Wheel

1. A hand consisting of A-2-3-4-5. Also called the ace to five straight.

Origin

While it is not exactly known where the term "wheel" comes from, it is thought to have somehow come from the popular Bicycle brand playing cards made by the United States Playing Card Company. The term "bicycle" is a synonym for "wheel" in poker parlance.

Hand Significance

In lowball games where Aces can play low and straights and flushes have no bearing on a low hand, the wheel is the best possible hand one can make, as it contains the five lowest ranked cards in the deck. In a high/low split game such as Omaha High/Low, the wheel is also a very strong hand, as it again is the best low hand and also makes a solid high hand, giving the player who holds it an opportunity to scoop the pot.