The World Snooker Championship is the longest-running and most coveted prize in snooker, as well as the most lucrative with total prize money in 2023 of £2,395,000, including £500,000 for the winner.
First held in 1927 and won by Joe Davis it is one of three tournaments along with the UK Championship and Masters that make up Snooker’s Triple Crown Series. The reigning champion is Kyren Wilson who defeated Jak Jones 18–14 during last year’s final.
Can Kyren Wilson overcome the Crucible Curse and land his second World Championship title? Will we have a repeat winner or will a new name rise to the top of the snooker stratosphere? This year promises to be one of the most open World Championships to date and we’ve got you covered with a full preview of the event along with a Best Bet.
When is the World Snooker Championship?
The World Championship takes place from April 20th – May 6th at the Crucible in Sheffield.
Where will it be available to watch?
BBC, TNT Sport and Discovery +
What is the format of the tournament?
The 16 top-ranked players in the world will be joined by the 16 players that come through the 128-person qualifiers in the competition's first round.
What is the tournament schedule?
- April 19th-24th: Round 1
- April 25th-30th: Round 2
- April 30th: Quarter Finals
- May 1st-3rd Semi-Finals
- May 4th-5th: Final
World Snooker Championship Favourites
Judd Trump - 4/6
Judd Trump is priced as the 4/6 favourite to win his second World Championship title suggesting a 60% chance of success.
The current World Number (1) is a serial tour title winner with30 Ranking Event victories since debuting on tour in 2005 a tally only bettered by Ronnie O’Sullivan (41), Stephen Hendry (36)and John Higgins (33) including 6 Major Victories.
Judd is having another flying season these last 12 months with victories in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, The UK Championship and The Shanghai Masters. He was also a beaten finalist at the Grand Prix, Northern Ireland Open and The Players Championship along with 4 semi-final and 5 quarter-final finishes. The Juggernaut was knocked out 9-13 by Jak Jones at last seasons event
He opened his 2025 tournament with a convincing 10-4 victory over Zhou Yuelong before overcoming potential banana skin Shaun Murphy 10-13 in the Last 16.
For his Quarter-Final he was drawn against 2023 World Champion Luca Brecel but ran out a comfortable winner again winning in a 8-13 scoreline to book his place in the semi-final against Mark Williams who he currently leads 5-3.
Judd Trump to win - 4/6
Zhao Xintong - 7/4
The second favourite for The World Championship is Zhao Xintong with odds of 7/4 suggesting a 36.4% chance of him winning his first World Championship title.
The most controversial story of the Snooker World, Zhao Xintong was a rising star on the tour for several years before the 2021/22 season where he finally realised what many considered as his potential breaking into the Top-16 for the first-time and winning both the UK Championship and the German Masters.
However, what transpired later left a permanent black mark to his name when Zhao was one of a number of Chinese players to be banned from competing due to match fixing. He was given a 20-month ban until 1 September 2024, but was not docked any results or prize money. He returned to the tour when his suspension came to an end on the 1st of September 2024.
Zhao begun his World Championship journey in the qualifiers when he beat Cheng Ka Wai 3-10, Lou Zehuang 8-10 , Lyu Haotian 4-10 and Elliot Slessor 8-10 to reach the tournament.
He opened Round 1 of the tournament with a 4-10 win over Jak Jones and then overcame fellow compatriot Lei Peifan 10-13 in Round 2. In the Quarter-Final came his best performance since the first round with a comprehensive showing 13-5 over Chris Wakelin to book a blockbuster semi-final against Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Following a 4-4 stalmate in the opening 8 frames, he's since reeled off a sensational 8 successive frames to currently lead 12-4 and firmly establish himself as a major player in this tournament if he wasn't already.
Zhao Xintong to win - 7/4
Mark Williams - 12/1
The third Favourite for this year's World Championship is three -time winner of the event Mark Williams (2000, 2003 and 2018) with odds of 12/1 suggesting a 7.7% chance of success.
