Quick Answer: A pool table and a snooker table are not the same thing, and they aren’t interchangeable. Snooker tables are much bigger — a regulation table is 12 ft x 6 ft versus a pool table’s typical 7-9 ft — with smaller 2 1/16” balls, far tighter pockets, and 22 balls in play instead of 16. For most US homes, a pool table is the practical choice: it needs a fraction of the room, costs far less, and plays the games (8-ball, 9-ball) that most people actually grew up with. Snooker is worth it only if you have a dedicated game room and want the sport specifically.
If you’ve only ever played 8-ball, walking up to a snooker table can be disorienting — it looks like a pool table that someone stretched and shrank the pockets on. Here’s exactly what’s different, and why it matters for what you buy.
By the numbers
- 12 ft x 6 ft is the regulation snooker table size: World Snooker’s official specification puts the playing surface at 140” x 70”, nearly double the footprint of a common 7-foot pool table and noticeably bigger than even a 9-foot pool table.
- Snooker corner pockets are barely wider than the ball: regulation snooker corner pockets measure just 3 3/8” to 3 5/8” against a 2 1/16” ball, versus a pool table’s 4 7/8” to 5 1/8” corner pockets against a larger 2 1/4” ball — a difference that’s the whole reason snooker is considered the more difficult game.
- A snooker room needs roughly 22 ft x 16 ft of clearance: once you account for a full cueing stroke around all four sides, versus the roughly 13’4” x 17’ an 8-foot pool table needs (see our pool table room size chart) — a gap that alone rules out a snooker table for most US homes.
Pool table vs. snooker table at a glance
| Factor | Pool Table | Snooker Table |
|---|---|---|
| Table size | 7-9 ft (7 ft most common) | 12 ft x 6 ft (regulation) |
| Room needed | ~13'4" x 17' (8 ft table) | ~22 ft x 16 ft |
| Ball diameter | 2 1/4" (57 mm) | 2 1/16" (52.5 mm) |
| Balls in play | 16 (15 numbered + cue) | 22 (15 red + 6 colors + cue) |
| Corner pocket opening | 4 7/8"-5 1/8" | 3 3/8"-3 5/8" |
| Price (US) | $300-$8,000 | $8,000+ (often custom/imported) |
| Best for | Casual play, 8-ball/9-ball, small-to-mid rooms | Dedicated players, large game rooms |
Size and room requirements
This is the difference that eliminates snooker for most buyers before anything else matters. A regulation snooker table’s playing surface alone is 140” x 70” — roughly 12 ft x 6 ft — which is significantly larger than any pool table size sold in the US, including 9-foot “tournament” pool tables. Add the swing room needed for a full 58” cue stroke on all four sides and you’re looking at a room around 22 ft x 16 ft just to play comfortably. Compare that to an 8-foot pool table, which fits comfortably in a room around 13’4” x 17’ (see our 7ft vs. 8ft pool table guide if you’re deciding between pool sizes). Very few US basements or rec rooms clear the snooker threshold; nearly all of them clear the pool-table one.
Balls and pockets
Snooker uses 22 balls — 15 reds, six colored balls (yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black), and a cue ball — each just 2 1/16” in diameter. Pool uses 16 balls (15 numbered object balls plus the cue ball) at a larger 2 1/4” diameter. The pocket openings scale with the balls, but not proportionally: snooker’s corner pockets run 3 3/8” to 3 5/8” and side pockets 4 1/16” to 4 5/16”, cut with very little margin around the ball. Pool’s corner pockets open up to 4 7/8”-5 1/8” and side pockets to 5 3/8”-5 5/8” — noticeably more forgiving. That tighter tolerance is the core reason snooker players are famous for precision: a shot that drops easily on a pool table can rattle out of a snooker pocket if it’s off by even a small margin.
Cloth and gameplay
Snooker cloth is a directional, napped wool cloth that plays noticeably faster and requires players to account for the “nap” affecting roll direction. Pool cloth (typically a wool-nylon blend like K-66) is non-directional and plays more predictably in any direction. Gameplay-wise, snooker is a single, much longer format built around break-building and safety play across 22 balls, while pool covers faster, more casual formats like 8-ball and 9-ball that most US players already know. If you want a quick rack with friends, pool is the more approachable game by a wide margin.
Cost
A pool table for a US rec room runs $300-$8,000 depending on surface and brand — see our full pool table cost breakdown for what drives that range. Full-size snooker tables are far less common in the US market and are frequently imported or custom-built, which pushes typical pricing to $8,000 and up before you’ve bought balls, cues, or cloth sized for the smaller ball. For nearly all US buyers, a quality slate pool table like the Brunswick or Olhausen delivers a far better cost-to-enjoyment ratio than importing a snooker setup.
Which should you buy?
- Buy a pool table if: you want to play 8-ball or 9-ball, have a typical US rec room or basement, and want a table that’s easy to source parts, cloth, and accessories for.
- Buy a snooker table if: you specifically want the sport of snooker, have a dedicated room in the 20+ ft range, and are prepared for import/custom pricing and snooker-specific balls and cues.
- Not sure which room size you have? Check our pool table room size chart before you shop — it’s the single fastest way to rule tables in or out.
Our pick: Brunswick Slate Pool Table
- 1-inch three-piece slate — tournament-grade flatness without snooker's room or budget requirements.
- Hardwood frame with a lifetime warranty on the slate.
Long rack-and-play sessions go better with music in the room — try Amazon Music Unlimited free and set the soundtrack for game night.
Also see: Best Pool Table for Home
- Our full rankings across 7-ft, 8-ft, and 9-ft tables for typical US rooms.
- Includes MDF and slate picks at every price point.
Once you’ve settled on pool over snooker, our slate vs. MDF pool table guide is the next decision, followed by 7ft vs. 8ft pool table if you’re still narrowing down size.
The bottom line
A snooker table isn’t a bigger pool table — it’s a different sport, with a different ball size, tighter pockets, and a room requirement that rules it out for most US homes. Unless you specifically want to play snooker and have a dedicated 20+ ft room, a quality pool table gets you playing sooner, costs a fraction as much, and covers the games most people actually want to play.