Omaha Poker Rules

Omaha Poker is played very similarly to Texas Holdem with the exception of a few minor differences. The biggest difference between the two games is that Omaha is played with 4 hole cards instead of 2. Additionally, in Omaha, you must use exactly two of your hole cards to make a hand.

In online casinos, players don’t deal so the dealer is represented by the dealer’s button, or more simply, “the button.” This disc moves one seat to the left at the beginning of each hand.

1. Players post the blinds

The two players to the left of the dealer must pay small antes or “blinds” at the beginning of the hand. The player directly to the left of the dealer pays the small blind and the player to the left of the small blind pays the big blind.

The small blind is usually equal to half the size of the big blind. The big blind is usually equal to the size of one minimum bet in the game. As the dealer’s button moves around the table, each player will have to post the blinds.

2. Initial Deal

Each player receives four cards face down. These four cards are also known as the “hole cards.”

After all the players have had a chance to look at their hole cards, a round of betting takes place. This round begins with the player to the left of the big blind. This player may call, bet or fold. The action continues clockwise around the table.

3. The Flop

Three cards are now dealt face up in the middle of the table. These three cards are community cards and will be shared by all the players at the table.

Now there is a second betting round but this time it begins with the player who posted the small blind at the beginning of the hand. This player may check, bet or fold. The betting continues clockwise around the table until all the bets have been matched or the players have folded.

4. The Turn

A fourth card is now dealt face up in the middle of the table.

This round of betting is played identically to the previous round of betting. The action begins with the small blind.

5. The River

One more card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. This is the last community card to be dealt.

This round of betting is played identically to the previous round of betting.

6. The Showdown

The players remaining in the hand now turn their hole cards over. The player with the best five card poker hand using any two of his hole cards and any three of the community cards wins the pot.

Note – This is where the second major difference between Texas Holdem and Omaha comes into play. In Omaha you must use exactly two of your hole cards when making your hand. In Texas Holdem you can 0, 1 or 2 of your hole cards.

This rule is important to remember because it often confuses recent converts from Texas Holdem. If, for example, there are four or even five spades on the board in Omaha, a player holding a single spade would not have a flush. That player would still have to use two of his hole cards, so his final five card hand would not contain a flush.