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  • Dates: Saturday, 20 April 2024 until Monday, 6 May 2024
  • Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
  • Event: World Snooker Championship

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The World Snooker Championship

The World Snooker Championship is the longest-running and most prestigious tournament in professional snooker. It is also the most lucrative, with prize money totalling £2,395,000 in 2023, with of £500,000 of that reserved for the winner. Held for the first time in 1927, it is now one of the three tournaments (together with the UK Championship and the invitational Masters) that make up snooker’s Triple Crown Series. The current world champion is the Belgian Luca Brecel.

World Snooker Championship 2024

The World Championship takes place from Saturday, 20 April 2024 until Monday, 6 May 2024 at the Crucible in Sheffield.

The current length format of matches per round is as follows. The first round is played over best of 19 frames, played over two sessions. The second round and quarter-finals are the best of 25 frames played over three sessions; while the semi-finals and final are played over four sessions, the semi-finals being best of 33 frames and the final being best of 35 frames.   Great mental strength is required to succeed at this tournament.

World Snooker Championship 2024: Latest odds

Bet UK Odds May 3Bet UK Odds April 30Bet UK Odds April 29Bet UK Odds April 25
Kyren Wilson6/57/18/112/1
Stuart Bingham9/428/118/128/1
David Gilbert5/110/140/140/1
Jak Jones13/240/180/166/1
Odds, from BetUK, correct as of 03.05.24, 9:00. Odds subject to change.

After the shock exits of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump in the quarter-finals the new favourite is Kyren Wilson, ahead of Stuart Bingham.

Prediction:

Kyren Wilson to win.

World Snooker Championship 2024: Main Contenders

World number one Ronnie O’Sullivan is the favourite to win in Sheffield. It would take O’Sullivan, 48, to eight titles, which would be a record for the modern era (from 1969). O’Sullivan has already secured the two other major titles this season, the UK Championships and the Masters. The “Rocket” is currently 3/1 with BetUK to win.

At 48 years old he is showing little sign of slowing down and, if anything, appears to be playing better than ever. Such is his longevity he is both the youngest and oldest champion in a number of tournaments. He is the oldest winner of all three triple crown evenand is the oldest and youngest winner of the Masters and the UK Championships.

O’Sullivan appears to be being more selective with the tournaments he plays in, ensuring that he is in top condition for the ones which matter to him. And so far this season, that policy appears to be paying dividends.

Last year, O’Sullivan went out in the quarter finals to eventual champion Luca Brecel. Brecel is 18/1 to retain his title. At the 2022 World Championship, “The Rocket” made his 30th Crucible appearance, equalling Steve Davis’s record. He defeated Judd Trump 18–13 in the final to win his seventh world title, equalling Stephen Hendry for the most world titles in the modern era. At 46 years and 148 days, he became the oldest world champion in snooker history, surpassing Ray Reardon, who was 45 years and 203 days when he won his last title in 1978.  O’Sullivan also surpassed Hendry’s record of 70 Crucible wins, setting a new record of 74.

 Judd Trump, world champion in 2019 won the Masters last season and will be looking to add another world title in Sheffield.

Third favourite Mark Selby, the 2021 world champion could be in the mix. Mark Allen cannot be discounted, nor can Shaun Murphy, Mark Williams, Neil Robertson or defending champion Brecel

Seven-time Champion Stephen Hendry will play in the qualifying tournament, as will arguably the greatest player never to win the World Championship, Jimmy White. “The Whirlwind” , 61, is hopeful of making another Crucible appearance.

World Snooker Championship 2024: Pre-tournament odds

Bet UK Odds
Ronnie O’Sullivan5/2
Judd Trump4/1
Mark Selby8/1
Mark Allen12/1
Mark Williams14/1
Neil Robertson16/1
Luca Brecel20/1
John Higgins22/1
Ding Junhui22/1
Shaun Murphy22/1
Ali Carter28/1
Kyren Wilson28/1
Anda Zang28/1
Gary Wilson33/1
Barry Hawkins33/1
Odds, from BetUK, correct as of 13.04.24, 22:00. Odds subject to change.

World Snooker Championship: Seeding

The seeding for the World Snooker Championship is as follows:

SeedPlayer
1Luca Brecel
2Ronnie O’Sullivan
3Judd Trump
4Mark Allen
5Mark Selby
6Mark Williams
7Ding Junhui
8Shaun Murphy
9Ali Carter
10Gary Wilson
11Zhang Anda
12Kyren Wilson
13John Higgins
14Tom Ford
15Barry Hawkins
16Robert Milkins

When is Ronnie O’Sullivan scheduled to start at the World Snooker Championships?

