An official top-quality table tennis ball typically carries three stars.
Star markings are used commercially to indicate the intended quality level of table tennis balls. Three-star balls are the standard choice for serious training, tournaments and official competition because they are manufactured to tighter specifications than lower-rated recreational balls.
The stars are not a scoring system and do not indicate how many points a ball is worth. One-star and two-star balls are commonly sold for casual play, while three-star balls are associated with competition-grade consistency.
Since the 2010s, approved competition balls have been made from plastic rather than celluloid. The familiar three-star label still refers to quality classification, not the ball’s material. Players should also check whether a ball is approved under current federation rules.