Objective
Win the high half, the low half, or both. Each half uses exactly two hole cards and exactly three board cards; the selected two may differ for high and low.
Setup and forced bets
Players post blinds and receive four private cards. Five community cards arrive as a flop, turn, and river.
Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better rules step by step
- 1
Post blinds and deal four cards
The small blind and big blind start the pot. Each player receives four private hole cards.
- 2
Bet before the flop
Players fold, call, or raise within the pot-limit maximum.
- 3
Deal the flop
Three shared cards are dealt after a burn card, followed by a betting round.
- 4
Deal the turn and river
One shared card is added on each street after a burn card, with betting after each.
- 5
Evaluate the high
Choose exactly two hole cards and three board cards to make the strongest standard high hand.
- 6
Check for an eight-or-better low
A low needs five different ranks, all 8 or lower. Aces count low, and straights and flushes do not hurt the low.
- 7
Split or scoop the pot
A qualifying low receives half and the best high receives half. With no qualifying low, the high hand wins the entire pot.
Omaha Hi-Lo rankings by half
- Rank 1
High: Royal Flush
A-K-Q-J-10 in one suit: the highest possible straight flush.
- Rank 2
High: Straight Flush
Five consecutive ranks in one suit. Compare the highest card.
- Rank 3
High: Four of a Kind
Four cards of one rank, plus one kicker.
- Rank 4
High: Full House
Three cards of one rank plus two cards of another rank.
- Rank 5
High: Flush
Five cards in one suit that are not consecutive.
- Rank 6
High: Straight
Five consecutive ranks in mixed suits.
- Rank 7
High: Three of a Kind
Three cards of one rank plus two unmatched cards.
- Rank 8
High: Two Pair
Two cards of one rank, two of another, plus one kicker.
- Rank 9
High: One Pair
Two cards of one rank plus three unmatched cards.
- Rank 10
High: High Card
No made hand above; compare the highest cards in order.
- Rank 11
Low: Five-low (the wheel)
Best: A-2-3-4-5. Aces are low, and straights and flushes are ignored.
- Rank 12
Low: Six-low
A five-card hand headed by a 6; 6-4-3-2-A is the best six-low.
- Rank 13
Low: Seven-low
A five-card hand headed by a 7. Compare the next cards from high to low.
- Rank 14
Low: Eight-low
A five-card hand headed by an 8. In eight-or-better games, this is the weakest qualifying low.
- Rank 15
No qualifying low
If no player can make five distinct ranks of 8 or lower, the best high hand wins the whole pot.
Strategy and best tips
Aim to scoop, not quarter
Hands that can win both halves are more valuable than hands drawing only to half of the pot.
Start with ace-deuce combinations
A-2 creates the lowest two-card foundation, especially when supported by another low card and high-hand potential.
Watch for counterfeit lows
A board card matching one of your key low ranks can weaken the low combinations available from exactly two hole cards.
Do not force a low
The board must contain three distinct low ranks before any qualifying low can exist.
Protect against shared nut lows
Several players can hold the same best low. Winning half of the low half yields only a quarter of the whole pot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using one hole card for either half.
- Assuming an 8-low exists without five distinct low ranks.
- Playing only for a weak low with no high potential.
- Forgetting that different two-card combinations may be used for high and low.
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