Reigning World champion Brecel begins his title defence on Saturday April 20 at 10:00 BST. Trump is also in action on the opening Saturday. O’Sullivan does not start until Wednesday April 24.
If the seeds get through, O’Sullivan would face Hawkins in the second round, Ding in the quarter-finals and Trump in the semi-finals. Brecel and Allen are, in theory, scheduled to meet in the semi-final.

World Snooker Championship: First Round Draw

The first round draw is as follows:

Luca Brecel v David Gilbert

Robert Milkins v Pang Junxu

Carter v Stephen Maguire

Shaun Murphy v Lyu Haotian

Mark Selby v Joe O’Connor

Kyren Wilson v Dominic Dale

John Higgins v Jamie Jones

Mark Allen v Robbie Williams

Judd Trump v Hossein Vafaei

Tom Ford v Ricky Walden

Zhang Anda v Jak Jones

Mark Williams v Si Jiahui

Ding Junhui v Jack Lisowski

Gary Wilson v Stuart Bingham

Barry Hawkins v Ryan Day

Ronnie O’Sullivan v Jackson Page

World Snooker Championship: Prize money

The prize money at the World Snooker Championship is as follows:

The winner will receive £500,000.

For the runner-up, there is the consolation of £200,000.

Semi-finalists earn £100,000 and quarter-finalists £50,000.

Players knocked out in the first round collect £20,000, while £30,00 goes to players beaten in the last 16.

Crucible 147 maximum breaks

Any player scoring a 147 maximum break at the Crucible will earn £40,000, and the highest televised break comes with the reward of £15,000.

Position/RoundPrize Money
Winner£500,000.
Runners-up£200,000.
Semi-finals£100,000.
Quarter-finals£50,000.
Round of 16£30,000
First Round£20,000
147 Break£40,000
Highest televised break£15,000

147s at the World Snooker Championship

Only 14 maximum breaks have been made at the World Snooker Championship.

In 2023 Kyren Wilson made one in the opening round and Mark Selby became the first player to make a 147 in the final. The first 147 at the tournament was made by Cliff Thorburn. O’Sullivan and Hendry have made three maximums, with Jimmy White, Mark Williams, Ali Carter, John Higgins and Neil Robertson the only players to have achieved this.

World Snooker Championship: Tournament format

The format 

of the World Snooker Championship is as follows:

RoundFrames and Sessions
First RoundBest of 19 frames, two sessions
Second RoundBest of 25 frames, three sessions
Quarter-finalsBest of 25 frames, three sessions
Semi-finalsBest of 33 frames, four sessions
FinalBest of 35 frames, four sessions, May 5 and 6

The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

The World Snooker Championship has been held at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield since 1977, with John Spencer defeating defending champion Ray Reardon in the final.

World Snooker Championship History

The World Snooker Championship has a rich history. We bring you a list of past winners and a list of the players who have won the most titles.

World Snooker Championship: Past Winners

YearWinner
2023Luca Brecel
2022Ronnie O’Sullivan
2021Mark Selby
2020Ronnie O’Sullivan
2019Judd Trump
2018Mark Williams
2017Mark Selby
2016Mark Selby
2015Stuart Bingham
2014Mark Selby
2013Ronnie O’Sullivan
2012Ronnie O’Sullivan
2011John Higgins
2010Neil Robertson
2009John Higgins
2008Ronnie O’Sullivan

World Snooker Championship: Most Titles

Joe Davis15
Fred Davis8
John Pulman8
Stephen Hendry7
Ronnie O’Sullivan7
Steve Davis6
Ray Reardon6
John Higgins4
Mark Selby4

Pre Tournament Prediction

If O’Sullivan is in the type of form which he has demonstrated this season, especially at the Masters and the UK Championship, then it will be hugely difficult to stop him adding an eighth title. However, it has to be remembered that there are a number of other players who are consistently producing a high standard of snooker. Judd Trump is a major threat to O’Sullivan and the talented Luca Brecel is capable of beating anybody on his day and could be a good each-way bet at 18/1.

We think that O’Sullivan, who is managing his tournament load really well and is more adept than ever at making it count on the big occasion, will make more history by securing his eighth title.

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Chris

Chris is a former athlete and a qualified PE teacher. He is a keen football fan, watching many matches at different levels throughout the season, and enjoys following many different sports. With betting and sports sites, he has a keen eye for detail and can to highlight positives and negatives for users. His experience in sport as a performer, teacher, writer and fan allows him to see things from many different perspectives.

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