How Many Balls on a Pool Table? Everything You Need to Know

Key Takeaways 

• The number of balls varies by different pool games: 16 balls for 8-ball game, and 10 balls for 9-ball game. One of the pool games can require up to 22 balls. Find out what it is and the exact amount of how many balls on a pool table for different pool games!

• Standard pool balls are 2.25 inches in diameter and made of phenolic resin for durability, while Snooker balls are slightly smaller. Learn more below!

• Game setups differ for each pool game. For instance, 8-ball uses a triangular rack, while a diamond rack is for 9-ball game. Let Big Cat expert guide you on how to set up pool games step-by-step in this article!

How Many Balls On A Pool Table? 

How Many Balls On A Pool Table? 

1. Eight-Ball (Standard American Pool)

Eight-Ball is one of the most popular pool games. Players compete to pocket either solid-colored balls (1-7) or striped balls (9-15), with the goal of sinking all their assigned balls and then the black eight ball.

Then, how many balls on a pool table for the 8-ball game?

It consists of 16 balls:

• 1 white cue ball

• 7 solid-colored balls (1-7)

• 7 striped balls (9-15)

• 1 black eight ball

See more: How To Play 8 Ball Pool In 3 Steps: Pool Professionals Guide

2. Nine-Ball Pool

9-ball is a fast-paced game where players must pocket balls in numerical order, starting with the lowest-numbered ball on the table. The winner is the player who sinks the nine ball, as long as it's hit after the cue ball first makes contact with the lowest-numbered ball.

Then, how many balls are in pool for 9-ball? 10 balls, consisting of:

• 1 white cue ball

• 9 numbered object balls

See more: How To Play 9 Ball Pool: Expert Tutorial

3. Ten-Ball Pool

10-ball game adds one more ball to the 9-ball format, increasing the challenge and strategy. Players also aim to pocket balls in numerical order, but it’s stricter in requiring precise shots and calls.

How many pool balls are in a set for Ten-Ball? Including 11 balls, which are:

• 1 white cue ball

• 10 numbered object balls

4. Snooker

Snooker is a distinct game with 22 balls and a much larger table. 

Players score points by pocketing 15 red balls (worth 1 point each) and six differently colored balls with increasing point values. After each red ball is pocketed, a colored ball is targeted. 

With that being said, how many balls on a pool table for Snooker? A total of 22 balls, including:

• 15 red balls

• 6 colored balls: black (7 points), pink (6 points), blue (5 points), brown (4 points), green (3 points), yellow (2 points)

• 1 white cue ball

5. Straight Pool (14.1 Continuous)

Straight Pool allows players to pocket any ball on the table as long as they call their shots. The game is continuous, with players resetting the racked balls after pocketing 14 to keep scoring.

Then, how many balls are in pool for Straight Pool? 16 balls in total:

• 1 white cue ball

• 15 numbered object balls

See more: 15 Ball Pool Rules: How To Play And Win Fairly In 2024?

Ball Specifications and Standard Count

Regardless of which game you're playing, it's important to know how many balls on a pool table you'll be using. 

The 8-ball and straight pool games use 16 balls in total, the 9-ball game uses 10 balls, and snooker requires 22 balls. Each ball (except in Snooker) measures 2.25 inches in diameter and is made from phenolic resin for durability. 

The key to a successful rack in any game variation is ensuring the balls are pressed tightly together, creating a solid formation that will break consistently and fairly.

Pool ball measurements. Source: Dads Heaven

See more: What Are Pool Balls Made Of? A Comprehensive Guide

The Setup for Different Pool Games

There are many rules of pool games version. Besides the difference in how many balls are in pool, each game also requires a unique setup. Here is how:

1. Eight-Ball Pool Setup

When asking how many balls are in the pool for an 8-ball game, you'll be working with 16 balls in total, including 15 object balls and one white cue ball. 

Understanding how to rack 8-ball is also important. The setup begins with positioning the triangle rack on the table's foot spot. 

The balls are arranged in a specific pattern: any ball can be placed at the apex position (though some players prefer the 1-ball), followed by a second row of two balls that can be either stripes or solids. 

The critical placement is the black 8-ball, which must sit in the center of the third row, flanked by a stripe on one side and a solid on the other. 

The fourth row continues the alternating pattern of stripes and solids, while the fifth row requires solid and striped balls in opposite corners, with the middle three balls being placed randomly.

8-ball game table setup

2. 9-Ball Pool Setup

For players wondering how many balls in pool are used in 9-Ball, the game uses 10 balls total, with nine numbered balls plus the white cue ball. 

The setup follows a diamond formation, which is more compact than Eight-Ball's triangle to make it operate faster. The 1-ball must always be positioned at the apex, while the 9-ball takes the center position in the third row. 

The remaining balls are arranged randomly within the diamond shape, but they must form a tight rack for a proper break. 

9-Ball pool set up in a diamond rack. Source: Amazon

3. Snooker Setup

When considering how many pool balls are there in snooker, you're working with the largest set of 22 balls. 

The setup is more complex than that of other pool games. It starts with 15 red balls arranged in a triangle below the marker. 

The pink ball is on the marker near the red apex, while the black ball is positioned behind the reds with a gap the size of a baseball. 

The remaining colored balls form a distinctive "kite" pattern: the brown ball centers on the baulk (or balk) line, with yellow to its left and green to its right, while the blue ball sits in the table's middle.

The cue ball is placed in the "D" area above the brown ball.

Snooker pool table set up with 22 balls. Source: Decathlon

4. Straight Pool Setup

For those asking how many balls on a pool table of straight pool, it uses the standard 16-ball set identical to an 8-ball game. 

However, the racking follows a more traditional pattern: solid and striped balls are mixed throughout the rack, with no specific placement required except that the back corner balls must be of different types (one stripe, one solid). 

The apex ball can be any numbered ball, and the 8-ball doesn't need to be placed in the center.

Straight pool set up is similar to 8 ball but with different game rules. Source: Reddit

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many balls are in a typical pool game?

A typical pool game (8-ball) has 16 balls total: 15 numbered balls plus one white cue ball. This includes seven solid-colored balls (1-7), seven striped balls (9-15), and one black 8-ball. 

2. Are there any pool games that use more than 16 balls?

Yes, snooker uses more balls than a standard pool, with a total of 22 balls on the table, including 15 red balls, 6 colored balls (black, pink, blue, brown, green, and yellow), and 1 white cue ball.

3. What are the different ball types used in various pool games?

Different pool games use distinct ball types. Standard 8-ball uses 16 balls total: one white cue ball, seven solid-colored balls (1-7), seven striped balls (9-15), and the black 8-ball. Nine-ball uses 10 balls (nine numbered plus a cue ball), while Snooker has 22 balls (15 red, 6 colored, and a cue ball).

4. How do the balls in snooker differ from pool?

Snooker balls are smaller than pool balls (2.07 inches vs 2.25 inches), and there are more of them (22 vs 16). Instead of numbers and stripes, snooker uses a color-based system with 15 red balls worth 1 point each ansix 6 different colored balls worth 2-7 points, plus a white cue ball.