snooker

The 2012 Snooker Masters betting gets underway at the Alexandra Palace in London on Sunday, with Mark Selby looking a good bet to go all of the way. Selby is a two times Masters champion and always puts up a good challenge at the event. Selby has won it twice in the last four years, beating Stephen Lee in 2008 and then Ronnie O’Sullivan in a thriller back in 2009. Selby slipped up in the UK Championship, the last major snooker championship to be played, losing out to Marco Fu in the second round. However, he has a great proven track record here at the event, even though it has moved out of Wembley. He will be one of the strong players to back in 2012 Masters snooker betting, and Selby starts off with a first round match against Stephen Lee. Selby has been in pretty good nick in the early part of the season in the Championship League. Selby goes as third seed for the event and will be pretty happy with the draw laid out ahead of him. His biggest challenge would likely come in the semi finals, where a meeting with John Higgins would be on the cards. It is likely that Selby will have to go through Shaun Murphy in the second round to set up a clash with Higgins.

Scot Higgins was another one who failed badly at the UK Championship, but he is also a two times winner of the Masters. He has not won it since 2006 though, and after four first round exits in the last four years, Higgins has not really impressed at the event. He has the composure and potting power of course to cake walk this if he in the right frame of mind, but right now would back Selby in a clash against him for your 2012 Masters Snooker betting. Should some attention should turned to the UK Championship winner Judd Trump. The young Englishman is the rising star of the game and fully lived up to his potential with a great display at Sheffield, beating Ronnie O’Sullivan, Neil Robertson and Mark Allen as he lifted the title. That was a big and very important step forward for Trump and his rise in the game. The young Bristolian now gets a crack at his first Masters tournament in the main part of the draw. He qualified for the Masters once before, winning the qualifying event in the 2007/08 season but lost in the wild card round. So now he heads to the Ally Pally and 2012 Masters snooker betting as one the hot properties in the game. Can he pull off a remarkable victory in his first crack at the Masters. Simply playing well and full of confidence but he is in the tough top part of the draw.

The highlight match of the first round is unquestionably Ding Junhui v Ronnie O’Sullivan. Chinese star Ding Junhui is the defending champion and top seed of the event, beating out Marco Fu easily in last year’s event. He now gets a crack at Ronnie O’Sullivan, which will either be a tough or easy first match to start with. But with Judd Trump, Neil Robertson and Mark Williams all in the top half of the draw, the road back to the final is going to be a tough one for all contenders there. That is really why Mark Selby really looks a good bet, because of being in the easier half of the draw. If O’Sullivan can get through against Ding Junhui, then it could set up a rematch against Judd Trump, a repeat of the UK Championship second round. What of Ronnie O’Sullivan, four times Masters winner? It is no secret that he really hasn’t focused and determined in the past couple of years in the game and with talk of retirement to pursue other interests keeping cropping up. Although The Rocket is the favourite to win with the bookies in the short tournament, it is hard to back him with too much confidence here. We have seen glimpses of his best in the 2011/12 season, but he is not the formidable opponent which he once was. For all his talent, being placed in the top half of the draw looks a tough challenge for him to go all of the way.

2012 Masters Snooker Betting Odds
Ronnie O’Sullivan: 13/2 at SportingBet
Mark Selby: 13/2 at SkyBet
Judd Trump: 13/2 at Totesport
John Higgins: 7/1 at Bet365
Neil Robertson: 10/1 at VC Bet
Mark Williams: 12/1 at Ladbrokes
Ding Junhui: 12/1 at SkyBet
Shaun Murphy: 14/1 at Bet365
Mark Allen: 18/1 at Boylesports
Stephen Maguire: 25/1 at Coral
Graeme Dott: 25/1 at Bet365
Ali Carter: 25/1 at SkyBet
Matthew Stevens: 28/1 at SkyBet
Martin Gould: 40/1 at Stan James
Stephen Lee: 30/1 at BetFred
Stuart Bingham: 50/1 at Boylesports

Online bookmaker William Hill offer a free £25 bet for new customers registering an account with them. The familiar household name in UK Betting will match the value of your first stake on a new account, with a free bet up to the maximum value of £25. This is a great way to get started with the popular bookie, where their great live in play betting service will provide great opportunities for your 2012 Masters snooker betting. Get closer to the action at the event, which concludes on January 22nd with the final.

