Omaha hi-lo, also written Omaha/8 or eight-or-better, is dealt exactly like pot-limit Omaha. The difference comes at showdown: the pot is divided between the best high hand and the best low hand, provided a low qualifies.
A low qualifies only when a player can make five unpaired cards of rank eight or lower. When no one can, the high hand takes the whole pot.
Reading a Low Hand
Lows are read from the highest card downwards, and the hand with the lower top card wins. Straights and flushes do not count against a low, and the ace always plays as the lowest card.
| Low hand | Spoken as | Beats |
|---|---|---|
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="5c 4d 3h 2s Ac"] | A wheel, or five-low | Every other low |
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="6s 4h 3d 2c As"] | A six-four low | Any seven-low or eight-low |
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="7d 5s 4c 3h 2d"] | A seven-five low | Any eight-low |
| [pokeraddict_cards cards="8h 6c 5d 3s 2h"] | An eight-six low | Only worse eight-lows |
- A pair disqualifies a low. Two of the same rank cannot both appear in the five cards.
- The board must contain at least three cards of rank eight or lower for any low to be possible.
- The same two hole cards do not have to be used for both halves — a player may use one pair of cards for the high and a different pair for the low.
Scooping
Taking both halves of the pot is called scooping, and it is the objective rather than a bonus. A hand that can only ever win half is playing for a share of a pot it is paying full price to contest.
- Hands containing ace-two or ace-three with two high cards can win in both directions.
- A low that improves to a straight or a flush — the wheel does both — is the ideal shape.
- High-only hands lose value in multiway pots, because the low half is likely to be claimed by someone.
- Low-only hands without an ace frequently finish second for the low and win nothing at all.
Order of Play
Identical to Omaha: blinds, four cards each, then pre-flop, flop, turn and river betting rounds. Only the showdown differs.
- Showdown, high firstThe best five-card high hand is determined using exactly two hole cards.
- Then the lowEach player may use a different pair of hole cards to make the best qualifying low.
- Split or scoopIf a low qualifies, the pot is halved. If none does, the high hand takes it all.
- Odd chipsWhen a pot cannot be divided evenly, the odd chip goes to the high half in most house rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "eight or better" mean?
It is the qualifier for the low half: a player must be able to make five unpaired cards no higher than eight. Without it, there is no low and the high hand wins the entire pot.
Do straights and flushes ruin a low?
No. In this variant the low is read on card ranks alone, which is why the wheel — five-four-three-two-ace — is both the best low and a straight for the high.
Can I use different hole cards for the high and the low?
Yes, as long as each half uses exactly two of your four cards together with three from the board.