Texas hold’em vs. Omaha. As a live or online poker player, you’re probably wondering which one is the best for you to invest your time and money into. Or, at the very least, you’re curious to know which one will be right for you. Some poker fans will say it’s obvious. Since Texas hold’em is the most played version of poker, it must be the best. Other poker fans will say Omaha is the more complex and, therefore, better game. 

To help you answer this question, this blog will unpack the differences between the two games and help you decide which of these poker variants is the best choice for you.

Omaha vs. Texas Hold’em Poker

If you’re unfamiliar with both of these poker games, here’s a rundown of both the Omaha and Texas hold’em rules and what you can expect from each game, starting with Texas hold’em.

What is Texas Hold’em Poker?

As previously mentioned, Texas hold’em poker is by far the most popular version of the game. This is likely because it’s one of the easiest variants to learn, as well as being the poker game of choice in a lot of media. 

As with other poker games, the goal is to build a winning hand or be the last player remaining so that you can claim the pot. Winning hands are built using two hole (hidden) cards in combination with three community (shared) cards. When it comes to Texas hold’em hand rankings, the game uses the classic poker hand ranking system.

How Texas Hold’em Plays Out

Now that you have an overall understanding of Texas hold’em, here’s how a typical game plays out during each round.

The Preflop

The game begins with a small and big blind being randomly chosen. The small blind will contribute half of the minimum bet towards the pot, while the big blind will contribute the full minimum bet towards the pot. Ensuring there’s money to compete for before the cards are dealt helps incentivize players to stay in the game and not just fold if they have an average hand.

Once the small and big blinds have been placed, the dealer deals two cards to each player, starting with the first player to their left. In the preflop round, it’s the player to the left of the big blind that decides whether to check, raise, or fold. This carries on in a clockwise direction, with each following player deciding whether to check, raise, or fold.  

The Flop

If there are still at least two players remaining, the dealer will deal the first three community cards. During this round, decision-making starts from the small blind position. Once again, the remaining players decide whether to check, raise, or fold. And again, this carries on in a clockwise direction.

The Turn

If there are still at least two players remaining on the turn, the dealer will deal one more community card. Starting from the small blind position and going clockwise, the remaining players will choose to check, raise, or fold.

The River

The river plays out the same as the turn.

The Showdown

If a winner hasn’t been decided by the time the final community card has been dealt and bets have been completed, the remaining players must reveal their hands, starting with the first player to act. During the showdown, the player with the strongest hand will claim the pot, but if two players have the same hand ranking, the pot is split, with each player receiving half of the winnings.

What Is Omaha Poker?

Omaha poker is similar to Texas hold’em, with many of the core rules, such as the Omaha hand rankings, betting system, community cards, and rounds, being identical to its more popular counterpart.

However, in this version of poker, players receive four hole cards, double what they get in Texas hold’em. This means that players could have a total of 9 cards to win, but ther’s a catch: players must use two of their four hole cards and three of the community cards to build a winning hand. You can’t use more, and you can’t use less. It’s only this specific combination of hole and community cards that will decide whether you win or lose.

How Omaha Poker Plays Out

While a round-by-round breakdown was provided for Texas hold’em, there’s no need for this here as Omaha plays out using the exact same way as Texas hold’em. It uses a blinds betting system with a big blind and a small blind. There are also five rounds: preflop, flop, turn, river, and showdown, with players each taking turns to decide whether to check, raise, or fold. Winners are decided when only one player is left or when one of two players has the strongest hand. 

However, if you do want to learn specifically about Omaha, you can learn how to play Omaha poker here.

So with this in mind, there’s only one question left: should you play Texas Hold’em or Omaha?

The Key Difference Between Omaha and Texas Hold’em

Ultimately, your decision to play either Omaha or Texas hold’em will come down to one key difference: the complexity of each game. 

You’d think that Omaha would be easier to play, as more cards mean more variance, so skill counts less towards the final result. But the addition of extra hole cards, as well as restrictions on how you build your hand, can actually make it harder for newer players to get into the game. This is because it’s harder to see your outs (potential paths to victory) in Omaha than in Texas hold’em.

Start With Texas Hold’em

If you’re an experienced Texas hold’em player, you’ll probably be able to make the transition to Omaha with a bit of effort, but if you’re a new poker player, it’s probably a good idea for you to start with Texas hold’em and then look for tips on how to switch to Omaha. 

Play Texas Hold’em and Omaha at Borgata Online

If you’re itching to play either of these excellent poker games, you’ll be happy to learn that both are available for you to enjoy at Borgata Online. Join in the excitement by playing quick and fun cash games, or put your skills to the test by taking part in competitive poker tournaments, including nail-biting daily and weekly events.

Players who enjoy more than poker can also celebrate. An account at Borgata Online doesn’t just get you access to online poker but also fantastic casino games like online slots, roulette, and blackjack, as well as great online sports bets and more.

Register at Borgata Online to find out what luck has in store for you.