2011 Snooker World Cup betting is heading towards the quarter final stage with no great surprises turning up so far. The top eight seeds, including the participating home nations, all got through the initial round robin stages, so that is who we are left with at the quarter final stage. We’ll start with a look at Wales, now that they are into their stride, and they managed to top Group A with four wins out of four for their campaign to move comfortably through to the quarter finals. Wales are the top seeds in the tournament, with Mark Williams and Matthew Stevens putting in strong performances to pick up a one hundred percent record in the group stage, beating the Republic of Ireland, Pakistan, Germany and Egypt. All is well with Wales at the moment, and in the round robin group stage, matches were played over the best of five frames, with all frames having to be played, because how ever many frames a nation wins, is how many points they have on the board. Wales racked up 14 points in their four matches, which means that they conceded just six along the way. The Welsh have a very strong partnership going forward, and now they move in a quarter final meeting with Australia. Group B was the only group not involving a home nation, and China pipped Australia to the post on the final round of matches. Both ended up with thirteen points, but China topped the group thanks to winning all four of their matches, while the Aussies won three and lost one. England wrapped up top spot in Group C with a last day 3-2 win over Northern Ireland. That was enough for both nations though as Northern Ireland follow England through in second place. In Group D, second seeds Scotland comfortably negotiated their group with four wins out of four, and it was seventh seeds Hong Kong who just did enough to make their way into second place to complete the line up of all eight seeds in the quarter finals. Let’s take a look at the quarter final draws and Snooker World Cup betting. The knockout stages of the World Cup are played over seven frames, so only if there is a 3-3 tie will a decisive seventh frame be played.

Wales v China Snooker World Cup Semi Final Betting Preview

Well, this is worthy of being the final to be honest. Wales, as top seeds, were fully deserving of their win, and they did the business as expected against Australia. As predicted, former World Champion Neil Robertson’s partner on the Australian side, Steve Mifsud, proved to be the weak link against the powerful Welsh duo of Mark Williams and Matthew Stevens. Mifsud lost both of his singles matches which was a crucial factor in the match. Wales, who went two frames up after the opening singles matches, always looked comfortable enough to get through. Mark Williams really is the strength and backbone in the Welsh side, and if China are going to succeed, then they have to target Matthew Stevens. China crushed the Republic of Ireland 4-1. The only success for the Republic of Ireland, was in the doubles, as Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo raced through for the victory. Wales v China betting really is a top clash here now in the semi finals, and the winner of this encounter will be worth looking at as outright winner in your snooker betting. China are quite dynamic and controlled, especially Ding Junhui showing his class. China will be underdogs, as Wales are top seeds for the tournament. But there is some value in taking China here, as they are fully worthy of pulling off an upset here.
Wales to win: 8/13 at Boylesports
China to win: 6/4 at BetFred

Hong Kong v Northern Ireland Snooker World Cup Semi Final Betting Preview

The quarter finals were full of surprises, and two of the main contenders fell by the wayside. First up, England crashed out in a deciding frame to Hong Kong in the first surprise of the day. This should have been something of a banker for the English duo of Mark Selby and Ali Carter. England looked very strong through the group stage, and seemed confident to take the game to Hong Kong. However, after Selby had lost the opening frame to Marco Fu, Ali Carter managed to pull things back level, before England fell behind after the doubles. Things looked to be on course when Selby and Carter both won their singles to put England 3-2 up. But once again they could not hold up in the doubles, forcing the match to a Captain’s Pick. It was Selby v Fu for the crucial show down, and again just as is in the first frame of the match, Selby lost to Fu. That was a huge boost for Hong Kong, who played as if they had nothing to fear. Scotland, the number two seeds in the tournament, were the day’s biggest casualties though as they lost out to Northern Ireland. We said yesterday in our quarter final previews that if an upset was going to happen, it would most likely be in this match and it was. Just like the England encounter, this one went to a Captain’s Pick to decide the outcome after things were tied at 3-3. That pit Scotland’s John Higgins against Mark Allen. It was the Northern Irishman, who repeated his feat in the first frame of the match, beating Higgins again to send Northern Ireland through. For your Snooker World Cup semi final betting, would stick with Northern Ireland to progress here. They probably just have a little bit more.
Northern Ireland to win: 4/7 at Totesport
Hong Kong to win: 15/8 at SportingBet

2011 Snoooker World Cup Betting Odds Outright Winner

Wales: 13/10 at Victor Chandler
China: 3/1 at Totesport
Northern Ireland: 10/3 at Boylesports
Hong Kong: 10/1 at SportingBet

Quarter Finals

Wales (1) v Australia (5) The Welsh look very good a the moment, but the Aussies do have former world champion Neil Robertson in their duo. Roberston’s performances have been the highlight of the Aussie show, as he has won all of his individual matches in the tournament so far. The Aussies only dropped one match, and that was a crucial 3-2 defeat against group topping China which kept Australia in second spot. That has meant a tougher task now as they take on the top seeds Wales in the quarter finals. Looking at this, Robertson’s partner Steve Mifsud is clearly the weak link in the side, and with the experience and momentum of Mark Williams and Matthew Stevens, you would expect Wales to move ahead here. Wales are just that little more dynamic, with Williams producing some of his classic, wonderful long potting. We haven’t seen the best of Matthew Stevens for a long time, but here he should be a stronger ally to Williams than Mifsud is to Robertson, so we’ll go with Wales to progress here. Result: Wales 4, Australia 2

