Billiards and snooker are two very similar games. Both involve using pool cues to pocket different colored pool balls on the table. Both require different billiards supplies, they are two player games that involve shooting free kicks and require skill in aiming and focus. However, they are completely different when it comes to the details.
Snooker is a thoughtful and slow game that requires patience. A painting can last an average of an hour. The table is much larger than the pool table: two meters wide and one meter long. Due to the size of the table, building breaks (ie an uninterrupted series of making shots) is very difficult. It requires a great deal of planning. Snooker players need to be adept at using the spin of billiard balls so that they can play the shot in such a way that they end up positioning the cue ball for the next shot. Billiard balls are generally hit softly and not hit against the table. Scoring is based on the balls, each of which has a different value.
Pool tables, on the other hand, are smaller: one meter long and less than one meter wide. The pockets are larger and the pool table felt used is much thicker (and therefore requires more force while playing). Here the rules are less strict and the pace is faster. You also don’t need gadgets like the spider, which allows for shots that are too far away for the average human to reach. There is no punctuation as such; the person who finishes and pockets the black ball first wins.
In a friendly, non-competitive environment, it’s easy to see why billiards has become more popular than snooker. For one, it takes a lot longer to play billiards than billiards. Two good pool players can clear a pool table in 5-10 minutes. That is not the case with billiards.
Snooker is also more difficult and therefore never quite caught up with its popularity among players in general. In terms of excitement, billiards also gets an edge here. Due to the length of the game, players tend to enjoy it much more. Pool is also a good spectator sport for this reason.
Pool halls and bars also play an important role in this. At various times, pool halls have sprung up in various locations around the world. They proved to be profitable businesses for the entrepreneurs and people frequented these places as they had a fun sport involved in the social process. Remember: billiards was originally a gambling game, and got its name because players and bettors ‘pooled’ their money at the table.
Ultimately, both games have their pros and cons in their respective fields. However, it is clear why billiards has gained popularity.