OMAHA POKER RULES - HI/LO

In Omaha Poker Hi/Lo 8 or better ("Omaha Hi/Lo") the pot is split between the best high hand and the best qualifying low hand. There are many ways to win and lots of action, and as a result, Omaha Hi/Lo is one of the most popular games in most casinos.

Omaha Poker Hi/Lo is played the same as Omaha High Poker except that the highest hand wins 50% of the pot and the lowest qualifying hand wins 50% of the pot. A low hand must be an "8 or better" to qualify.

At the showdown, players MUST use exactly two of their pocket cards and three community ("board") cards.

If you run across any concept that seems unfamiliar to you, please visit at our Basic Poker Rules page.

Before the Hand | The Hand | The Play | Order of Play | The Showdown

Before the Hand

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A small blind and a big blind must be posted. For more information on blinds, click HERE.

The Hand

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Each player is dealt four cards face down ("hole cards"). As the hand progresses, five community cards are dealt face up and shared by all the players. Your strategy is to obtain the best hand using 2 of your hole cards and any 3 of the community cards.

The Play

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1. Each player is dealt four cards face-down ("hole cards")
2. The first betting round with the lower betting limit
3. Dealer turns over three community cards ("the flop") face-up
4. Second betting round with the lower betting limit
5. Dealer turns over 1 more community card ("the turn")
6. Third betting round with the higher betting limit
7. Dealer turns over the final community card ("the river")
8. Final betting round with the higher betting limit
9. Showdown

Order of Play

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Action begins to the left of the big blind and proceeds clockwise. After the first round of betting, action starts to the left of the Dealer Button and proceeds clockwise.

The Showdown

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At the Showdown the high hand and the low hand split the pot, if a low hand qualifies. Each player must use two cards from his/her hand and three cards from the board.

In Omaha Poker Hi/Lo, players can use any two of their pocket cards with any three board cards for their high hand, and players can also use any two of their pocket cards with any three board cards for their low hand. It is possible to win both high hand and low hand, even with the same five cards!

Click here for more information on how the pot is split between the high and low hand.

Omaha poker rules Online are the same rules that you will find in brick and mortar cardrooms. Click here for more information on how to play poker and for poker hand rankings.