What is Omaha poker?
A hand of Omaha plays out exactly like Texas Hold'em: blinds → pre-flop → flop → turn → river → showdown, with the same 5 community cards. The big differences are:
- Each player gets 4 hole cards (5 in PLO5 and 6 in PLO6).
- Your hand must use exactly 2 hole cards + 3 community cards, no more and no less.
- Most games are pot-limit, which is why it is often called PLO (Pot-Limit Omaha).
A♥K♥ + T♥9♥2♥ → ace-high flush (exactly 2 hole cards + 3 from the board)
The key rule: you must use two hole cards
This is the mistake Hold'em players make most often when they switch to Omaha. Here are two common misreads:
✗ Thinking you have a flush
The board has 4 hearts but you hold only 1, so you do not have a flush. In Omaha you must use 2 hole cards, so you need two hearts in your hand.
✗ Thinking you have a full house
You can only use two of your three 9s. With K K 6 from the board, your hand is two pair (kings and nines), not a full house.
Omaha vs Texas Hold'em
| Compare | Texas Hold'em | Omaha PLO |
|---|---|---|
| Hole cards | 2 | 4 (5 or 6 in PLO5 / PLO6) |
| Making a hand | Use 0–2 hole cards | Use exactly 2 hole cards |
| Usual betting structure | No-Limit | Pot-Limit |
| Winning hands | Two pair or trips often win | Often need a straight, flush or better |
| Pre-flop equity gaps | Bigger (AA is about 85% against a random hand) | Smaller (strong hands have less of an edge) |
| Swings | Medium | Higher |
How pot-limit betting works
In pot-limit, the maximum raise is the size of the pot after you call. An easy way to remember it:
Example: the pot is 100 and your opponent bets 50.
- You first call 50, making the pot 100 + 50 + 50 = 200.
- You then raise by the size of the pot, 200.
- So you can raise to at most 50 + 200 = 250 (= 3 × 50 + 100).
Online sites all have a "Pot" button that does the maths for you, but understanding it helps you manage pot size and stack depth.
PLO5, PLO6 and Omaha Hi-Lo
PLO5 (5-card Omaha)
Each player gets 5 hole cards and must still use exactly 2. More combinations mean the nuts come up more often.
PLO6 (6-card Omaha)
Each player gets 6 hole cards. The most action and the biggest pots, a favourite with thrill-seekers.
Hi-Lo
The pot is split between the best high hand and the best low hand. A low needs 5 different ranks of 8 or lower, and the ace counts as low.
Omaha Hi-Lo (O8) key rules
- At showdown the pot is split into a high half and a low half.
- A low hand must be 5 cards of different ranks, all 8 or lower. The ace counts low, so the best low is A-2-3-4-5.
- Straights and flushes don't count against a low, so A-2-3-4-5 can be both a straight (for high) and the best low.
- The high and low hands must each use 2 hole cards + 3 board cards, but they can use different hole cards.
- If no one qualifies for low, the high hand wins the whole pot.
Choosing Omaha starting hands
The key to a good Omaha starting hand is having four cards that work together:
Double-suited
Two suited pairs, so you can draw to the nut flush in two suits. The ideal structure.
Connected
Four cards in sequence make lots of straight combinations and often flop strong draws.
Avoid gaps
Scattered ranks with suits that don't connect rarely make the nuts. Just fold them.
Poker rooms where you can play Omaha Poker
These 5 rooms offer Omaha Poker. Pick one for its download guide and how to join:
WPT GlobalThe official online poker site of the World Poker Tour★ 4.7
Red Dragon PokerThe online poker app from a well-known poker tournament brand★ 4.3
CoinPokerAn international poker site played with cryptocurrency★ 4.4
ClubGGThe poker club app from GGPoker Network★ 4.7
X-PokerA club app with lots of games and fair play★ 4.5
More on Omaha Poker
FAQ
Omaha Poker FAQ
Is Omaha harder than Texas Hold'em?
Omaha has more combinations and bigger swings, and the maths is more complex than in Texas Hold'em. Learn Hold'em first, then move on to Omaha.
Can you use just one hole card in Omaha?
No. In Omaha you must use exactly 2 hole cards and 3 community cards to make your 5-card hand. That is the biggest difference from Texas Hold'em.
What does PLO mean?
PLO stands for Pot-Limit Omaha, where the maximum raise is the current size of the pot.
How is PLO5 different from PLO?
In PLO5 each player gets 5 hole cards instead of 4, but in both you must use exactly 2 hole cards. PLO5 has more combinations and strong hands come up more often.
Which poker rooms offer Omaha?
ClubGG, X-Poker, WPT Global, CoinPoker and Red Dragon Poker all offer Omaha, and X-Poker also has PLO5, PLO6 and Hi/Lo. See the list of rooms further down this page.