Poker for Real Money

Omaha Hi Low

Omaha Hi/Lo

It is a "split pot" game. Over the past few years, Omaha Hi/Lo has been the fastest growing poker game in the world. Players love it because it is an action game.

Basics: Players start with four "down" cards. Players share five "community" cards (which are dealt face-up in the center of the table). You MUST use two of your four "down" cards with three "up" cards to form your hand. There is no qualifying on the "High" side - the best high hand automatically wins half the pot and could win the whole pot. (Click here to see the Rank of Hands.) To win the "Low" side of the pot, however, you must qualify (which is why the game is named Omaha "8 or Better").

To qualify for Low: It takes a five-card hand with different numerical values from Ace through eight (with the Ace being the lowest) to qualify for the "Low" half of the pot. The best "Low" hand is A, 2, 3, 4, 5 (also known as the "wheel" or "bicycle"). The winning "Low" hand goes to the player with the lowest high card. For example, a player with a 2,4,5,6,7 would have a better "Low" hand than someone with an A,2,4,6,8. If two or more players have the same high card, the player with the second lowest card (or third, fourth, or fifth if necessary) in their hand wins the low side of the pot.

Important:

1) Straights and flushes do NOT count against you when qualifying for "Low".

2) You are permitted to use different cards in your hand for the "High" side and different cards for the "Low" side or the same cards for both the "High" and "Low" sides. In a split pot, any leftover odd chip goes to the "High" side of the pot.

Ties: In case two or more players "tie" for one side of the pot, they will split that half into equally divided portions. If there is an odd chip(s), it will go to the person(s) closest to the left of the "button". (One player winning the "High" side and two players who tie for the "Low" side is not uncommon in Omaha Hi/Lo.)

Remember: To determine your hand(s) in Omaha Hi/Lo, you MUST play two of your four "down" cards with three of the "up" cards (community cards). You may play different cards for the "High" and "Low" sides. A player "scoops" the pot when they win the whole pot. (This is your mission.)

Here is the procedure for Omaha:

1) Prior to dealing the cards, two blinds (the Small Blind and the Big Blind) are placed in the pot by the two players to the immediate left of the dealer (indicated by the red dealer button). The blinds are put in to start the action.

2) Everyone is dealt four "down" cards. The action begins with the player to the left of the Big Blind folding, calling, or raising. Play continues with all players making one of these decisions. This is the first betting round.

3) Upon completion of the first round of betting, three cards are dealt face-up in the center of the table (community cards known as "the Flop"). This is the second round of betting. Beginning with this round of betting and throughout the remaining rounds of betting, the player to the left of the dealer button acts first. A player may now Check or Bet (if there is no betting in front of them). If there is betting and/or raising in front of them, they may Call, Raise, or Fold.

4) Upon completion of the action on the "flop," another card is dealt face-up (known as the "The Turn" or "Fourth Street"). This is the third betting round. The size of the bet doubles on this round of betting. The betting again starts with the player closest to the left of the button.

5) Following the completion of action on "the turn", the dealer turns over the last card (known as "The River" or "Fifth Street"). This is the final round of betting.

6) Upon completion of the final round of betting, the best hand wins the pot.