When it comes to live and online poker, the stakes are often high. This means that there’s little to no room to make uncalculated and spontaneous decisions that aren’t guided by strategy. Professional poker players spend countless hours perfecting their gameplay and exploring the different poker variations available to them. Among these popular variations is Pot Limit Omaha (PLO,) which is often likened to Texas Hold’em poker.

Poker players are constantly looking for strategies, tools and resources, and other promising ways of gaining the upper hand over their opponents, and 3-betting is a tactic that many turn to. There’s merit to 3-betting, which is why novice and experienced poker players may turn to it to increase their chances of winning at games or online poker tournaments.

What Is Pot Limit Omaha?

PLO is a poker variant that is closely linked to Texas Hold’em. However, the difference between the two is the number of starting cards. Pot Limit Omaha rules dictate that every play should receive four private cards. Players then have to make the best hand comprising two of their private cards and three community cards. In PLO, the maximum bet amount is guided by the size of the pot.

How to 3-Bet the Correct Ranges in Pot Limit Omaha

When playing live or online poker for real money, your attitude towards trying various strategies and tactics may be the difference between winning and losing. While 3-betting can lead to some considerable wins, it can also cause some substantial losses if played ineffectively and haphazardly. For clarity, 3-betting is a re-raise in a betting round. When the first player makes a bet, the second player will raise it. The third bet, which is the re-raise, is known as a 3-bet.

The most common types of 3-bet ranges are:

Merged Range

This type of 3-betting range is recommended for more experienced PLO players. Here, you only bet with your premium hands.

Polarized Range

This 3-betting range allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds, where you predominantly bet your strong hands and then only bet your weak hands now and then.

Strong Range

With this type of 3-betting, you only bet with strong hands. Be warned that attentive opponents will be able to identify your strategy and combat it.

What You Need to Think of When Considering 3-Betting in PLO

There are no one-size-fits-all approaches to poker because no two situations are ever exactly the same. The more comfortable you are around the poker table, the more you’ll begin to understand the dynamics and discern when to 3-bet and when not to. If you’re thinking of 3-betting preflop, it’s imperative to take the following into consideration:

Number of Players in the Pot

As a general rule of thumb, you have a better chance of winning if you’re 3-betting against one opponent. The more players in the pot, the more challenging 3-betting can be.

Your Opponent’s Skill Level

This should always be a consideration, whether you’re playing an online poker tournament or any other casino game. It goes without saying that a stronger opponent will be more challenging to outsmart and beat, while a relatively weaker player will allow you to play a wider range of hands. Being able to gauge how your skills compare to your opponents can give you a good indication of how to proceed.

Your Position

Having a favorable position when playing poker games online or in person is always the preferred situation, but it’s not always possible. That’s why being self-aware and observant is important. When in position, your 3-betting range is wider, which ultimately gives you more flexibility.

Your Hand

If you’re out of position, then you’ll likely have to rely heavily on your hand. This means that having a strong hand will be to your advantage if you’re out of position. However, your hand isn’t too important if you’re in position and the above-mentioned factors are in your favor.

Why Should Poker Players 3-Bet More Often in PLO?

Poker players should 3-bet more often, if the opportunity arises, because it’s a good way to identify weak players and possibly even get them to fold. As already noted, the fewer players there are in a pot, the better. More players in a pot means a smaller portion for you, but you have the opportunity to force some of them out by 3-betting and giving them no other option but to bow out of the game.

Put Your Newfound Knowledge to the Test at BetMGM

Poker is undoubtedly one of the most loved online casino games. This is not only because of the many variants you can choose from, which offer an added level of excitement but also the winning potential for players who take it seriously. Now that you have a better understanding of how to play Pot Limit Omaha and incorporate 3-betting into your strategy, you can approach casino table games with newfound confidence and knowledge. If you’re ready to play poker online and put your skills to the test, register at BetMGM to gain unlimited access to popular casino games.