How to Play Omaha Poker

Think of Omaha as the all-action partner of Texas Hold’em. It comes with similar rules but a lot more opportunity to make a highly ranked hand, so you won’t look at some of your beloved Hold’em hands the same way again. Keep reading to find out how to play.

Omaha poker is an exciting game derived from Texas Hold’em. Each player is dealt four private cards (‘hole cards’) which belong only to that player. Five community cards are dealt face-up on the ‘board’. In Omaha games, all players use exactly three of the community cards together with exactly two of their hole cards to make the best five-card poker hand. No more, and no less. Follow this link to view the rankings of Omaha poker hands.

Types of Omaha Poker Games

• Pot Limit Omaha Poker - A player can bet what is in the pot (i.e. CA$100 into a CA$100 pot). This is the most popular form of Omaha Poker.
• No Limit Omaha Poker - A player can bet any amount, up to all of their chips.
• Fixed Limit Omaha Poker - There is a specific betting limit applied in each game and on each round of betting.

Below is a general explanation on how to play Omaha poker. The basic rules for all Omaha variants are the same, with the exception of the different betting structures between them. More details on these different betting structures follow.

In Pot Limit and No Limit Omaha games, the games are referred to by the size of their blinds (for example, a CA$1/CA$2 Omaha game has a small blind of CA$1 and a big blind of CA$2).
Betting then commences from the player to the left of the big blind.

In Fixed Limit Omaha games, the big blind is the same as the small bet, and the small blind is typically half of the size of the big blind, but may be larger depending on the stakes. For example, in a CA$2/CA$4 Limit game the small blind is CA$1 and the big blind is CA$2. In a CA$15/CA$30 Limit game, the small blind is CA$10 and the big blind is CA$15.

Now, each player is dealt their four hole cards. Betting action proceeds clockwise around the table, starting with the player ‘under the gun’ (immediately clockwise from the big blind).

After seeing his or her hole cards, each player now has the option to play his or her hand by calling or raising the big blind. The action begins to the left of the big blind, which is considered a ‘live’ bet on this round. That player has the option to fold, call or raise. For example, if the big blind was CA$2, it would cost CA$2 to call, or at least CA$4 to raise. Action then proceeds clockwise around the table.

Note: The betting structure varies with different variations of the game. Explanations of the betting action in Limit Omaha, No Limit Omaha, and Pot Limit Omaha can be found below.

Betting continues on each betting round until all active players (who have not folded) have placed equal bets in the pot.

After the first round of betting is complete, the ‘flop’ is dealt face-up on the board. The flop is the first three community cards available to all active players. Play begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the button. Another round of betting ensues. In Fixed Limit Omaha, all bets and raises occur in increments of the small bet (for example, CA$2 in a CA$2/CA$4 game).

When betting action is completed for the flop round, the ‘turn’ is dealt face-up on the board. The turn is the fourth community card in an Omaha game. Play begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the button. Another round of betting ensues. In Fixed Limit Omaha, bets and raises on the turn are in increments of the big bet (for example, CA$4 in a CA$2/CA$4 game).

When betting action is completed for the turn round, the ‘river’ is dealt face-up on the board. The river is the fifth and final community card in Omaha poker. The final round of betting begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the button.

If there is more than one remaining player when the final betting round is complete, the last person to bet or raise shows their cards, unless there was no bet on the final round in which case the player immediately clockwise from the button shows their cards first. The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. Remember: in Omaha, players must use two and only two of their four hole cards in combination with exactly three of the cards from the board. In the event of identical hands, the pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands.

After the pot is awarded, a new Omaha poker game is ready to be played. The button now moves clockwise to the next player.

If you like to play tournament poker, we offer Omaha tournaments as well.

Omaha rules remain the same for Fixed Limit, No Limit and Pot Limit poker games, with a few exceptions:

• Pot Limit Omaha
  
  The minimum bet in Pot Limit Omaha is the same as the size of the big blind, but players can always bet up to the size of the pot.
  
  Minimum raise: The raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, if the first player to act bets CA$5 then the second player must raise a minimum of CA$5 (total bet of CA$10).
  
  Maximum raise: The size of the pot, which is defined as the total of the active pot, plus all bets on the table, plus the amount the active player must first call before raising.
  
  Example: If the size of the pot is CA$100, and there is no previous action on a particular betting round, a player may bet a maximum of CA$100. After that bet, the action moves to the next player clockwise. That player can either fold, call CA$100, or raise any amount between the minimum (CA$100 more) and the maximum. The maximum bet in this case is CA$400 - the raiser would first call CA$100, bringing the pot size to CA$300, and then raise CA$300 more, making a total bet of CA$400.
  
  In Pot Limit Omaha, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed.
• No Limit Omaha
  
  The minimum bet in No Limit Omaha is the same as the size of the big blind, but players can always bet as much more as they want, up to all of their chips.
  
  Minimum raise: In No Limit Omaha, the raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, if the first player to act bets CA$5 then the second player must raise a minimum of CA$5 (total bet of CA$10).
  
  Maximum raise: The size of your stack (your chips on the table).
  
  In No Limit Omaha, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed.
• Fixed Limit Omaha
  
  Betting in Fixed Limit Omaha is in pre-determined, structured amounts. Pre-flop and on the flop, all bets and raises are of the same amount as the big blind. On the turn and the river, the size of all bets and raises doubles. In Limit Omaha, up to four bets are allowed per player during each betting round. This includes a (1) bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise, and (4) cap (final raise).

In the PokerStars software, it’s not possible to bet less than the minimum or more than the maximum. The bet slider and bet window will only allow you to bet amounts within the allowed thresholds.

In addition to Omaha poker, PokerStars also offers the popular variant of Omaha Hi/Lo. This version of Omaha splits the pot between the highest and lowest poker hands, giving the game a whole different feel.

An important factor to keep in mind when assessing your starting hand strength is how many potential ways to win you have. As you must use two of your hole cards in Omaha, having a ‘double-suited’ hand is a great start because it gives you two chances to make a flush. Combine that with high pairs or connectors and your starting hand starts to look very appealing.

Here’s a list of what are regarded as the top ten starting hands in Omaha (they should all be ‘double-suited’):

1. A, A, K, K
2. A, A, J, T
3. A, A, Q, Q
4. A, A, J, J
5. A, A, T, T
6. A, A, 9, 9
7. A, A, X, X
8. J, T, 9, 8
9. K, K, Q, Q
10. K, K, J, J

Remember, a good starting hand in Omaha isn’t always a good starting hand in Omaha Hi/Lo as you’re not playing to win the low half of the pot.

If you want to learn how to play Omaha, then download the PokerStars software and join any Play Money games to compete online against other players. Unlike our real money poker games, since there is nothing at stake, you can be comfortable learning all the rules of Omaha.

As well as Omaha, we also offer many other poker variants. See our Poker Games page to learn more.