The object of Omaha Hi-Low Poker is to win at least half of the betting pool with either the highest or lowest hand. At showdown time, the Low hand, providing it is an "Eight-Or-Better", will split the pot with the High hand. Should there be no Player holding an "Eight-Or-Better" to qualify for the Low end, the entire pot is awarded to the best exposed High hand. Omaha Hi-Low requires that players must use exactly two cards from their four card hands (hole cards), along with three of the community cards exposed on the board, in order to form their five card poker hand. Players may use a different set of two cards to form each hand, therefore it is possible for a single player to win the entire pot by having both the best high and low hand.
- Omaha Hi-Low is a game played with a standard 52 card deck.
- Omaha Hi-Low is a form of Texas Hold’em except players are dealt four uninterrupted cards face down as their initial starting hand followed by a round of betting.
- Then, three community cards are turned face up in the center of the table and followed by a second round of betting.
- At this point, each player has a total of seven cards, four personal cards dealt face down and three exposed community cards which he or she shares with the other active players at the table.
- Two additional community cards are then dealt face up, one at a time, next to the initial three cards with a round of betting following the delivery of each of these cards.
- After the fifth and final card has been dealt, the final betting round takes place. Then all remaining players expose their hands.
- Using exactly two of their personal four cards and three of the five communal cards, the player with the best Low hand, providing it is an "Eight-Or-Better", will split the pot with the High hand. Should there be no Player holding an "Eight-Or-Better" to qualify for the Low end, the entire pot is awarded to the best exposed High hand.
- Traditional Poker Hand rankings apply.
- All Omaha Hi-Low games employ a House Dealer.
- All Omaha Hi-Low games utilize a Dealer Button to represent the player at the table who, in theory, is dealing the hand. The Dealer Button moves clockwise around the table to the next player after the completion of each hand.
- The player with the Dealer Button is the last to receive cards on the initial deal and has the right of last action on all betting rounds except the first.
- One or more blind bets are used to start the action and initiate play. Blinds are posted by players who sit in consecutive order from the Dealer Button.
- Action is initiated on the first betting round by the player on the immediate left of the last blind.
- On all subsequent betting rounds the action is begun by the first active player clockwise from the button.
- All blinds are "live", meaning the player with a blind has the option of raising the pot when the action reaches him even if there has been no previous raise.
This is a very brief description of Omaha (poker) rules. For complete rules please see a Casino Floor Manager.