China (4) v Republic of Ireland (8) China topped their group ahead of Australia, and with young sensation Ding Junhui partnering Liang Wenbo, there is a great deal of potential here. It is quite a dynamic pairing, as well as being able to just hold back when they need to. Masters champion Junhui is of course the star here and China will really look to him to carry the can. They have a great chance to progress here, and that was why it was so important for them to pip Australia to top spot.  The Aussies have to face the top seeds, while China get to play eighth seed Republic of Ireland. Ireland finished as runners up to Wales in group A, with the steady experienced hand of Ken Doherty partnering Fergal O’Brien. It has been a mixed bag of results for the Republic of Ireland so far, who were edged out by Wales 3-2 in their final round robin match. Would definitely look towards China here, because they will be able to get their head down quicker and take the braver, yet more calculated risks. They have the flair to progress, and are the higher seeds so would stick with them. Result: China 4, Republic of Ireland 1

England (3) v Hong Kong (7th) The English duo of Ali Carter and Mark Selby rattled off four wins in Group C to top the Group, but they were pressured hard by Northern Ireland. Still, you would expect England really to press on well here, especially with Mark Selby in this short format of the game. The two times Masters winner is one of the best in the world, and can really press home advantages. Ali Carter has had a solid twelve months as well, and is pretty dependable, putting together some very nice scores. England really should be too strong for Hong Kong, who won two and lost two of their four group matches. Hong Kong, with Marco Fu and Fung Kwok Wai have done alright, but they really are not quite the force that should bring down England, as long as the English are controlled and focused. Hard to see an upset happening here, so back England to progress. Result: England 3, Hong Kong 4

Scotland (2) v Northern Ireland (6) If England do progress, then there could well be a fascinating semi final match against second seed Scotland on the cards. The duo of John Higgins and Stephen Maguire just look all round solid. Yes, there was a momentous upset in Scotland’s group match against Poland, when the powerhouse Higgins was upset by young Pole Kacper Filipiak, who now subsequently is being touted as the next great talent in the world game. Anyway, Scotland won all four of their matches as expected, and the control and pressure which the Scots can exert on opponents is incredible. This is a very strong duo, granted Maguire can be a bit hit and miss, but generally when he is on his game he is one of the toughest competitors in the game. As for Northern Ireland, well, quite like the duo of Mark Allen and Gerard Green. Mark Allen in particular is always a joy to watch and will give the best in the world a run for their money. This is a great match up, and if Greene really digs in, there is potential for an upset here. If there is going to be an upset in the quarter finals, this match has the most potential of producing it. But generally would stick with the favourites Scotland to move ahead, as they are the stronger pairing. Result: Scotland 3, Northern Ireland 4

SportingBet Horse Racing Money Back Special

SportingBet are offering Faller Refunds again this weekend, as your horse racing betting will be focusing on meetings at Ascot, Haydock and Wincanton. There is the Ascot Chase grabbing the headlines, along with the Haydock Trials at Haydock, while the feature race at Wincanton will be the Kingwell Hurdle which should show some potential for the Champion Hurdle. It is a full day of racing on Saturday and you can catch the action live on Channel 4. SportingBet are offering faller refunds on any live race shown on Saturday, on Channel 4, which means that if your horse falls (which includes horses that are unseated or are brought down as well), you will get your lost stake refunded as a free bet from the bookmaker. This applies to race being shown live on Channel 4 only on Saturday, February 19th, and is worth taking the extra bit of coverage by doing your horse racing betting at SportingBet. The stake refund is covered up to a £25 bet, so it is well worth taking advantage of.
Races Covered:
Ascot 1.15, 2.25, 3.00, 3.35
Haydock 2.10, 2.45, 3.20
Wincanton 3.45

SportingBet Snooker Deciding Frame Money Back Special

The Welsh Open heads to the semi final stage on Saturday, and SportingBet are offering you some good coverage on the semi finals and the final itself. The semi’s sees John Higgins (1/2 match winner) v Ali Carter (6/4 match winner) and Mark Selby (8/13 match winner) v Stephen Maguire (6/5 match winner), with Higgins and Selby favourites to reach the final on Sunday. What SportingBet are offering here, is a little bit of coverage should the player you back lose in the most crushing of ways, a deciding frame defeat. So, back a player in any of the remaining matches at the Welsh Open with SportingBet, and if that players loses the match in a deciding frame, SportingBet will refund your lost stake as a free bet. This is great coverage at this tense stage of the ranking event. Expect the matches to be tight and high pressure, and you may as well take some good coverage on the Welsh Open snooker betting with SportingBet. Higgins is favourite at 13/8 to win the tournament outright, as he did last season against Ali Carter in the final. The free bet refund is up to a value of £25 per match, so some great coverage for your snooker betting.

