As in Hold’em, in Omaha, players share five “community” cards (which are dealt face-up in the center of the table). In Omaha, players start with four “down” cards. In Omaha, you MUST use two of your four “down” cards along with three “up” cards (community cards) on the board to form your hand. (Click here to see the Rank of Hands). Upon the completion of betting, the best hand wins the pot.

Remember: In Omaha, you MUST use two of your four “down” cards along with three “up” cards (community cards) to form your hand. There are four betting rounds in Omaha. In Omaha High and Omaha 8 or Better, one bet and three raises are allowed per betting round. To continue the game, players must call all actions to them on each betting round (unless they are “all-in”).

The procedure for Omaha :

  • Prior to dealing the cards, two blinds (the Small Blind and the Big Blind) are placed in the pot by the two players to the immediate left of the dealer, which is indicated by the dealer “button”. (All new players to a game must “post” a Big Blind. This can be done by waiting for the actual Big Blind or “posting” it from another position.)
  • Everyone is dealt four “down” cards. The player to the immediate left of the Big Blind starts the action (by folding, calling the Big Blind, or raising). Play continues in a clockwise manner. This is the first betting round.
  • Three cards are dealt face-up (community cards known as “The Flop”). This is the second round of betting. (Beginning with this round of betting and throughout the remaining rounds of betting, the action begins with the player to the left of the dealer “button”.)
  • Another card is dealt face-up (known as the “The Turn” or “Fourth Street”). This is the third betting round. (In Omaha High and Omaha 8 or Better games, the size of the bet doubles on this round of betting.)
  • The final card is dealt face-up (known as “The River” or “Fifth Street”). This is the final round of betting.
  • Upon the completion of betting, the best hand(s) wins the pot.

Note: The Blinds are determined by the size of the game.