Poker Variant

Omaha Hi-Lo Casinos

The split-pot Omaha variant where the pot is divided between the best high and best low hand. Scooping both halves is the only way to win big.

101 US venues offer omaha hi-lo.

House Edge
N/A — player vs player
RTP
N/A — player vs player
Typical Min Bet
$2/$4 limit typical
Pace
Moderate
Category
Poker Variant
Beginner-friendly

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Casino Directory

Where to play Omaha Hi-Lo in the US

Showing 12 of 101 venues

Omaha Hi-Lo, commonly called Omaha 8 or Better, is a split-pot poker variant where the best high hand and best low hand split the prize. The low hand must qualify with five unpaired cards ranked eight or lower — if no player makes a qualifying low, the high hand scoops the entire pot. Omaha Hi-Lo is a player-versus-player game dealt in live poker rooms, not a house-banked casino game. The split-pot structure creates a unique strategic dynamic: drawing to only one half of the pot is a losing approach, and the best hands can win both halves — a result called scooping. You'll find live tables at most major properties. See our full US casino directory for venue contact details and hours.

Omaha Hi-Lo is the split-pot game that rewards players who think in two directions simultaneously. Every hand must be evaluated for both its high potential and its low potential. The qualifying requirement — five unpaired cards at eight or below — means the low half of the pot is not always awarded. A hand like 2-3-6-7 might look like a strong low draw, but if the board runs out with high cards, that low never materializes and you are left fighting a high hand you cannot win. The wheel (A-2-3-4-5) is the perfect Omaha Hi-Lo hand because it is simultaneously the best possible low AND a straight for high, guaranteeing half the pot and often winning the whole thing. For the no-qualifier version, see our standard Omaha guide.

How to play Omaha Hi-Lo

  1. Each player is dealt four hole cards. Exactly two must be used to form the high hand and another two (possibly the same) for the low hand.

  2. Five community cards are dealt: flop (three cards), turn (one card), and river (one card). Betting occurs on each street.

  3. At showdown, the best five-card high hand and the best five-card low hand (8 or lower to qualify) split the pot.

  4. Any two cards from your hand may be used for high and any two for low — they can be the same two cards or different combinations.

  5. The low hand is determined by the highest card in the five-card holding, reading downward. A-2-3-4-5 is the best low (a wheel).

  6. If no player holds five unpaired cards at 8 or below, there is no qualifying low and the best high hand wins the entire pot.

Omaha Hi-Lo Rules and Low Qualifier

The rules of Omaha Hi-Lo are identical to standard Omaha with one additional mechanic: the pot is split between the best high hand and the best qualifying low hand. A qualifying low consists of five unpaired cards ranked eight or lower. The low is read from the highest card downward: an 8-7-6-5-4 low loses to a 7-6-5-4-3 low, which loses to a 6-5-4-3-2 low, all the way down to the wheel (5-4-3-2-A), which is the unbeatable low. Aces play both high and low, making A-2 the most powerful low-starting combination. Straights and flushes do not count against a low hand — a 2-3-4-5-6 flush is still a qualifying low (6-5-4-3-2).

The two-card rule applies separately to high and low. You must use exactly two hole cards for each. You may use the same two cards for both high and low, or different combinations. For example, with A-2-K-Q in hand and a board of 3-4-5-10-J, you could use A-2 for the wheel low (A-2-3-4-5) and K-Q for the broadway straight high (10-J-Q-K-A). The pot is divided as evenly as possible, with the odd chip going to the high hand. Omaha Hi-Lo is most commonly played in a fixed-limit structure ($2/$4, $4/$8) though pot-limit versions exist.

  • What does 8 or better mean in Omaha Hi-Lo?

    The low half of the pot requires a five-card hand with all cards ranked eight or lower to qualify. If no player has a qualifying low (often called no low), the best high hand wins the entire pot.

Editorial Strategy

Strategy & etiquette for Omaha Hi-Lo

  • Play hands that can scoop both halves. A-2-X-X with suited and connected side cards is the gold standard starting hand in Omaha Hi-Lo.

  • Avoid hands that are exclusively high or exclusively low. Drawing to half the pot while paying full bets is a losing proposition.

  • A-2-3-X is the premium low draw. Counterfeit protection matters — if an ace or deuce falls on the board, your low may be vulnerable.

  • Position is critical. Playing speculative drawing hands out of position in limit Omaha Hi-Lo means paying multiple bets to chase half the pot.

  • Backdoor low draws add value. A hand with A-3 can back into a low if two cards 8 or lower hit the turn and river.

