the preferred game for most poker players - either online or live? Well, no. Odds are low.
While heavy poker players might get bored with Hold'em after a while (read: 400,000 hands) and make the switch to Omaha, Hold'em is still the perfect game for most recreational and amateur players.
The rules are simple, the rush of a massive all in will always make for great and memorable moments (win or lose) and the game offers enough complexity to unfold in different layers over years of play.
Omaha Poker ... it's a great action game. At least Pot-Limit Omaha is. And you'll get a lot of big hands, which is fun. Omaha also offers a ton of complex strategy to chew on for years.
But it just doesn't have quite the 'je ne sais quoi' of Hold'em. And it's not quite as accessible for the average player. It may 'only' be 2 extra cards but it's enough to keep it running slightly behind Hold'em as the game of choice for the poker world writ large.
That being said ... you should learn to play it! The Omaha strategy you learn will pay off ten-fold in your Hold'em game. It's also an essential component of being a great mixed-game player. And, when it comes right down to it, Omaha poker really is fun.
As an added bonus Omaha poker rules are very similar to Texas Hold'em so it won't take long to make the leap. Below we'll break down the basic rules and game play of:
- Omaha High
- Omaha Hi-Lo (Omaha 8 or Better)
How to Play Omaha Poker
Good news! The rules of Omaha Poker are virtually identical to the rules of Texas Hold'em poker. It's a community card game, there are blinds and four rounds of betting, the highest 5-card poker wins.
There are two basic differences between Hold'em and Omaha:
- Each player gets 4 hole cards in Omaha (vs. 2 in Hold'em)
- You MUST use exactly 2 of your hole cards to make your best 5-card poker hand
And that's pretty much it (outside of the Hi-Lo variation of Omaha - more on that below). The hardest thing to get used to probably is needing to use exactly 2 of your hole cards to make your best hand. That means you can't:
- Play the board
- Use one of your hole cards
Otherwise game play goes along identically to Texas Hold'em so if you've played it before you'll be fine switching over to Omaha. If you need a quick refresher on the basic rules of Omaha play, here's it is:
Rules of Omaha Poker (High)
- 2-10 players at each table
- Small Blind and Big Blind are paid each hand
- Player directly to the left of the dealer pays the small blind
- Player directly to the left of the small blind pays the big blind
- Dealer button and blinds rotate to the left after each hand
- Each player is dealt 4 hole cards in sequence for each hand
- First betting round begins with the player to the left of the big blind
- After all the bets are matched dealer burns one card and then deals 3 cards face up in middle of the table. This is called the flop.
- Flop cards are community cards each player can use to make their final hand
- After the flop a second betting round begins starting with the player closest to the left of the dealer still in the hand
- Once all bets are matched dealer burns one more card then deals another community face up card on the board (the 'turn')
- Third betting round begins after the turn, again starting with player to left of dealer
- Once all best are matched dealer burns one card and deals a fifth community (the 'river')
- The fourth and final betting round begins again with player closest to left of dealer
- Once all bets are matched all players left in hand reveal hands for showdown
- Best high 5-card poker hand wins with each player using exactly 2 of their original four hole cards
The final point is a very important distinction for Omaha poker. Each player's best 5-card hand must have:
- 2 hole cards
- 3 board cards
That's it. No variations are possible - ie one hole card plus 4 board cards, all board cards. If you need a refresher for the poker hand rankings, here it is:
- Royal Flush (A, K, Q, J, 10 all of same suit)
- Straight Flush. (5 cards in sequence all in same suit - eg 7h-8h-9h-Th-Jh)
- Four of a Kind. (All four cards of same rank)
- Full House. (3 cards of one rank alongside 2 cards of another - eg. 6h-6s-6d-8d-8c)
- Flush (All 5 cards or one suit, any rank)
- Straight (A sequence of 5 cards of rank, any suit - eg, 2h-3d-4c-5s-6c)
- Three of a kind (3 cards or any one rank, two unmatched cards)
- Two pair (Two different pairs plus one unmatched card)
- One pair (One pair of equal rank, 3 unmatched cards)
- High Card (all unmatched cards ranked by the highest single card)
Another important note about Omaha Poker Rules:
Omaha is typically only played in either Limit or Pot-Limit format. It is RARELY played as No-Limit. The action is already pretty hectic as it is so No-Limit is not a preferred format for playing. Omaha poker.
