Guides
How to open a billiards club: costs, tables, rates
A billiards club starts with tables and lighting, but revenue is table-hours sold. Format choice, peak pricing and never losing a booking drive daily income. This guide covers opening budget and day-to-day operations.
Format: pool, russian, snooker
Pool tables suit the widest audience; russian billiards and snooker need dedicated space and often higher rates.
- Pool (8/9 ball) — mainstream
- Russian billiards — larger table
- Snooker — long table, fewer units, premium rate
Space and layout
Each table needs cue swing room and walk paths — often 25–35 m² per pool table including circulation.
- 1.2–1.5 m clearance between tables
- Pendant lights over beds
- Sound control if residential neighbours
Equipment and budget
Table quality retains players; spare cues and ball sets matter. Many clubs start with 4–6 pool tables.
- Tables, lights, balls, cues
- Scoreboard or digital timer display
- Bar fridge and coffee setup
- Front desk tablet and terminal
Hourly rates and peak hours
Price against local clubs, table tier and rent. Evenings and weekends peak; daytime discounts fill gaps.
- Day vs evening rate
- Weekend surcharge
- Hourly and 2–3 hour packages
- Event nights
Table booking
Lost phone bookings leave tables empty. Log table, time and name; convert booking to live session on arrival.
Bar, time tracking and shifts
Bar on the same bill as table time keeps the till honest. Track each table and cash shift open/close.
Heselo billiards from 18 USD/month — table schedule, session, bar and cash shift.
FAQ overview
Detailed answers below.