Omaha Poker - Betting on Drawing Hands

  Anybofy who invested in Microsoft back when it first went public knows the value of betting on something that could become a profitable venture down the road. In fact, most of the internet millionaires of the 90's received their riches by betting on something that looked like it had great potential. Of course those who put their money in Enron's or K-Mart's basket learned a different lesson about the power of perceived potential.  Investment and poker share the same risk elements, especially when it comes to drawing hands. You see potential, you bet according to that potential, and you either win big or go home wondering how to explain the big hole in your bank account to your spouse. Omaha has a completely different vibe than Texas Holdem does. This means that when making the trip from Texas to Omaha, a player must often play his cards in a method that is counterintuitive to the one he is used to. Because of the presence of two extra hole cards, an entire new world of combinations has been opened up. In Omaha you may play any two of the four hole cards you have been dealt. This means that a pair of Kings probably won't dominate the hand from start to finish: the money hands are drawing hands. Your chances of hitting a flush or straight are much better in Omaha than they are in Texas Holdem.  With that said, remember that not only are your chances of hitting your flush or straight increased, but the chances your opponent will hit them are also better. So before you start betting the farm on a low flush, be cognizant of the fact that anyone else at the table could be working on a higher flush. More often than not low flushes and straights are beat by higher ones at the end of the hand. Before putting your chips on the line, be sure you are working towards the nut flush or straight.