The Welshman is a member of the famous “Class of 92” and has a career record which has seen him win 26 ranking titles which is only less than the totals of Ronnie O’Sullivan (41), Stephen Hendry (36). John Higgins (33), Judd Trump (30) and Steve Davis (28) and is currently ranked as World Number (6).
Mark entered this tournament in mixed form, though this season he won the Champion of Champions, was runner-up in the Saudi Arabia Masters, a semi-finalist at the Riyadh Snooker Championship and was a quarter-finalist at the Northern Ireland Open and Players Championship. The majority of his performances consisted of early exits in the first or second round of events.
At last year’s event, he knocked out by Si Jiahui 9-10 in the first round.
He opened his tournament this year with a 10-8 win over Wu Yize before overcoming Hossein Vafaei in a 10-13 effort to book an all star "Class of 92" Quarter-Final against John Higgins who he defeated in a 12-13 thriller.
Williams currently trails Trump 3-5 in their semi-final but at odds of 12/1 still represents a value play in the market.
Mark Williams to win - 12/1
Ronnie O’Sullivan - 22/1
The fourth favourite for The World Championship is Ronnie O’Sullivan with odds of 22/1 suggesting a 4.3% chance of him winning his 8th World Championship title.
Following a complex year off the table for The Rocket which has seen him withdraw from 9 tournaments including the 2025 Masters, it’s seen him fall down the World Snooker rankings to 5th behind Trump, Wilson, Higgins and Selby. Despite early exits in several tournaments, he did reach the semi-final of the Grand Prix, Shanghai Masters and the Riyadh Snooker Championship and a quarter-final in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters.
While plenty can be questioned when it comes to O’Sullivan his legacy since debuting in 1992 is unrivalled winning 41 Ranking Titles and is widely considered one of the greatest (if not the greatest) to pick up a cue. Last year he was knocked out at the Quarter-Final stage 13-10 against Stuart Bingham.
Ronnie overcame former rival Ali Carter 10-4 comfortably in the first round before another comfortable showing to win 13-4 against Pang Junxu in the Round of 16. In the Quarter-Final he made light work of Si Jiahui winning 13-9.
However, he now needs every ounce of his ability along with some luck if he's to overcome his 12-4 deficit to Zhao Xintong
Ronnie O'Sullivan to win - 9/4
Best Bet: Winning Nationality China - 4/1 (Start of the Tournament)
Ahead of what could be one of the most open World Championships I’m backing one of the 10 Chinese entrants (4 Seeds + 6 Qualifiers) to win China’s first World Snooker Championship title at odds of 4/1 suggesting a 20% chance of the event occurring.
The simple numbers of the event mean that their total of 10 entrants makes up a staggering 31% of players that’s before mentioning the quality of these players.
Snooker has become somewhat of a religion with its popularity in the country, with millions of fans and top players like Ding Junhui dominating. Major events in Beijing and Shanghai draw huge crowds, fueled by TV coverage and growing middle-class interest.
It’s a matter of WHEN and not IF China has a winner of the event and with Zhao Xintong’s controversial return, Ding who has long been tipped as a winner and the in-form Xiao Guodong leading the charge 2025 could be the year we finally get a Chinese winner of the event.
Update***
At the Quarter-Final stage of the competition we've now 2/8 participants still of Chinese nationality, Zhao Xintong at odds of 9/2 and the other not mentioned is Si Jiahui at odds of 12/1 who has overcome Dave Gilbert 10-6, Ben Woolaston 13-10 and will now play Ronnie O'Sullivan in the Quarter-Final.
Update***
At the Semi-Final stage we've now four remaining competitors with Zhao Xintong the countries sole representative remaining and with his 12-4 current lead over Ronnie O'Sullivan it looks very likely that in at the very least he will make his first World Championship Final.
Winning Nationality China - 4/1
World Snooker Championships: Past Winners
2024 Kyren Wilson
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
World Snooker Championships: 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)
*Prices are subject to fluctuation.
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