Why is the game pool called pool?

Answer 1

Pocket billiards is very often called pool. The reason is simple...back in the day, circa turn of the century, rooms for betting on the horses were extremely prevalent.

The horse betting pools were such that these rooms were called pool rooms for short. Because pocket billiards became so popular with men of the day, pocket billiards tables were installed in most of these "horse betting pool" rooms.

Rapidly.."pool room" became known as a room with pocket billiard tables in it, and the pocket billiard game itself took on the misnomer.."pool".

Answer 2

Pocket billiards is also called pool. There are different stories that describe why, but they all relate to the fact that pocket billiards and gambling went together dating back to at least 1700. In the US, the horse racing betting and billiard halls went together and some tie the term "pool" to these betting halls. There is no record of when pocket billiards really began being called pool. However, documents indicate it was not called pool prior to 1835 and it was called pool by 1920.

Answer 3

Pool means a collective bet. So many games such as poker involve a pool but it was pocket billiards that the name became attached to. Poolroom means a place where pool is played.

Answer 4

the used to pool there money when playing billiards