SportingBet FA Cup & Premier League Accumulator Refunds

Yes, it’s time to gun for glory again in the famous old football competition. There are some interesting match ups, with Chelsea v Everton in a 4th round replay, as well as Manchester City facing a rematch against Notts County as well. In the fifth round, there is the dream date for non-league Crawley Town as they head to Old Trafford to face Manchester United. You may famously remember non league Exeter holding United to a 0-0 draw there in 2005. Will Crawley be able to match that, or go one better? Arsenal, who had a massive triumph over Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek, head to face fellow London side Leyton Orient. In the Premier League, there is an important match at the bottom of the table as West Brom v Wolves takes place on Sunday. SportingBet are offering accumulator refunds for any big bet built on the weekend’s FA Cup and Premier League matches. The promotion is this, if your football betting accumulator on these matches loses by just one leg, then SportingBet will refund your lost stake as a free bet (again up to the value of £25). However, the beauty of accumulators is that you can win a lot with a small stake! Build yourself an FA Cup/Premier League football accumulator of five selections or more (at odds of 1.3 or bigger), and the minimum stake must be £5 and you will be covered by this promotion. This is a big chance of big profit, with a little insurance on your side. If just one leg loses on your accumulator, then you will get your free bet.

Matches Covered
Chelsea v Everton
Stoke v Brighton
Birmingham v Sheffield Wednesday
Manchester United v Crawley
Manchester City v Notts County
Leyton Orient v Arsenal
West Ham v Burnley
West Brom v Wolves
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The SportingBet Podcast

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The Snooker season trundles on, and it is back to a full ranking event after the excitement of the Snooker Shoot-Out, which was won by Nigel Bond who rolled back the years. The world’s best are out in Berlin for the 5th German Masters, with one notable name missing from the list. Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the event. World Champions Neil Robertson is also gone from the competition, but at least he took part. The Aussie star suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Scotland’s Andy Hamilton in the first round. Hamilton was sluggish from the start really, and had to fight his way back to level the match at 4-4, but Hamilton produced a fine 116 break in the deciding frame to move ahead. The upset here, was that Hamilton was not in any great form himself, failing to event make it to the main draws of any of the three preceding ranking events this year. So that is O’Sullivan and Hamilton out, so the door should be wide open for anyone to step up and take this title with a strong run in the tournament. Topping the list will be John Higgins now, who picked up the UK Championship on his return to the game after his six month ban. He has looked far more determined and focused than before, and doesn’t seem to be taking things for granted anymore. He seems to have a lot more respect for his peers and the tournaments he is playing in, not taking wins for granted before the match even starts, and that makes him a dangerous threat. He has a good draw for the tournament, and should expect to see him in the semi finals really. Higgins also won the tournament twice when it was in its prior ranking status as the German Open from 1995 to 1997. Now it is back at the German Masters, he makes for a strong bet. Update: Higgins has withdrawn from the tournament to be with his dying father.

Stephen Hendry looked as if he could go well in this one, as his place in the world’s top sixteen is in doubt. He really needs pick up the pace with his play, the level of which has dropped over the past twelve months, in order to remain in the rankings. Hendry beat Judd Trump 5-2 in the first round, and the Scot was mightily relieved, knowing what a big win that was under pressure. Can he pull out the stops and help himself out here? Well, when players have their backs against the wall, that is when they usually perform their best. Not so, as Hendry lost out to Mark Selby. You can’t ignore the presence of Ding Junhui, recent winner of The Masters and who Selby meets next. The Chinaman is in great form, and didn’t hand around as he thrashed Matthew Stevens 5-1. Ding Junhui is such a cool and collected talent, and it looks as if he is in for a major season. He moves on to play Peter Ebdon, who, like usual, took his fair old time to progress to the second round. Have a lot of respect for Ebdon as a player, but his tactical thinking can slow a game down a bit. Still, it works for him and he ground out a victory over Andrew Higginson. You just never know with Ebdon. He is still so capable of taking titles, but by the same taken, hasn’t quite got that cutting edge.

The only other big upset from the first round, was Joe Swail taking out Mark Allen in the battle of the two Northern Irishmen. Swail actually looks in decent shape after winning his wildcard round match 5-0. Two times Masters winner Mark Selby fired in a very confident performance in the first two rounds, as he thumped Snooker Shoot Out winner Nigel Bond 5-1 and then Hendry. Selby is a good tip to go all the way here, never short on confidence, and the new experience of the ranking event in Germany will suit him. Also winning by that score line was Graeme Dott, who could make for the best outside bet here in Germany. Would have avoided Higgins in the draw until the final, and Dott beat his fellow countryman in the first round of the 2011 masters. Dott deals well with pressure and could make a good run here in a field which looks pretty evenly matched. Ali Carter, who was playing some great snooker last year, but has had a dip in form lately, and he got thumped by Joe Perry in the second round. Overall the field is evenly matched, and the ranking events this year are going to be tough to call out a winner from the start. If Higgins is in the field, then that really should be the starting point, but behind him, including Ronnie O’Sullivan who is not as focused as he once was, the chasing pack is evenly matched. There is no real stand out talent from between the likes of Robertson, Selby and Junhui and anybody can take titles right now. There is a big opportunity for someone to really step up and claim a lot in snooker right now. Go with form, and that has to be Ding Junhui, if not, Mark Selby. Best outside shot is Graeme Dott.

