- 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 April 30 | Bet UK Odds April 29 | Bet UK Odds April 25 | |
| Ronnie O’Sullivan | 6/5 | 13/10 | 13/8 |
| Judd Trump | 5/2 | 5/2 | 10/3 |
| Kyren Wilson | 7/1 | 8/1 | 12/1 |
| John Higgins | 8/1 | 33/1 | 18/1 |
| David Gilbert | 10/1 | 18/1 | 28/1 |
| Stuart Bingham | 28/1 | 40/1 | 40/1 |
| Stephen Maguire | 33/1 | 18/1 | 40/1 |
| Jak Jones | 40/1 | 80/1 | 66/1 |
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 events and 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’Sullivan | 5/2 |
| Judd Trump | 4/1 |
| Mark Selby | 8/1 |
| Mark Allen | 12/1 |
| Mark Williams | 14/1 |
| Neil Robertson | 16/1 |
| Luca Brecel | 20/1 |
| John Higgins | 22/1 |
| Ding Junhui | 22/1 |
| Shaun Murphy | 22/1 |
| Ali Carter | 28/1 |
| Kyren Wilson | 28/1 |
| Anda Zang | 28/1 |
| Gary Wilson | 33/1 |
| Barry Hawkins | 33/1 |
World Snooker Championship: Seeding
The seeding for the World Snooker Championship is as follows:
| Seed | Player |
| 1 | Luca Brecel |
| 2 | Ronnie O’Sullivan |
| 3 | Judd Trump |
| 4 | Mark Allen |
| 5 | Mark Selby |
| 6 | Mark Williams |
| 7 | Ding Junhui |
| 8 | Shaun Murphy |
| 9 | Ali Carter |
| 10 | Gary Wilson |
| 11 | Zhang Anda |
| 12 | Kyren Wilson |
| 13 | John Higgins |
| 14 | Tom Ford |
| 15 | Barry Hawkins |
| 16 | Robert 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/Round | Prize 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:
| Round | Frames and Sessions |
| First Round | Best of 19 frames, two sessions |
| Second Round | Best of 25 frames, three sessions |
| Quarter-finals | Best of 25 frames, three sessions |
| Semi-finals | Best of 33 frames, four sessions |
| Final | Best 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
| Year | Winner |
| 2023 | Luca Brecel |
| 2022 | Ronnie O’Sullivan |
| 2021 | Mark Selby |
| 2020 | Ronnie O’Sullivan |
| 2019 | Judd Trump |
| 2018 | Mark Williams |
| 2017 | Mark Selby |
| 2016 | Mark Selby |
| 2015 | Stuart Bingham |
| 2014 | Mark Selby |
| 2013 | Ronnie O’Sullivan |
| 2012 | Ronnie O’Sullivan |
| 2011 | John Higgins |
| 2010 | Neil Robertson |
| 2009 | John Higgins |
| 2008 | Ronnie O’Sullivan |
World Snooker Championship: Most Titles
| Joe Davis | 15 |
| Fred Davis | 8 |
| John Pulman | 8 |
| Stephen Hendry | 7 |
| Ronnie O’Sullivan | 7 |
| Steve Davis | 6 |
| Ray Reardon | 6 |
| John Higgins | 4 |
| Mark Selby | 4 |
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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