The best of both worlds, Omaha Hi Lo combines the game mechanics of traditional Omaha poker with additional payouts and large pots. In Omaha Hi Lo, the pot is split between two winners: the best high hand and the best low hand. In our expert guide to Omaha Hi Lo poker, we’ll cover where to play, how to play, top Omaha strategy & more!
Here are the best sites for US players, updated daily, for playing Omaha Hi Lo poker online:
If you are unfamiliar with regular Omaha poker, it might be a good idea to learn how to play that first.
To win a hand of Omaha Hi Lo poker, a player has two options:
Each pot will be split evenly between two winners.
Players must use exactly two of their four personal cards and three of the five shared community cards. Each player is able to use different card combinations to submit their high hand and their low hand, but each combination must be comprised of the same ratio: two personal cards with three community cards.
If there is no qualifying low hand (more on the qualifier in a minute), the entire pot goes to the player with the best high hand.
The deal and betting rounds follow a similar format to Texas Holdem, with a flop, turn and river each interspersed with rounds of betting.
Read on for a more detailed look at how to play and rules.
While the double-pot may seem confusing at first, the hand rankings are really quite straightforward, and once you play a few hands, you’ll get a hang of it quickly.
Judging the best high hand in Hi/Lo poker is very straightforward, especially if you’re familiar with other hand poker rankings.
High hands follow the same ranking system as popular games like Texas Holdem. The best hands are ranking here, from best to worst:
| Name | Description | Example |
| Royal Flush | Five sequential cards of the same suit, 10 through Ace |  |
| Straight Flush | Five sequential cards of the same suit |  |
| Four of Kind | Four cards of the same value |  |
| Full House | Three cards of the same value and two different cards of the same value |  |
| Flush | Five cards of the same suit |  |
| Straight | Five sequential cards |  |
| Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same value (the other two cards are irrelevant) |  |
| Two Pair | Two cards of the same value and two different cards of the same value (the fifth card is irrelevant) |  |
| One Pair | Two cards of the same value (the other three cards are irrelevant) |  |
| High Card | None of the above; defer to the highest-value card in the hand |  |
Determining Low hand ranks is more unique, but no more complicated.
Low hands are ranked using the California system, meaning straights & flushes don’t count against a hand, pairs & three/four of a kind do count against the hand, and Aces always count as a low card.
Using this system, unpaired hands are ranked beginning with the hand’s highest card (for example, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 would be “7-low”)
The best possible low hand is known as “the wheel”: A, 2, 3, 4, 5 (5-low).
The next best possible hand would be A-2-3-4-6 (6-4 low.)
The latter hand would lose to the former because 6 is higher than 5. This same pattern continues throughout the deck: 6-low beats 7-low, 7-low beats 8-low, etc.
While flushes and straights don’t count against your hand, pairs do. This means that the lowest pair (e.g. A-A-2-3-4) would still lose out to the highest single-card hand (e.g. 9-10-J-Q-K).
In short: stay focused on low cards and avoid pairs & three/four of a kind – lowest hand wins.
Wait for the flop before placing any raises. While there are some exceptions to this strategy, a little patience goes a long way in Hi Lo.
Calculating probability can be tough. We recommend not bluffing unless you’re very comfortable with the game.
Starting hands are likely much higher than you’d expect. Play with caution and assume everyone has a strong hand from the start.
When you've been dealt a great hand, capitalize on it. Adjust your raises accordingly while managing your bankroll.
If you're going to fold, fold on the flop. All successful poker players know that you can't win every hand.
Try to play poker games with those of a similar experience level. Choose your table wisely.
While generally it’s best to wait for the flop, if you have been dealt middle cards like 6-7-8, it may be best to fold early. Don’t play a bad hand for too long.
In Hi Lo, players tend to win with strong hands which means it will be difficult to force a fold. If you’re going to bluff – and we don’t recommend it – bluff infrequently.
Because the deal in Omaha Hi Lo is based on luck, unlucky spells are common. Stay calm and play logically. Never play when unhappy, angry or unsettled.
Omaha hi lo is a variation of the popular poker game Omaha / Omaha hold’em, in which players have an opportunity to win twice on each hand, the hi (strong hi hand) and the lo (strongest lo hand).
It’s a royal flush, Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 in the same suit.
The best low hand in Omaha hi lo is 5-4-3-2-A off-suit and is sometimes referred to as wheel/bicycle.
The best Omaha hi lo starting hands are A-A-2-3 double-suited followed by A-A-2-4 double-suited. Why? Because you’re in great position to win the Hi and Lo and “scoop” the pot.
The primary difference is the split pot that is awarded to the winner of the Hi (strongest high hand) and Lo (strongest low hand). While there are nuances within Hi Lo, like low hand typically must qualify, the same player can win both halves of the pot.
Omaha Hi Lo is the perfect introductory game to poker for new players because the rules are simple, each game has two winners and there is less strategy involved than in more advanced poker variations like Texas Hold’Em. At GambleOnline, we recommend always playing for free prior to playing for real money. This allows players to learn the game, rules and strategy before risking any of their own cash.
