5 Card Omaha Poker
5 Card Omaha poker is an exciting game derived from Omaha. Each player is dealt five private cards (‘hole cards’) which belong only to that player. Five community cards are dealt face-up on the ‘board’. In 5 Card 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 5 Card Omaha Poker Games
- Pot Limit 5 Card Omaha Poker - A player can bet what is in the pot (i.e. $100 into a $100 pot). This is the most popular form of 5 Card Omaha Poker.
- No Limit 5 Card Omaha Poker - A player can bet any amount, up to all of their chips.
How to Play 5 Card Omaha Poker
In Pot Limit 5 Card Omaha, the games are referred to by the size of their blinds (for example, a $1/$2 Pot Limit 5 Card Omaha game has a small blind of $1 and a big blind of $2). If you like to play tournament poker, PokerStars offer 5 Card Omaha tournaments as well.
Each player receives five hole cards and betting action proceeds clockwise around the table, starting with the player ‘under the gun’ (immediately clockwise from the big blind).
Pre-Flop
After seeing his or her hole cards, each player now has the option to play their 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 $2, it would cost $2 to call, or at least $4 to raise. Action then proceeds clockwise around the table.
Betting continues on each betting round until all active players (who have not folded) have placed equal bets in the pot.
The Flop
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.
The Turn
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 a 5 Card Omaha game. Play begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the button. Another round of betting ensues.
The River
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 5 Card Omaha poker. Betting begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the button. A final round of betting ensues.
The Showdown
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 5 Card Omaha, players must use two and only two of their five 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 5 Card Omaha poker game is ready to be played. The button now moves clockwise to the next player.
Pot Limit And No Limit 5 Card Omaha
5 Card Omaha rules remain the same for Pot Limit and No Limit poker games, with a few exceptions:
- Pot Limit 5 Card Omaha
The minimum bet in Pot Limit 5 Card 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 $5 then the second player must raise a minimum of $5 (total bet of $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 $100, and there is no previous action on a particular betting round, a player may bet a maximum of $100. After that bet, the action moves to the next player clockwise. That player can either fold, call $100, or raise any amount between the minimum ($100 more) and the maximum. The maximum bet in this case is $400 - the raiser would first call $100, bringing the pot size to $300, and then raise $300 more, making a total bet of $400.
In Pot Limit 5 Card Omaha, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed. - No Limit 5 Card Omaha
The minimum bet in No Limit 5 Card Omaha is the same as the size of the big blind, but players can always bet as much as they want, up to all of their chips.
Minimum raise: In No Limit 5 Card 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 $5 then the second player must raise a minimum of $5 (total bet of $10).
Maximum raise: The size of your stack (your chips on the table).
In No Limit 5 Card Omaha, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed.
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.
5 Card Omaha Hi/Lo (aka 5 Card Omaha 8-or-better, 5 Card Omaha 8, or 5 Card Omaha/8)
In addition to Omaha Poker, PokerStars also offers the popular variant of 5 Card Omaha Hi/Lo. This version of Omaha splits the pot between the highest and lowest poker hands, giving the game a whole different feel.
Learn How to Play 5 Card Omaha for Free
If you want to learn how to play Omaha, then download the PokerStars software and join any of the free poker games where you can play online against other players. Unlike our real money poker games, since there is nothing at stake, you can be comfortable learning the ropes of the game and all the rules of 5 Card Omaha.
As well as 5 Card Omaha, we also offer many other poker variants. See our Poker Games page to learn more.