German Snooker Masters Open Winner

Ding Junhui: 4/1 at Boylesports
Mark Williams: 4/1 at BetFred
Mark Selby: 9/2 at Extrabet
Marco Fu: 15/2 at Unibet
Stephen Maguire: 8/1 at Bet365
Graeme Dott: 8/1 at Paddy Power

The Snooker Shootout, part of the new revolution of the snooker world, heads to its final day on Sunday. The final sixteen are ready to go, in this very odd, but thrilling format. There is a ten minute time limit on each match, and each match lasts just one frame, so there really is no room for errors. There is also a shot clock in play, meaning that players have 20 seconds to make a shot within the first five minutes of the match, and just 15 seconds in the last five. A player must also hit a cushion, or pot a ball with every shot, so snookering is made just that little bit more difficult. Caution pretty much has to be thrown out the window, and half chances really need to be played for. World Champion Neil Robertson pushed the time limit to the very edge in beating Alan McManus. The Aussie star sunk the final black, which went in after the time was up on the match, but because he had just got the shot away with a second remaining, his result stood. Robertson has that little bit of speed and flair to take this tournament.

But so does Ronnie O’Sullivan. We haven’t seen the great master on top of his game really for some time, but if there was a tournament built for him, then this will have been it. O’Sullivan cruised through his match against Rod Lawler, but there was not so much luck for UK Champion John Higgins, as he was sunk in one of the shocks of the tournament against Peter Lines. They join Robertson in the last sixteen, along with Mark Selby who moved past Stuart Pettman in dominating fashion with an 89-6 score. The draw for the last sixteen is completely open, the players all wear their names and numbers on the back of their shirts, and the draw will be made at random, with the winners of the round moving through to the quarter finals, then the semi and eventual final of course. A couple of names which will be worth looking at as outside chances here, are Judd Trump, who has the confidence to storm through this, and Mark King looks in very good shape. You just never know with this inaugural tournament. The action is quick and thrilling, perhaps not something usually associated with snooker, but these are modern times.

With the open draw, the odds at your online bookmaker will be pretty generous. Ronnie O’Sulllivan, who has the tournament’s highest break so far, is outright favourite at 7/2 with SportingBet. He has to be worth a punt really, and it would kind of be fitting if he won this first version of power snooker. But World Champ Neil Robertson has to be a worth a look, as he is relaxed and confident. Robertson is priced 7/1 at William Hill, the same price which Stan James are offering for Mark Selby. Judd Trump makes for the best outside shot really, priced at 11/1 at Bet365, while Mark King, who is surprising a lot of people at the tournament, is out at 16/1 with Totesport. Watch out for the draw tomorrow, the final day of this exciting snooker tournament and go from there.

The new snooker season heads towards The Masters on January 9th, heaving been treated to a new sponsorship deal by Ladbrokes. The famous Wembley event, which gathers together the best snooker players in the world, will have a prize pot of half a million for the 16 invited players. Heading the bill really will be Mark Selby, who has won The Masters twice in the past three years. Selby, otherwise known at the Jester from Leicester got his revenge over Ronnie O’Sullivan in last year’s final, when he lifted the title with a 10-9 victory. O’Sullivan had downed Selby 10-8 in the 2009 final. Three straight finals though for Selby now, is a pretty impressive run in the tournament, and it is why he is pencilled in as one of the favourites again to go all of the way and lift it for the third time. It is hard to judge players form at this stage of the year, and you need to really look back to the UK Championship in December, where Mark Selby exited at the second round stage. Selby though has just progressed through to the final group of the 2011 Championship League Snooker after coming from behind to beat Ali Carter. It was more of a grinding effort than anything substantial and now Selby looks ahead to his tournament. Other than The Masters, the only other ranking tournament that Selby has won in his career has been the Welsh Open. Still, he looks in good spirits, and well worth a bet, even though he is back in the betting. Here we take a look over Selby and the other front runners for the 2011 Masters.

2011 Masters Snookers Draw
Mark King v Mark Selby
Ali Carter v Peter Ebdon
Mark Williams v Ding Junhui
John Higgins v Graeme Dott
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Mark Allen
Stephen Maguire v Marco Fu
Neil Robertson v Stephen Hendry
Shaun Murphy v Jamie Cope

Ronnie O’Sullivan: 4/1 at SkyBet

Not so much of a rocket over the last season, but more of a steady transatlantic flight where you can sit back and relax. Ronnie O’Sullivan has changed the priorities in his life to parenthood. He has missed ranking tournaments and has therefore slid down the World Rankings. He is no longer number one in the world, but that does not mean that the genius is dead and buried yet. There is almost a sedate and more mature presence about Ronnie O’Sullivan lately, and he didn’t get going in the recent UK Championships at all, losing to Stuart Bingham in the first round. In his affable way, O’Sullivan is completely unperturbed about all of this. It is remarkable that he is still the front runner with the bookies, but maybe those fires have dimmed just a little bit too much for the four time Masters winner.

