Omaha Poker

Omaha Poker, also called “Omaha High”, is played very similarly to Texas Holdem Poker, only with several slight variations. The overall experience, however, is extremely different. The following guide will overview the online Omaha experience.

1. As in all online Poker games, the “button” symbol represents the hand’s theoretical dealer, and moves in a clockwise direction.
2. The small blind and big blind post their bets exactly as in Texas Holdem, yet players are then dealt 4 hole/pocket cards, face down, instead of the regular 2. Then the pre-flop betting round begins, in which all bets and raises are limited to the minimum bet.
3. Three community cards or board cards are placed in the center of the table, known as the flop, and are shared by all players. The flop round of betting takes place, and again all bets and raises must reach the minimum bet.
4. A 4th community card is added to the table, and the Turn betting round begins. From here onwards the betting is limited to the maximum bet.
5. The dealer then turns over a 5th card, the “River”, and a final betting round takes place.
6. Now players must reveal their hands in the Showdown, and this is where Omaha differs the greatest from other Poker variations. In Omaha Poker, a player’s final hand must comprise 2 of their initial 4 hole/pocket cards, and 3 of the community cards dealt during the betting rounds. If there was no bet in the final round, then the last bettor or raiser shows his/her cards first, and other players follow in a clockwise direction. The player with the winning 5 card combination will be awarded the pot, and if two or more players have equal hand rankings, the pot is divided equally among them.

• Just like in Texas Holdem, three or more suited cards make a flush, yet in Omaha Poker 2 of these cards must be hole/pocket cards.
• A 2 pair on the board does not make a full house for anyone with a matching card.
• A player must have a pair in his/her hand and three of a kind on the board to make a full house.