Learning the Omaha poker hand rankings is one of the first things you need to learn the game. I’m here to help by explaining how hands are ranked in Omaha High and Omaha Hi/Lo formats, so you can build your strategy around pursuing the strongest possible combos.
For the record, I don’t provide starting hand charts, which focus on pre-flop selection. Instead, I’m covering the true hand rankings, meaning the strength of hands once all cards are revealed in a showdown. With that in mind, let’s start with Omaha Hi.
Limit Omaha High Hand Rankings
In this section, we’ll examine the Omaha hand rankings for High-Only poker. In this version, players are only looking to make high hands, with the best high hand scooping the entire pot.
The highest PLO hand rankings start with a royal flush, while the lowest is a high card. Here’s the full list:
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- Royal Flush: A hand consisting of ten, jack, queen, king, and ace of the same suit.
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- Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit, for example 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 of hearts.
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- Four of a Kind (Quads): Four cards of the same rank, so for example, four deuces.
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- Full House: This hand includes three of a kind, plus a pair, such as three queens and two 8s.
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- Flush: Any five cards of the same suit, but not in the same sequence, so for example, an ace, jack, 6, 8, and 3 of clubs.
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- Straight: This hand consists of five cards in sequence, but not of the the same suit, such as 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, consisting of a combination of suits.
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- Three of a Kind (Trips/Set): This hand features three cards of the same rank, such as three aces, and two other cards.
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- Two Pair: Two different pairs within a hand of five cards such as two kings and two 9s and one other card.
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- One Pair: A hand with only one pair within five cards such as two 5s, along with three other cards.
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- High Card: The high card is the lowest of the pot limit Omaha hand rankings. If none of the above hands are present, then the high card hand wins, which is simply the highest card from the hand. An ace high, would be the highest card in a hand with an ace, jack, 9, 6, and 2.
Omaha Hi Lo Hand Rankings
Omaha Hi Lo or high/low split is another popular version of the game, available both at the best online poker sites and in live games.
The difference between Omaha High and Omaha Hi Lo is that the pot can be split between the best high hand and the best low hand.
In Omaha Hi-Lo hand rankings, the highest hand is guaranteed to win at least half of the pot. However, the lowest hand must meet specific requirements to qualify. Let’s explore both.
High Hand Rankings
Omaha Hi-Lo Low Hand Qualification
To qualify to win the low hand pot, your hand must meet certain requirements. We’ve broken down the threshold needed to win the low hand here and explain the general rules of determining hand strength.
- A low hand must consist of five unpaired cards ranked 8 or lower.
- Straights and flushes do not disqualify a hand from being considered low as they can still be made with five cards 8 and under.
- The best low hand is ranked from the top down, meaning you compare the highest card first, then the next, and so on.
- The lowest possible hand is A-2-3-4-5, also known as “the wheel”.
- If no player makes a qualifying low hand to form five unpaired cards ranked 8 or lower, then the entire pot is awarded to the best high hand.
Ready to Test Your Omaha Hand Rankings Knowledge?
We’ve covered the top tips you need to understand for how to play both Pot Limit Omaha High Hand and Omaha Hi Lo.
With a full breakdown of the best Omaha poker hand rankings, with a royal flush being the highest and the high card being the lowest, you now know how to win the high hand and low hand depending on the version of the game you play.
Ready to give it a try? Check out one of our favorite poker sites, Bovada, to try and scoop your next pot. Bovada offers new poker players a 100% bonus for up to $500, plus a variety of Omaha tables.
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