How to play Omaha - Rules

Omaha Poker, sometimes called Omaha Hi on poker sites, is set up and played similarly to Texas Hold'em. The difference is that in Omaha, the players each get four hole cards instead of two, and in Omaha the player must use two cards from his hole cards and three from the board to create the best hand he can.

Omaha Poker Set Up

From two to 10 players can sit in at one table for a game of Omaha Poker. The game is set up and played similar to Texas Hold'em, so if you already know this part, you can skip to the Omaha Rules section. Otherwise read on.

Omaha Poker is played with a rotating dealer, so the first step is for a player will be chosen to start as the dealer button. Generally this is done with a card being dealt to each player and the high card taking on the dealer button. After each hand, the dealer button rotates left to the next player.

When you’re playing online or at a poker room, a dealer is provided, but the dealer button still rotates around the table. In a home game you may choose to pass the deal along with the dealer button or designate one dealer and still move the dealer button around the table as well.

Omaha is also played with “blinds,” forced bets to start off a hand. There is a small blind which is put out by the person directly to the left of the dealer button, and a big blind which is put out by the person to the left of the small blind. For instance, if you’re blinds are $2/$4, the small blind would put out a forced bet of $2 and the big blind posts $4 to start off the hand.

Omaha Poker Rules of Play

The dealer deals out four cards face down to each player, one card at a time. Betting action starts at the player to the left of the big blind. Each person as the option to call the big blind, raise or fold their hand.

Betting in Omaha Poker is the same as the rules set out for Limit, Pot-Limit and No-Limit Texas Hold'em.

In Limit, the maximum bet is the amount of the small blind for the rounds of betting before and after the flop cards are shown. In Pot-Limit, the maximum amount a player can bet is the amount in the pot plus the amount they need to call, and in no-limit the only limitation is the amount of chips the player has left.

After the first round of betting, the dealer deals out the flop, the first three community cards on the board. The second round of betting takes place, and then the dealer deals the turn card.

Another round of betting takes place, and then the final card, the river card, is dealt on the board. There is one more opportunity for the remaining players to bet, and then any players left in the hand will go to a showdown. The last bettor or raiser will show his cards first, or if there was no betting on the final round, the player to the left of the dealer button shows first.

The player with the best five-card hand using two of their hole cards and three of the board cards wins the hand.

Omaha Poker Hand Example

Player A Hole Cards

Player B Hole Cards

Flop
Turn
River

The best hand Player A can make using two hole cards and three board cards is Three of a Kind of threes with an ace and king. Player B can make a full house with three jacks and two threes. A full house beats three of a kind, making Player B the winner of the hand.

*See also Omaha Hi/Lo variation rules.

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