World Championship Snooker Outright Betting Analysis

The final ranking tournament of the season prior to the World Championships at the Crucible in Sheffield saw Mark Williams win the China Open and therefore his first ranking title in four years beating Ding Jun-Hui 10-6 in the final after turning around a mid-session interval deficit of 5-3. The sports betting odds from bwin.com on the World Championships have been revised reflecting the results from China, so here is my pre-tournament analysis of where to put your money in the outright winners market.

Pre-tournament favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan makes as many headlines for his off the table behaviour during matches as his dazzling skills on it. He missed a black off the spot which would have won him the frame and took his match against qualifier Tang Pengfai into a ninth frame decider. He conceded immediately, but Tang would have potted the black as it sat right in the jaws of the pocket. This was a terrible blow to Ronnie and you cannot have much confidence even at 7/2 of his ability to shake off some bad form and win the tournament. With Ronnie, however, you never know whether he may just turn up and blow everyone away. He is a betting man’s nightmare, you never know whether to back him or not! Ronnie is down to a provisional world ranking of two in the world behind John Higgins.

Is this going to be the year the Ding Jun-hui finally lives up to his early teenage promise and get a big result? He seems to have finally recovered from a terrible experience in a final against O’Sullivan and is showing a maturity at 23 years old that sees him ranked provisionally number five in the world. It could well be his year to shine and you can back him at 7/1 and it is worth noting Ding has more ranking points than any other player in 2010 and could make a push for world number 1 next season if he repeats the form shown this season. He does seem to get badly effected by the pressure of the big match occasion unfortunately.

I think you can make a case for anyone ahead of Ali Carter at 22/1 to win this snooker tournament. John Higgins always offers value at 9/2 and I think John could be heading towards a dominant period in the game at the Crucible and that he is just a little bit ahead in terms of consistency, mental strength and matchplay skills than anyone else. He is always perfectly prepared for these championships. My tip for the title is therefore John at 9/2, but there are other interesting bets if you fancy backing an outsider to win.

Last years finalist Shaun Murphy has had an indifferent season but is another player who greatly respects the history of the championships and is always well practised and well prepared. He has odds of 14/1. Ali Carter at 22/1 is a consistent semi-finalist and finalist and has won a ranking title. He could also do well. Mark Selby is surely a future World Champion and he needs to get going in order to fulfil this potential. This may also be his turn, if he plays well. Supporters of Mark can back him at odds of 8/1 but he has dropped to provisional twelfth in the rankings and has something to prove.

Mark Williams is the form player having won the China Open. He is up to provisional seventh in the world after dropping out of the top sixteen and enduring a terrible few years in the lower reaches of the game. I honestly thought he would retire, but he could be the surprise package of the championships having rediscovered his hunger for snooker. This should be the peak of Marks career; time is not on his side. He can be backed at odds of 10/1 to win. Mark is the third highest ranking points scorer this season, so he has a chance.

I still believe, however, that John Higgins is the man to beat. I also expect Ding to do well.

Those who follow my betting tips will be keen for my match betting tips which will follow next week, right here on this site. Put a note in your diary to keep up with all of the live snooker action from the Crucible from the start of the tournament on April 17th 2010.

By Malcolm Clarke