Poker

Omaha poker rules hi-lo

A split-pot poker game where each player uses four private cards and five community cards to build both a high hand and a low hand that meets the eight-or-better qualifier, with the pot divided between the two winners.

Hole cards: 4 per player ¹
Hand construction: Exactly 2 hole cards + exactly 3 board cards ³
Low qualifier: 8-or-better (aces low, straights and flushes ignored) ²
Pot split: High hand and low hand each win half; if no low qualifies, high wins all ⁵

Key points

Each player is dealt four hole cards and must use exactly two of them with three of the five community cards to form both a high hand and a low hand ¹.
A low hand qualifies only if it contains five cards ranked 8 or lower, with aces counting low and straights and flushes disregarded ⁴.
The pot is split between the best high hand and the best qualifying low hand; one player can win both halves (scoop) ⁵.
If no player has a qualifying low hand, the high hand wins the entire pot ¹.

How the pot is split at showdown

Each player forms the best five-card high hand using exactly two hole cards and three board cards.
Each player then forms the best five-card low hand from the same cards, using the 8-or-better qualifier.
The pot is divided: half goes to the best high hand, half to the best low hand. If no low qualifies, the high hand takes the whole pot.

Where this term is used

Not the same as

Hi-lo poker rules — the broader split-pot principle used in several poker variants, not specific to Omaha

Poker Omaha hi-lo rules Covers the same ruleset as this page. Poker Hi-lo poker rules Explains the split-pot concept used across multiple poker games. Poker 5 card poker rules Describes standard five-card draw and stud games. Poker Omaha hi-lo hand rankings Lists the ranking of high and low hands in Omaha Hi-Lo. Poker 5-card Omaha hi-lo strategy Offers strategic advice for five-card Omaha Hi-Lo. Poker Poker hold em rules Covers the rules of Texas Hold'em, a different community-card game.

Sources

Omaha hold 'em en.wikipedia.org Provides the standard rules for Omaha hold 'em, including hole card count and hand construction.
Community card poker en.wikipedia.org Confirms the 8-or-better low qualifier and the split-pot mechanic.
Omaha Poker - card game rules pagat.com Details the exactly-two-from-hand, exactly-three-from-board rule and low hand ranking.
Regeln von Kartenspielen: Omaha-Poker - Pagat pagat.com Specifies that aces count low and straights and flushes do not count in low hands.
Poker Rules pagat.com Summarises the pot-split rule and the condition when no low qualifies.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.