How To Play Omaha Hold’em

A common game played in both casinos and on-line gambling sites is Omaha Hold’em. It is a 9-card game and, like Texas Hold’em, Omaha can be played with varying betting limits:

• No Limit - Each person can wager up to the amount they have on the table at the time of the bet.
• Limit - Every game and every round has a set betting limit, such as $.50/$1.00 has a $.50 Blind, the first round of betting and raises is $.50 and the rounds after that are upped to $1.00 bets.
• Pot Limit - A maximum, equivalent to the total pot at the time of the bet can be wagered by each player.

Regardless of the betting type played, a game of Omaha is played out like so:

• A ‘Small Blind’ and ‘Big Blind’ (betting before seeing the hand) is placed by the two people to the left of the dealer. A small blind and big blind for a $.50/$1.00 game is $.25 and $.50 respectively.
• Then, every player is dealt four face-down cards.
• The player to the left of the bettor who placed the “Big Blind” bet starts the wagering.
• Then comes “The Flop,” or three cards dealt face up in the middle of the table.
• Another round of betting,
• In the center of the table, a fourth card is dealt face up.
• More betting,
• The last card, also referred to as “The River,” is placed face up in the middle.
• Final bets are placed.

Players make their best hand of 5 cards after the betting, using 2 of their down 4 cards and 3 cards from the 5 community cards on the table. The player with the high hand or the last player who is still “in” wins.