How to Play Online Omaha Hi Lo Poker

Omaha Hi/Lo Poker

Omaha Hi/Lo also known as “Omaha/8” is one of the most popular variants of Omaha poker marked by an interesting showdown. It is a split pot game in which the money in the pot is equally divided between two players – One who makes a High Hand and another who makes the best qualifying Low Hand. 

Sit and Go (SNG) and Multi Table Tournament (MTT) formats do not support Omaha Hi/Lo variant.

How to Play Omaha Hi/Lo

Similar to the regular Pot Limit and No Limit Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo online is played between 2 to 9 players with the 52 cards deck. Each player is dealt 4 private cards visible to them only. 5 community cards are dealt face up on the table in three rounds – Flop, Turn and River. A player needs to essentially use 2 hole cards and 3 community cards to form a winning hand. A player forming the highest hand as per regular poker hand ranking wins the half of the pot at showdown. One who forms the best qualifying low hand as per the Omaha Hi/Lo rules wins the other half of the pot. A player can use same or different hole card to complete his High and Low hand.

In case, if none of the players has a low hand on the table, the player making best high hand wins the full pot. A player who makes both – the best high hand and the best low hand scoops the pot which means winning the full pot.

Omaha Hi/Lo betting rules

The betting rules in Omaha Hi/Lo remain same as PLO (also known as  Omaha Hi) game. The button moves clockwise every time after a game and the immediate player left to the previous dealer becomes the new dealer. When the first game starts on a new table, that player becomes dealer who sits nearest to the left of dealer girl image in game area and is not "sit-out" or disconnected. In a heads-up game, dealer becomes small blind. Once the dealer is chosen and marked with a dealer button, betting round starts as per the rules of the game variant. The player sitting left to the dealer puts in the small blind and the one sitting next to him in a clockwise turn puts in the big blind before the hole cards are dealt. Although blind amounts are pre-decided for each game depending on the stakes, the Big Blind always remains twice the amount of the Small blind.

Betting in Omaha Hi/Lo proceeds in four rounds – Preflop, Flop, Turn and River.

A player can take any of the below-mentioned actions in Omaha Hi/lo at his turn to act. Actions depend on the situation on the table and not all of them are available on each turn:

Call: Match the highest bet amount on the table in the ongoing round of the game.

Raise: If other players have already bet in the same round, a player can increase the size of the existing bet.

Check: To continue in the game without betting any further.  This action can be taken by any player only if he has already posted Big Blind at Pre Flop and if no one has yet opened the betting round.

Fold: Leave the ongoing game by surrendering the hole cards to the dealer and wait for the next game.

All-in: Player can do all in but only up to the size of the pot.

Omaha Hi/Lo Game Play

The Omaha Hi/Lo online poker game starts with two players putting in the Small and Big Blinds. The game proceeds in a clockwise turn of action by each player as per the Omaha Hi/Lo betting rules. Let’s take an example of 4-player Omaha Hi/Lo gameplay.

Player 1 gets A♠ 8♦ J♦ 5♠

Player 2 gets Q♣ 8♠ 10♥ 7♥

Player 3 gets 6♥ 10♣ 9♥ 3♥

Player 4 gets A♥ 9♦ 2♠ 10♦

The primary betting round is the 'Pre Flop' that begins with the player sitting to the left of the Big Blind & proceeds clockwise round the table. The pre flop round is followed by flop, turn and river. The betting rounds in Omaha Hi/Lo game are explained below:-

Pre Flop

Once cards are dealt, player sitting to the left of the Big Blind start the preflop round of betting.In this round, each player, at his turn, takes an action (call, fold, or raise the bet) in a clockwise manner. The Betting goes round the table until each active player (who has not folded) have bet equal amounts in the pot.

In our gameplay example, Player 2 folded in preflop betting round while other made equal bets and continued in the game.

Flop

Once the preflop round of betting ends, 3 community cards are dealt on the table known as Flop. Each player gets a chance to act (call, fold, raise, check, or bet all in) in a clockwise round of turns which goes on till all the active players have placed equal bets in the pot.

In our gameplay example, 3 Flop cards 6♠ K♠ 4♣ opened on the table following which Player 3 folded while Player 1 and Player 2 bet equal amounts to continue in the game.

Turn

After the Flop round of betting is complete, the turn card in dealt face up on the table which sets off the turn round of betting. The rules of the turn betting round are exactly the same as the flop.

In our gameplay example, Turn card 3♠ is dealt following which both the players checked and the turn round ended with that.

River

After the turn round of betting is over, the fifth community card is dealt on the table known as River. The betting again continues similar to the Turn round.

In our gameplay example, River card Q♥ is dealt following which Player 4 went All-in which Player 1 called.

Showdown

The cards of each live player in displayed which is termed as the Showdown. The cards of the player forming High Hand are move upwards first and he wins half of the pot. Now, the cards of the players forming Low Hand is move upwards and he takes the remaining half of the money in the pot.

In our gameplay example, Player 1 wins half of the pot with the High Hand: Flush - A♠K♠6♠ 5♠3♠. Player 4 wins the other half of the pot with the Low Hand: 6 Low - 6♠4♣3♠2♠A♥.