John Higgins: 13/2 at Bet365

Completely has to be in the frame to win this one. After a six month ban, Higgins strolls back in to town and wins the UK Championship. It took a lot to, for the Scot was 9-5 down in the final against Mark Williams, who needed just one more frame to wrap things up. Higgins looks to be the best bet here, certainly the strongest anyway, as not only has he blitzed his way back onto the scene, he is currently top of the world rankings as well, knocking of World Champion Neil Robertson. Not bad going for someone who had been away from the game. Like him or not, he is a talent, and he looks stronger than ever. There’s no reason why he couldn’t carry this momentum forward now, and Higgins in the fourth on the list of most tournament wins among active snooker players. Has won the Masters twice, once in 1999 and again in 2006 when he beat Ronnie O’Sullivan in a classic.

Neil Robertson: 7/1 at Stan James

Australian Neil Robertson is the only Australian to win a ranking, and if he gets to the final, then you would back him heavily, and this is because he has never lost in the final of a ranking tournament. The 2009/10 season was particular good for Robertson, winning the World Open and the World Championships. That World Championships victory sealed his position as world number one in the ranking, and although he slipped at the start of the 2010/11 season by crashing out of the Shanghai Masters in the first round, he followed up by successfully defending his World Open title against Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final. A run to the quarter finals of the UK Championship saw him in decent form, and should be watched out for here. It is fair to say that he is probably at the peak of his career, and although he hasn’t shown at the Masters too much (two quarter final places behind his best finishes), this year represents his big chance of making an impact.

Mark Selby: 15/2 at Totesport

The Jester from Leicester is out in the betting, but he is still worth a bet. Enjoys this tournament so much, and he always looks more relaxed here, and really on top of his game. After reaching the last three consecutive finals, he has set the bench pretty high for himself, and has a lot to live up to. He is keen, he is confident as he always is, and he will need to be on top of his game this year to get back there. Should still be one of the front runners, and his form is ok, but not being as hotly tipped as he has been in previous years.

Shaun Murphy: 10/1 at SkyBet

Had been hanging around at a ranking of 3rd in the world for some time, but has slipped down the order for the new season to seventh. A great player to watch, nonetheless, and went the semi finals of the UK Championship (beating world number one Neil Robertson along the way) where he was edged out by Mark Williams. Very solid break builder and a superb cuing action. Really has everything needed to win The Masters for the first time. Makes for a great outside bet.

Mark Williams: 14/1 at William Hill

Enjoyed something or a resurgence to the good old days, when he reached the final of the UK Championship. Leading 9-5 though, he threw it away to John Higgins. Williams is a two times winner of The Masters, the final time coming back in 2003 when he beat Stephen Hendry. Found himself a bit of form, but still you would expect him to get outgunned somewhere along the line.

Others:
Stephen Maguire: 14/1 at SkyBet
Ding Junhui: 16/1 at BetFred
Ali Carter: 19/1 at Unibet
Mark Allen: 20/1 at SportingBet
Graeme Dott: 28/1 at Bet365
Marco Fu: 33/1 at Boylesports
Jamie Cope: 45/1 at Victor Chandler
Peter Ebdon: 50/1 at SportingBet
Stephen Hendry: 50/1 at 888Sport
Mark King: 125/1 at SportingBet

After qualifying for the UK Snooker Championships, Jimmy White enters the arena at Telford, still a crowd pleaser and he squares off against Stephen Hendry. This really is a great match up in the first round of snooker action from Telford, as the Whirlwind suffered four World Championship final heartbreaks against the Scot. This is a great way to warm up for the UK Championships, which runs from December 4th through December 12th. Also adding to the drama is the return of John Higgins, who has served out his 6 month suspension from the game amid reports that he failed to report an approach made to him over match fixing. The sport has been cleaned up in the light of all that furore, and it is time to get straight back into business for Higgins.  He hasn’t missed the competition level clearly, and has been practicing, because he won a tournament on his comeback in November. Higgins lost in the final of the UK Open last year to Ding Junhui. Higgins could be a seriously dangerous sleeper bet here at the UK Snooker Championships. Here we take a look over the main contenders for the honours, and share some snooker betting tips.

Ronnie O’Sullivan: 11/4 at SportingBet

It doesn’t happen very often, but O’Sullivan isn’t going to be the betting tip for this one. O’Sullivan has slipped down to eighth in the World Rankings, and remarkably has not picked up a ranking title this year. The four time UK Championships winner, O’Sullivan doesn’t seem overly bothered about his falling standards. He admits that he has had a fantastic career, and because of issues in his personal life and being a single parent, he has been missing ranking events around the world. Admirably he is not bothered about those rankings either, certainly not at the expense of his kids. May not be sharp enough or hungry enough to win this one, and could end 2010 without a big win under his belt. Still favourite at the bookies mind you, and he goes against 23rd ranked played in the world, Stuart Bingham. Probably worth taking in the Highest Break market for a price of 4/1 at Boylesports.

Neil Robertson: 8/1 at BetFred

The World Number One. Yes, the Australian is the World Champion and World Number One, so he is going to take some stopping. Has enjoyed a great year and really is at the pinnacle of his career. Should get through his first round ok, and Peter Ebdon may wait for him in the second, but Robertson should go deep into the tournament. Proving to be a very stubborn, yet very talented and brave player that really is confident enough to take the game to his opponent. At 8/1, he certainly is not a bad price for the best in the world going into a snooker tournament. Would take him over O’Sullivan really in the market, as it makes more sense.