  • In limit structure, understand the betting cap. Most rooms cap at four bets per street, protecting you from unlimited escalation.

Where to play in the US

Top land-based casinos to play Omaha Hi-Lo

Editorial picks for visitors who want a real-floor Omaha Hi-Lo session. Ranked by directory depth (table counts, amenities, and floor quality). Tap any card for the full property review.

  1. #1Casinos
    Editor's pick
    Mohegan Sun — uncasville

    Mohegan Sun

    Uncasville, Connecticut

    5,532 slots · 377 tables · 42 poker tables · 24/7

    Selection100
    Value70
    Experience100

    Games available

    • 3 Card Poker
    • Baccarat
    • Caribbean Stud Poker

    Property

    • Golf
    • Open 24 7
    • Pool
    Rate for Omaha Hi-Lo0 votes

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  2. #2Card rooms
    Commerce Casino — commerce

    Commerce Casino

    Commerce, California

    83 tables · 160 poker tables · 24/7

    Selection100
    Value65
    Experience100

    Games available

    • 21st Century Baccarat
    • 21st Century Blackjack
    • 3 Card Poker

    Property

    • Open 24 7
    • Restaurant
    • Self Parking
    Rate for Omaha Hi-Lo0 votes

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  3. #3Casinos
    Stay & play
    Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa — tampa

    Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa

    Tampa, Florida

    5,000 slots · 147 tables · 46 poker tables · 24/7

    Selection100
    Value75
    Experience100

    Games available

    • 3 Card Poker
    • Asia Poker
    • Blackjack

    Property

    • Bar
    • Grill
    • Open 24 7
    Rate for Omaha Hi-Lo0 votes

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Rankings reflect directory data depth (floor counts, game variety, amenity tags) re-verified quarterly. They are not a substitute for current operating status; confirm hours and game spread directly with each casino before visiting.

Omaha Hi-Lo Starting Hands and Strategy

Starting hand selection in Omaha Hi-Lo is more restrictive than in standard PLO. The best hands contain both a strong low draw and a strong high draw — A-2-3-K double-suited, A-2-4-5 suited, and A-2-J-10 double-suited are all premium holdings. The ace-deuce combination is the cornerstone of low play, but it needs supporting cards to generate high equity. A bare A-2-X-X hand with no flush or straight potential can only win the low half, making it a marginal hand in aggressive games where you will face multiple bets to reach showdown.

Quartering is the key strategic concept: when two or more players both hold the same low (e.g., both have A-2 for a wheel low), they each receive only a quarter of the pot — and may actually lose money if the betting was heavy. A hand that can scoop (win both halves) is worth far more than a hand that can only win half. Avoid playing hands where your best case scenario is half the pot. Counterfeit protection is another important factor. If you hold A-2 and an ace hits the board, your low is now 2-boardA-boardB-boardC and is vulnerable to anyone holding A-3 or 2-3. The safest low draws have backup cards — A-2-3 has a backup if the ace pairs on board. For more poker variants, see our Texas Hold'em guide and PLO guide.

Common Omaha Hi-Lo variants

  • Omaha 8 or Better

    Identical to Omaha Hi-Lo. The two names describe the same game: Omaha with an 8 qualifier for the low half.

  • Pot-Limit Omaha

    Standard Omaha with pot-limit betting and no split pot. Four hole cards, exactly two used. High hand only.

  • No Qualifier Omaha Hi-Lo

    Rare variant where any low hand qualifies. More split pots, less scooping. Not common in card rooms.

  • 5-Card Omaha Hi-Lo

    Hi-Lo played with five hole cards. More draws, larger fields of outs. Occasionally spread in mixed games.

Where to Play Omaha Hi-Lo

Omaha Hi-Lo is available at larger live poker rooms that spread a broad game selection. In Las Vegas, the Orleans and South Point are known for regularly spreading Omaha Hi-Lo at low to medium stakes. The Commerce and the Bike in Los Angeles spread the game in their limit sections. During the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Omaha Hi-Lo events draw large fields and cash games run around the clock.

Fixed-limit Omaha Hi-Lo is more common than pot-limit. When you find a game, confirm the betting structure and the table stakes before sitting. Many rooms run Omaha Hi-Lo as part of mixed-game rotations alongside H.O.R.S.E. and other variants. Browse our US casino directory to find poker rooms near you.

  • What is quartering in Omaha Hi-Lo?

    Quartering happens when two or more players hold the same winning low hand and split the low half of the pot, each receiving only a quarter. In aggressive games, winning a quarter can still result in a net loss.

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