Pool Payday Game Review [2025]: Keep Your Eye on the Ball To Win Money

What is Pool Payday?

Pool Payday: 8 Ball Billiards is an app available on the App Store and Galaxy Store that transforms your in-person pool hall experience into a virtual, online version. It was created by Hidden Pixel Games, LLC, a company launched in 2017, and Pool Payday was released soon after.

With Pool Payday, you can earn real cash by competing in virtual tournaments with other players. Your real-life pool skills might come in handy in the app version, whether you want to play just for fun or put a little cash on the line.

Game	4.3 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.
Gaming platform	Skillz
Compatible systems	iOS, Samsung
Minimum entry fee (for cash tournaments)	$0.60
Minimum cash deposit	$5
Minimum withdrawal amount	$0
Withdrawal methods	Mailed paper check for U.S. players (or as a refund to your original payment method)
States that prohibit cash tournaments	Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee
Tournament types	Offline and practice (free) Head-to-head Brackets Events Matches Leagues

Who is Pool Payday best for?

I recommend Pool Payday to anyone who is already a fan of online pool games and wants to improve their skills. You'll need to be comfortable spending a little upfront to compete in cash tournaments. Pool Payday also offers real-time matches and leagues for experienced players. 

If you love the thrill of competition and are OK with spending a little money to compete (and potentially losing it), Pool Payday may be right for you.

Who is Pool Payday not right for?

This may go without saying, but if you're not a fan of online pool games, you may want to branch out to other cash tournament games like Solitaire Cash or Bingo Cash. 

Solitaire Cash is similar to Solitaire, but a little more high-stakes with timed tournaments, and you're also competing against other people. Bingo Cash has nearly identical rules to Bingo with a more colorful, easy-to-use interface. Solitaire Cash and Bingo Cash allow you to withdraw your funds via PayPal or as a refund to your original payment method.

4.6

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Earn Up to $396 Every Time You Win

Easy app layout, exciting challenges, and multiple entry fee options.

Download Solitaire Cash

4.8

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Earn Up to $396 Every Time You Win

Right now you could 13X your money — add $10 and get a $5 bonus to use towards tournaments.

Download Bingo Cash

Is Pool Payday legit?

Pool Payday is a legitimate mobile game on the Skillz games platform, which connects online players through social competition. Skillz hosts billions of online tournaments for millions of players worldwide and offers millions in prizes each month. Other popular games that use Skillz include Dominoes Gold, Blackout Bingo, and Solitaire Cube.

Pool Payday has over 90,000 ratings and reviews on the App Store and an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. The app is also available in the Galaxy Store with over 1,800 reviews and an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Reviews describe Pool Payday as a "great app" and "great game."

How does Pool Payday work?

Once you've created a Pool Payday account, you can play games using Z coins (the in-game currency) or your cash balance. You automatically start with a certain number of Z coins, and you can earn more by winning games, earning trophies, and claiming daily rewards. You can unlock unlimited play if you earn enough and keep winning.

Scoring higher than your opponent is the typical route to winning Pool Payday. The scoring generally follows normal rules of pool, like hitting the correct balls into the pockets, though there are variations in scoring methods depending on the game mode you're playing.

Want to earn bonus points? Learn to use some of the game's key features, such as trick shots, pocket calling (naming the pocket before your shot), expert ball positioning, and higher speed. If you fail to pocket a ball or scratch (pocket the cue ball), you lose one of your three starting cue balls. Once you run out of cue balls, pocket all the balls, or the time runs out, the game ends.

Playing games with Z coins won't directly earn you real money, but you can win tickets, which you can trade for prizes through the Skillz Rewards store. Prizes include bonus cash, gift cards, electronics, and apparel. Trading your tickets for bonus cash puts money in your cash balance. You can participate in cash games to win real money if your balance is high enough.

Types of game modes in Pool Payday

Real-time or turn-based

You can choose to play in real-time pool game mode, which means, well, you're taking turns in real time against an opponent. Your goal is to score the most points.

Offline mode

The other choice is to play in Offline mode, which means you don't need to wait for your opponent. You're simply trying to get the highest score possible, without pausing to let the other person play. Again, the highest score wins.

Practice

You can play against one player of a comparable skill level. Z coins get you in to play practice games to get the hang of the app.

Head-to-head

This version pits you against another player, but there's a cash entry requirement. You could win cash, tickets, or league medals.

Brackets

In bracket gameplay, you go against multiple players. A cash entry is required, and again you can win cash or tickets or league medals.

Events

Looking for something even more competitive? Try a bigger multiplayer event in Pool Payday. Again, there's a cash entry requirement. Events are usually timed, and you may be able to enter more than once to try to improve your score. The total prize pool is divided among top-scoring participants and typically includes cash and tickets.

Real-time matches

In a live, turn-based match, you can see how your billiards skills stack up against another competitor. You can choose between 8-ball pool or trick shot pool. You also get to select either Z coin or cash entry requirements.

Leagues

If you get enough game-playing experience in Pool Payday, you can be entered into Leagues, a timed prize pool. Win games to earn medals; the more medals won, the higher your League ranking (and the higher your potential payout).