John Higgins: 10/1 at Boylesports

What will we see from Higgins. He has to be pencilled in as one of the big threats. Comes in at a pretty good price for someone who has been away from the competitive game for six months. Just because we haven’t seen him at the ranking events, doesn’t mean that he’s not been practicing. Is still one of the best players in the world, and reached the final here last year. He really could go either way. He will blow out and take the tournament by storm, or blow up and exit early. Either way, at this price, he is worth a punt, and he makes the best tip going into the UK Championship.

Shaun Murphy: 11/1 at Bet365

Generally take a long hard look at Murphy going into any tournament, as he is a great player, and usually consistent enough to get to at least the quarter finals of big events. From then on, you never know with him. Can be a world beater on his day, but then sometimes he just looks a little out of sorts. Again though, there is no reason not to back him. He really is one of the stronger outside bets in the field, and as he has proven in the past, he can take on and beat the best.

Mark Selby: 11/1 at Victor Chandler

The Masters champion, winning a thrilling tournament against Ronnie O’Sullivan way back at the start of the year. All that seems so long ago. The assets that Selby as is his confidence and his bravery. He will get stuck in and take a chance in order to get ahead, and he is pretty spunky and lively around the table. He has the game to win this here, so along with Murphy really, he has to represent a very good, strong outside bet. Solid bet for a big break, and Highest Break Odds on him is 10/1 at Bet365

Ali Carter: 18/1 at Bwin

Is a much improved player these days, and interestingly priced. This is a seriously competitive field, and Carter has shown this year that he can be more competitive. Can he produce against all of the big guns here? The Odds on him are decent enough to really consider a long stretch on him. Huge potential and could carry it off, if he brings his A-game and gets that extra bit of a competitive edge in him.

Stephen Maguire: 25/1 at SportingBet

This guy is a tough, solid grinder. Has the potential to win major tournaments, but has that “always the bridesmaid” feel about him when you look at him in betting. Hard to see him going all the way. Close, but not close enough.

Mark Allen: 33/1 at Totesport

Yes, the Northern Ireland star is out there in the odds, but he is going to break his duck soon. He will pick up a big title sooner or later and it will be worth keeping an eye on his progress. Great player to watch, quick and tremendously brave with his shot selection. Is the time right for him now?

Others: Mark Williams: 12/1 at ExtraBet, Ding Junhui 18/1 at Boylesports

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First round draw:
Ding Junhui v Matthew Stevens
Mark Allen v Tom Ford
Marco Fu v Barry Hawkins
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Stuart Bingham
Stephen Maguire v Ken Doherty
Mark Selby v Ricky Walden
Graeme Dott v Martin Gould
John Higgins v Stephen Lee
Ali Carter v Mark Joyce
Jamie Cope v Judd Trump
Stephen Hendry v Jimmy White
Mark Williams v Mark Davis
Shaun Murphy v Patrick Wallace
Mark King v Ryan Day
Peter Ebdon v Andrew Higginson
Neil Robertson v Rory McLeod

The exciting snooker (yes, there’s an adjective and noun you may not have expected to see together) World Open tournament is here and snooker betting has never been so open. Being a huge fan of the game, the World Open is a unique tournament to look forward to. To start with, the draw for the tournament is completely at random, so there are no seedings or anything to worry about, and the unique thing about this tournament is the format. The matches for the tournament are simply the best of five frames, and it stays that way until the final, which is the best of nine frames. This means that there is no margin for error in such short matches, and snooker fans at the SECC in Glasgow will be thrilled with the action, which is all played on one table and with only five minute intervals between the matches. After the birth of Premier League snooker, and with Power Snooker to come, the World Open is indicative of the impact new head of the game Barry Hearn. Hearn is trying to revolutionise snooker, in an attempt to really raise the popularity of the sport again. Just like cricket had to adapt and change with the Twenty20 game, sports fans want speed and excitement, and the World Open is a step in the right direction for that, although snooker purists may disagree. Players will have to take chances and make their own luck, which will make for a great spectacle.

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There are ranking points up for grabs in the tournament, and money of course. If you get the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan to the table in the best of five matches, you could see a match over in the space of half an hour. This is Barry Hearn’s new vision for snooker and for the 64 men starting the draw on Saturday, anything could happen, and a win will simply throw a player’s name in the hat for the next round, to be drawn out FA Cup style. Because of this unique and random format, there is a great chance for an outsider to win this one, so don’t automatically be drawn to the top stars. Naturally the best players will be topping the odds, and after winning the Shanghai Masters (the first ranking event of the year) Ali Carter is well worth a look, and Neil Robertson should be well prepared and Mark Selby can also ramp up the speed and style. Certain players may well be more suited to this event than others. Naturally you think of a fast paced game, you look towards Tony Drago, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jimmy White. One notable outsider is Judd Trump who won the Championship League last year, and won the Paul Hunter classic back in August. Amateur champion Igor Figueiredo is also one of the outside bets to look watch for. But really, the tournament in Glasgow really is wide open, as you don’t know who is going to get drawn against who, which makes it very exciting.

