Learn How To Play Omaha Hi-Lo

Omaha Hi-Lo is another popular variant of Omaha poker. If you’ve played Omaha High or Pot-Limit Omaha before, leaping Omaha Hi-lo shouldn’t be too difficult. The game awards pot to the player who has the best 5-card hand at showdown. What is specific about this game is that Omaha Hi-Lo pot goes to the best low hand. Check the guide below if you are looking to get started.

Omaha Hi-Lo Rules

In Omaha Hi-lo poker, players would try to make the worst hand possible instead of trying to make the best hand. In this case, the worst hand possible is Five-Four-Three-Deuce-Ace. You can use any two of your hole cards to make the low hand, and any two for the high hand. They don’t need to be the same hole cards for both hands. If there’s a tie for either the high or the low, the pot will be split among the winners on that side.

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Omaha Hi-Lo Poker Betting Rounds

Pre-Flop Action

The game starts with small and big blinds being posted. Assuming you’re playing $2/$4 Omaha Hi-lo. The small blind is $2 while the big blind of $4. Immediately the blinds are posted, all players are dealt with four cards, face-down, and the first round of betting starts with the player sitting to the left of the big blind. Players may now take their turns requesting the minimum bet to stay in, raising, or folding. If any player raises, the next players must either re-raise it, call, or fold.

Post-Flop

The dealer will reveal the flop that contains three cards face up in the middle of the table if there are still at least two players in the game after the first betting round. The player sitting left to the dealer will start the action by betting, checking, or folding. Once that player has acted, the next player to the left can bet, check or fold assuming a bet hasn’t already been made. If the previous player did bet, the next player could raise, call or fold. The players continue to take turns clockwise until everyone has acted, and the action is closed.

The Turn

At this point, if the hand has yet to be won, the fourth card, called the turn, is revealed next. The players now start another betting round. Play continues clockwise until the action is closed, and if necessary, the fifth and final card called “the river” will be revealed, which prompts the final round of betting. If two or more players are remaining after this round of betting round, the remaining players have a showdown.

Showdown

The showdown takes place between the players left after all the betting rounds are complete. In the showdown, the players may now expose their hands. The players may use any three of the five community cards in combination with any two of their four hole cards to form their hands. The best low hand takes half of the pot, and the best high hand receives the other half.

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