Wondering whether Americans call pool “billiards”? Short answer: sometimes—but it depends on context. The terms Pool vs. Billiards are often mixed up, usually because history, venues, and everyday habits have blurred the lines. Keep reading to learn why the confusion exists and how the terminology actually works.

The Short Answer: Why Americans Call Pool ‘Billiards’ (and Why It’s Confusing)

In the United States, the terms pool and billiards are often blended together, even though they refer to different cue sports. The overlap comes from casual speech, cultural habits, and the way venues were historically named. Understanding this mix helps explain why the confusion persists today. 

Infographic comparing casual American use of “pool” with the formal definition of “billiards.

Casual vs. Official Terminology in the United States

Everyday American Speech (The common preference for “Pool”)

Most Americans simply say pool when referring to any pocketed cue game. The term is familiar, easy to use, and strongly associated with bars, halls, and casual play.

Professional and Industry Use (The use of “Pocket Billiards” and “American Billiards”)

In formal rulebooks and the wider industry, you’ll still see terms like pocket billiards or American billiards. These clarify that pool is a specific branch within the larger billiards family, even if the public rarely uses them.

“Billiards Hall” as a Generic Term for Pool Rooms

Many venues continue to use names such as “billiards hall” or “billiard club”. Historically, the terms became general labels, even when most customers were actually playing pool games.

The Historical Etymology: How the Game Got Its American Name

The reason Americans often say pool instead of billiards goes back to the origins of the word and how it shifted over time. Understanding this history helps clear up why the terms diverged.

The True Origin of the Word “Pool”

“Pool” as a Collective Bet (The connection to horse racing and gambling parlours)

The word pool originally described a shared pot of money collected from bets. It was commonly used in horse-racing parlours, where players would “pool” their stakes.

The Rise of the “Pool Room” (How the venue name transferred to the game)

Many betting rooms kept billiard tables for entertainment between race updates. Over time, the rooms themselves were called pool rooms, and eventually the cue games played inside them adopted the name.

Tracing the Ancestry of “Billiards”

Derivation from French (bille or billart)

The term billiards originates from French words like bille (ball) or billart (stick). Early forms of the game used a mace-like tool before cues evolved.

The Original Pocketless Game

Historically, billiards referred to a pocketless game resembling today’s carom billiards. This early format influenced the terminology long before pool became popular in the US.

The Definitive Distinction: Understanding the Cue Sports Family

To understand why the words overlap, it helps to look at the structure of cue sports. In technical terms, billiards is the broad category, while pool is just one branch within it.

Billiards as the Umbrella Term for All Games

Carom Billiards

Carom billiards is played on a table without pockets. It uses three balls, and points are scored by striking both object balls in a single shot.

Pocket Billiards (The technical classification that includes Pool)

Pool falls under the category of pocket billiards—any cue sport played on a six-pocket table. Games such as eight-ball, nine-ball, and straight pool all belong here.

Snooker (A distinct game under the Billiards category)

Snooker is another cue sport within the billiards family. It uses 22 balls and is played on a larger table with smaller pockets. While popular internationally, it has limited presence in the US.

Key Equipment Differences that Define the Games

The Presence of Pockets (Pool vs. Carom tables)

Pool tables always include six pockets. Carom tables have none. This single difference creates entirely different scoring systems and styles of play.

Ball Count and Size (e.g., 16 balls for Pool, 3 balls for Carom)

Pool uses 15 object balls plus one cue ball.
Carom uses three larger balls.
Snooker uses 22 smaller balls.
These ball sets shape each game’s rules, strategies, and pace.