There are some great matches lined up for the top players who are playing their last 64 matches (most of this round has already been played, but some matches involving the top stars were held back in order have their matches televised), which can bee seen Saturday 18th through Monday 20th. Steve Davis v Peter Ebdon is a stand out one, along with World Champion Neil Robertson taking on Graeme Dott. You also have Ronnie “The Rocket” O’Sullivan taking on Mark King, and Mark Selby v Barry Hawkins. Jimmy White goes against Paul Davison, and White, a supporter of Barry Hearn, is looking forward to the tournament and is pretty confident in his mood after putting in lots of practice in preparation. How good would it be to see the Whirlwind this one? Or the legend that is Steve Davis? The green baize will be alight on Saturday, and this exciting tournament is set to thrill the crowds. The tournament lasts all week, with the Final being held on Sunday, September 26th. All of the players are in the same boat in regards to the shortened format, and no one really knows what to expect, especially with the open draw for all of the rounds. There will be challengers from the outside which may not be expected, so pay close attention to the players who are cruising through rounds to nil, as they will be settled into the quick format in which, anything could happen.

World Open Snooker Outright Odds

Ronnie O’Sullivan: 6/1 at Ladbrokes
Mark Selby: 9/1 at Ladbrokes
Ding Junhui: 14/1 at Totesport
Neil Robertson: 16/1 at Bet365
Shaun Murphy: 16/1 at Victor Chandler
Mark Williams: 16/1 at Coral
Stephen Maguire: 16/1 at Boylesports
Mark Williams: 16/1 at Victor Chandler
Allister Carter: 19/1 at Paddy Power
Judd Trump: 25/1 at Totesport
Jamie Cope: 25/1 at SkyBet
Marco Fu: 28/1 at Bwin
Matthew Stevens: 33/1 at Totesport

Selected World Open Match Outright Odd Highlights

Neil Robertson: 5/6 at SkyBet
Graeme Dott: 11/10 at Totesport

Peter Ebdon: 4/6 at Stan James
Steve Davis: 13/10 at SportingBet

Jimmy White: 8/13 at Totesport
Paul Davison: 8/5 at SportingBet

Ronnie O’Sullivan: 4/11 at Ladbrokes
Mark King: 5/2 at Boylesports

The Roewe Shanghai Masters, the first ranking event of the new snooker season, will be without Ronnie O’Sullivan when it starts on Monday. The current title holder, who beat Liang Wenbo 10-5 in last year’s final has withdrawn from the event, citing that he needs to spend more time with his young family. O’Sullivan pulled out of a tournament in Germany last week for the same reasons, but did make his Premier League Snooker appearance on Monday night when he drew 3-3 with Marco Fu. This means that snooker betting will be wide open now, as players jostle for position in early in the ranking event. Going as outright favourite for the tournament, which starts of September 5th, will be Masters winner Mark Selby. He enjoys a pretty good draw actually, sitting in the fourth quarter of the draw, and the first real test for him should come in the quarter finals where he will likely meet either Peter Ebdon or current reigning World Champion Neil Robertson. The other players that may cause a threat to his chances of getting to the final will be Shaun Murphy and Allister Carter who go in the third quarter of the Shanghai Masters draw. While Selby and Carter start their campaigns against a qualifier, Shaun Murphy squares off against Stephen Lee in the first round.

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Ronnie O’Sullivan’s absence will of course influence betting in the top half of the draw. Sitting in what would have been his quarter, is Ryan Day, Marco Fu, Stephen Maguire and Judd Trump. With the Rocket not landing in China, there is a great opportunity for someone here. The most likely candidate? Stephen Maguire would just edge the betting. He generally shows up well at the big ranking events and a very steady and consistent performer. Maguire would have been the one expected to face O’Sullivan in the quarter finals, but that won’t happen now and the first quarter of the draw really is there for Maguire to take by the scruff of the neck. As he will be favourite to now win quarter one, who can he expect to run into in the semi finals? Well, looking at the second quarter of the Shanghai Masters snooker draw, it looks to be something of an open field. Most of the focus and expectancy may be on China’s top player Ding Junhui as he will look to delight the home crowds. He has a nice draw and realistically it may just come down to Graeme Dott standing in his way come the quarter final stage of the tournament. What may work against him though, is he hasn’t been getting in as much action as other players. Because of problems with his visa, he wasn’t able to get to tournaments in the UK and Europe and so maybe won’t have the match sharpness of some of his competitors.

Roewe Shanghai Masters Outright Odds
Mark Selby: 11/2 at Stan James
Ding Junhui: 11/2 at Blue Square
Neil Robertson: 11/1 at Victor Chandler
Shaun Murphy: 12/1 at 888Sport
Mark Williams: 14/1 at Blue Square
Stephen Maguire: 16/1 at SkyBet
Mark Allen: 16/1 at Ladbrokes
Allister Carter: 25/1 at Stan James
Graeme Dott: 33/1 at Totesport