Game play in Leagues may be in either Practice or Pro categories, and there's also a division based on whether you want to play using actual cash or Z coins.

Who can use Pool Payday?

Pool Payday isn't for everyone. Because it allows users to deposit real money, Pool Payday is rated for individuals 17 or older by the App Store. Plus, Skillz requires players to be 18 or older to compete.

The app is available on iOS devices, including iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices running iOS 12.0 or later. Users with certain Android devices can also download the game through the Galaxy Store. If using Apple Vision, you'll need visionOS 1.0 at minimum.

Competing in online cash tournaments isn't legal everywhere. If you live in one of the following states, you're ineligible for cash play but can play free versions of Pool Payday:

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Montana
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee

Pool Payday is free to play, but it offers real-money options if you want to participate quickly in cash games and try to win real cash.

However, if you enjoy playing pool and have time to spare, Pool Payday could be a fun way to win real money. Keep in mind that even though it's a virtual pool game, actual pool skills and knowledge might come in handy.

How much can you earn with Pool Payday?

Like other game apps, Pool Payday rewards you if you can win your matches against other players, refer other players, or use a promo code. As with any form of gaming with real money, there's always a risk you might actually lose any money you put up. So be sure you only risk what you can afford to lose; other than that factor, make sure you're having fun.

You won't risk losing any money if you only play the free game mode using Z coins rather than cash. However, it will take longer to earn enough tickets you can trade for bonus cash that will allow you to participate in cash games.

For example, you might earn two tickets for winning a Z coin game that takes you three minutes to play. You will then need 20,000 tickets to trade for $1 of bonus cash. That's 10,000 games you'd have to win to earn enough tickets for that trade and around 30,000 minutes (500 hours) of play time. 

Alternatively, you could deposit some of your own money and immediately start playing in cash games. It typically requires about 60 cents to play in the least expensive cash mode, and the winning prize is typically $1. You could try more expensive game modes — such as paying $3 for the possibility of winning $8 — or entering an event for $1 where the prize pool might be $700 or more, and the player with the highest score could win more than $150. However, we don't necessarily recommend this unless you're really confident in your skills since you're more likely to lose your money.

How to withdraw cash

To withdraw your cash balance, simply select the "Withdraw" option from the in-game menu. This option only shows up once you've registered your account as a new player.

If you've deposited any money into your account, withdrawing money automatically reverts to the payment method you used for your deposit, including a credit card or PayPal. After that amount, U.S. players will be issued a paper check, whereas players in other locations will receive payment by PayPal.

If Pool Payday doesn't seem like it would be the right fit for you, you might find other leisure-like activities that make money on our list of the best side hustles. If you prefer games with different payout options, you can also check out some of the best games for earning Amazon gift cards.

How to get started with Pool Payday

1. Download Pool Payday from the App Store or Galaxy Store

2. Open the app and select "Play"

3. Choose an avatar and enter a username

4. Play a few practice games in the tutorial

5. Once you're able to navigate the menu, select "Account" and then "Save Account" to create your account

6. Enter your date of birth and other information to register your account

7. Select a game mode to start playing the game

Pool Payday alternatives

Are you intrigued by the mobile gaming idea but not so much by Pool Payday itself? There are other gaming apps to choose from if you want to learn how to make money in your spare time.

Scrambly

If you don't want to pay to play games, you don't have to. Cash rewards platforms like Scrambly will pay you just to try and spend time playing games, and this particular platform is one of the best we've tested when it comes to game variety and payout options. There are all sorts of games to try on Scrambly, from classics like Scrabble and Solitaire to non-skill casual and simulation games. You can even get paid to take surveys. It's available for iOS and Android devices (through Google Play), but there isn't an Apple app. Instead, you'll open it through your browser and scan a QR code to install games that are compatible with your phone. 

Download Scrambly | Learn more in our Scrambly review.

Blackout Bingo

Another game on the Skillz platform we recommend is Blackout Bingo, a fast-paced bingo game that also centers on tournament-style gaming. This one is available for iOS and Samsung devices, and you might consider it over Pool Payday if you're not that great at pool or just want something that requires a little less skill. Like Pool Payday, Blackout Bingo offers a lot of different modes and game styles, and we've found that we can earn more by strategizing between modes.

Download Blackout Bingo | Learn more in our Blackout Bingo review.

Freecash

If you're a gaming addict but you're not sure you're a strong enough pool player for Pool Payday, consider Freecash. Like Scrambly, you can earn real money by testing apps, playing games, and answering surveys. Freecash will place you into Lite mode or Advanced mode based on where you live. You'll have the opportunity to earn more in Advanced mode, but we still got a $5 sign-on bonus when we were placed in Lite mode. It also offers a variety of payout methods, including PayPal, bank transfers, and gift cards. Freecash is available as an Android app on Google Play, or you can access it through a web browser on another device or desktop.

Freecash offers pool games, if that's what you're into, but it also provides a wide variety of more relaxed, non-competitive games if you want to avoid tournament-style, paid competitions from a game like Pool Payday or Blackout Bingo.

Download Freecash | Learn more in our Freecash review.

FAQs