While poker remains one of the all-time favourite casino games, there are numerous variations of it, with Omaha Poker being an especially popular one.
When visiting an in-house casino, you will often see large groups of punters gathered around poker tables. However, poker is not only popular because of its high rewards, but also the versions of the game available, with Omaha Poker being one of these.
Omaha Poker took its inspiration from Texas Hold’em poker, with four “hole cards’ dealt to each player and solely belonging to them. The aim of the game is to combine three community cards and two hole cards and get the best five-card hand.
Types of Omaha Poker Games
There are three types of Omaha Poker games:
- Fixed-Limit – This variant has a limit on betting applied to each betting round and game
- No-Limit – Players are allowed to wager any amount they choose, including all their chips
- Pot-Limit – Players are allowed to bet the amount in the pot. This is the most popular type of the game
The Fundamental Rules of Omaha Poker
When playing different variations of Omaha Poker, the basic rules generally remain the same, although the betting structures might differ.
In the pot-limit and no-limit variations, we refer to the games by their blind size. For example, an Omaha game with CA$1/CA$2 has a CA$1 small blind and a CA$2 big blind. The betting commences with the player who is to the left of the big blind.
The small and big bets are identical in a fixed-limit game, with the small blind roughly half the big blind’s size. Still, it could be larger depending on the stake. For example, a CA$2/CA$4 game has a CA$1 small blind and a CA$2 big blind, but in a CA$15/CA$30 game, CA$10 is the small blind and CA$15 is the big one.
Every player has four cards dealt to them, and the betting action proceeds clockwise around the table, beginning with the punter who is “under the gun.”
Before the Flop
Once a player has seen their cards, they can play a hand by either raising or calling the big blind. Play will begin on the big blind’s left, which would be live in the round. Players can either call, raise, or fold. So, if there was a CA$2 big blind, calling would cost CA$2, and raising would be CA$4. The action moves around the table clockwise, and betting continues with each round until all players who remain active have placed equal wagers into the pot.
The Flop
After the initial betting round is completed, the flop is dealt face-up on the board. This is the first of the three community cards that would become available to all active players.
The Turn
Once the flop round’s betting action is finished, the turn will be dealt face-up on the table, representing the fourth community card. A further betting round then commences.
The River
Once all the betting action on this round is completed, the river is dealt face up onto the board. This represents the fifth and ultimate community card, followed by the last betting round.
The Showdown
If more than one player remains after the last betting round, the last player who raises or bets will show their cards. If no bet is made on the last round, the player who is clockwise to the button will show their hand first, followed by other players in order.
The player who has the best five-card hand wins the pot. When there are identical hands, the cash pool is divided equally among those players. Once the pot is awarded, players can begin a new game of Omaha Poker, moving the button clockwise around the table.
If you haven’t played Omaha Poker before and wish to try it, you can always practice a few rounds for free at one of the best online casinos in Canada. This will give you a feel for the game, let you try out different strategies, and learn the rules before you place a wager and start playing the game for real money.
