How to play Omaha Hi-Lo
Omaha Hi-Lo (short for high & low) is a very entertaining game to play and can generate some truly sizeable pots because of the number of drawing possibilities.

The Button 
In Omaha Hi-Lo, a disc known as the dealer “button” serves
to recognize which player sitting at the table is the dealer for that
particular hand. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction from
the dealer button. Each time the cards are dealt, a new betting round
begins. An Omaha Hi-Lo hand starts when the first card is dealt and
ends when a winner is declared. After each hand has been completed,
as with standard poker rules, the “button” moves clockwise
to the next active player. This is done because there is an advantage
to having to act last and therefore each player will get his fair
share of early, late and middle positions. This player will be considered
to be “playing the button" for that hand. Blinds
The player to the immediate left of the button is first to receive
a card and is required to post a small blind. The small blind is equal
to half the lower limit bet rounded down to the nearest dollar Example: in a $4-$8 game, the small blind is $2; in a $3-$6 game,
the small blind is $1. The player to the immediate left of the small
blind is required to post the big blind, equal to the lower limit
bet (For example, in a $3-$6 game, the big blind is $3.
When a new
player sits down at an Omaha Hi-Lo poker game, he must either post
the equivalent of the big blind or wait for their turn in the big
blind. This prevents Omaha Hi-Lo players from gaining an advantage
by avoiding the blinds and jumping in and out of games. If you have
missed one or both blinds, our software will prompt you if to put
in the correct amount. You can also wait for the blind to get to your
position. This is called coming in on the blind. Both blinds in Omaha
Hi-Lo poker are considered live bets and therefore, according to poker
rules, have the option of checking, calling, raising or folding when
the betting action returns to their position. Omaha Hi Lo Betting Rounds
First Round (Pre-Flop) - After the Omaha Hi-Lo players in the blind positions put their blinds into the pot the dealer deals four cards called “hole cards” to each player. At this time each player can see his own cards but not those of his opponents. After seeing their hole cards, players now have the option to play their hands by calling, raising or folding. On the first round only, a player cannot check (make no bet) and still retain his hand. On the first round only, the betting starts with the first active player to the immediate left of the big blind. As mentioned, the minimum bet is the size of the big blind. The minimum bet in this round is the size of the small blind. Thus in a $5/$10 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo game, it would cost a minimum of $5 for the player who acts first to call in this initial round of betting. (The maximum dollar value and number of raises per round depends on version of Omaha being played as described below.)Second Round (Flop) – Next, three cards are dealt face-up on the board also known as the “flop”. These three community cards are available to all active players. In this round play begins with the first active player to the immediate left (clockwise) of the dealer button, who has one of three choices, check, bet, or fold. Until there is a bet, each succeeding active player has, in turn, one of three choices; call, raise, or fold. Bets and raises occur in lower limit bet increments. Therefore in a $5/$10 Omaha

Third Round (Turn) - When betting action is completed for the flop round, the “turn” is dealt face-up on the board. The turn is the fourth community card in an Omaha Hi-Lo poker game. Play once again begins with the active player immediately left

Fourth Round (River) - When betting action is completed for the turn round, the “river” is dealt face-up on the board. The river is the fifth and final community card in an Omaha Hi-Lo game. Play once again begins with the active player immediately left (clockwise) of the dealer button as explained above.

Showdown - When all the betting is done, and if more than one player is still in for the pot, then the showdown determines who wins the game of Omaha Hi-Lo. In Omaha Hi-Lo, it is possible that one or more betting rounds not take place if only one active player has any chips left with all other active players having bet all their chips (all-in). When this occurs, any remaining community cards will be dealt face up and a showdown will take place. The last player to open or raise is required to show their cards first and anyone else can fold (muck his cards if he decides he has lost. Players who elect to fold do not have to show their cards. (i.e. muck his cards if he decides he has lost. However the hole cards of all players who stay in to the showdown are included in the hand history, even if they choose to muck). The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. At the showdown each player must use exactly two of their four pocket cards and combine them with exactly three boardcards. At the showdown each player can use any two of their pocket cards for their high hand and any two of their pocket cards for their low. In the event of identical hands, the pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands. Omaha Hi-Lo rules state that all suits are equal, so split pots are more common than in other variations of poker.
There are three different types of Omaha
Hi-Lo Poker games, made different by their betting structures
- Limit: Players may bet a fixed amount for each round.
- Pot Limit: Players may bet an amount equal to the pot size.
- No Limit: Players may bet all of their chips at any time.
Limit Omaha Hi-Lo
In Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, players must bet a pre-determined fixed amount
per each round. The betting amount is equal to the big blind for the
first two rounds of betting and doubles up for the last two rounds
of betting. A maximum of 4 bets is allowed per round which includes
a bet and three raises. (Example; in a $5/$10 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo game,
players must bet $5 and raise by $5 up to a maximum of $20 for the
pre-flop and flop rounds, they must bet $10 and raise by $10 up to
a maximum of $40 for the turn and river round). 