Perhaps the most popular form of Omaha poker is Pot-Limit Omaha, which is played by all the best high-stakes pros and is a super fast, super fun action game played at all stakes.
The trickiest part of learning to play Pot-Limit Omaha is figuring out how to calculate what your pot-size bets and raises can be on each street. As luck would have it, we've put together a guide to calculating pot bets right here to help you along:
How To Play Omaha
If you'd like to learn more about betting formats, betting rules & betting order, check our Betting Rules article here:
Omaha Poker Rules -- Hi-Lo (Omaha 8-or-Better)
More good news for people who hate learning new rules: the only way Omaha High and Omaha Hi-Lo differ is when it comes to the showdown.
In standard Omaha High (and Pot-Limit Omaha), the high hand wins the whole pot - just like Texas Hold'em. Again, there are the hand rankings up above if you need a refresher.
In Omaha Hi-Lo, the pot is split between the best high hand and the best low hand. As you might guess from the name above, there's also a catch:
The low hand has to be '8 or Better' to qualifying for that half of the pot. In other words a qualifying low hand must have:
- 5 unpaired cards all ranked at 8 or below
The 'better' part might be a bit confusing there as they all have to be lower than 8 rather than higher than 8, but in terms of a lowball game that means that are technically 'better.'
Some more important points of note for ranking Omaha 8-or-Better low hands:
- Aces are both high and low - high for the high hand and low for the low hand
- Flushes and straights DO NOT COUNT for the low hand but DO count for the high hand
- Low hands are ranked from the high card down, so the lowest 'high' card in the low hand determines the ranking
- Players still have to make up their high and low hands from exactly 2 hole cards and 3 board cards
- Players can use the same cards to make up their best high hand and their best low hand or use different cards
- Any pair or card higher than 8 disqualifies a hand from being able to win the low share of the pot
- Pairs under 8 still disqualify a low hand
- If the highest low card is the same in two players' hands the next lowest card determines the winner
- If players share the same low hand they split the half pot between them - this is called getting 'quartered'
The lowest possible hand in Omaha 8-or-better is: 5-4-3-2-A, which is called a 'Five Low.' It also counts as a straight or 'wheel' for the high hand.
Play Omaha Poker Free Online
The best way to get a handle on Omaha poker rules is really simply to play some hands and see how it goes. If you're coming over from Texas Hold'em the rules don't change that much and the betting rounds are still all the same.
How To Play Omaha Texas Hold'em
It takes some getting used to to think of using exactly 2 hole cards to make up your final hand (and getting into the logistics of Hi-Lo is another step altogether) but Omaha is a very fun game filled with action that will keep you very entertained while you learn the ropes.
If you're want to learn quickly you can get A LOT of Omaha hands in online by playing the free games offered at major poker sites including 888poker, PokerStars and William Hill Poker, to name a few.
As an added bonus, if you're worried about being able to calculate pot bets on the fly for Pot-Limit Omaha, the online software calculates it for you!
You will still need to sign up and create a registered account at the poker site itself but you do not have to make a deposit to play the free Omaha poker games. Simply click on the 'free play' or 'instant play' under the Omaha games tabs.
How To Play Omaha 8
Read our reviews and get exclusive poker bonuses here:
After you've got up to speed with the rules of Omaha and the pace of the game, it's very easy to make a small deposit and jump into the microstakes cash games or tournaments.
How To Play Omaha Hi Lo Poker
Omaha has a very steady player base at all levels so you'll have no problem finding a game that suits your skill and bankroll. Good luck and enjoy the great game of Omaha poker!
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