Celebrity tournaments and cable television shows have both helped to make poker one of the most popular pastimes in the world today. Poker used to be played in dark, smoke-filled rooms, but today it is played by everyone from housewives to construction workers. Thanks to the availability of online poker games, people all over the world can enjoy a game of Omaha poker any time of the day or night.

In order to compete in serious tournaments, you need to practice and then practice some more. Unlike other poker games, it takes a while to understand the rules and pick up the subtleties of Omaha poker. One of the best ways to get good fast is to play Omaha poker online. When you play at VIPpoker.com, you can play hand after hand online, which allows you to quickly pick up skills it could otherwise take years to learn.

In Omaha poker, you are dealt four private cards, two of which you must use to make your final five-card hand. The rest of your five-card hand is comprised of three cards, which are shared by all players, also called community cards. If your private cards contain three of a kind, it's really of no more use to you than holding a pair.

There are several rounds of betting in Omaha poker. The private cards are dealt, followed by a round of betting, and then additional betting occurs as the community cards are dealt. Many Omaha games involve a split pot. This type of game is called Omaha Hi-Lo, and as the name implies, players vie for the highest and lowest hands.