World Snooker Championship 2025 Preview
- JN Value Betting
- Apr 16
- 4 min read
BEST BETS:
NEIL ROBERTSON - TO WIN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - 14/1 (GENERAL) - 0.5PTS E/W (2 PLACES)
JOHN HIGGINS - TO WIN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - 14/1 (GENERAL) - 0.25PTS E/W (2 PLACES)
32 of the World's best snooker players are set to battle it out for the chance to become World Champion over seventeen days at the Crucible in Sheffield. Much of the talk leading up to the tournament has been whether seven-time World Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan will participate, having not been seen competing since January where he snapped his cue in a Championship League tie against Robert Milkins. The Rocket has confirmed his participation in this year's World Championship following the draw on Thursday, and he has been handed a tricky opening tie against rival Ali Carter. The pair famously barged shoulders in their clash in 2018 and have endured controversy when meeting in matches since. For someone who hasn't played competitively since January, it's not the tie that Ronnie would have wanted, and he'll have to be at his very best to progress. Should there be anyone in the world of snooker that could overcome this absence to become the World Champion, it would be Ronnie O'Sullivan, however, I am happy to look elsewhere from a betting perspective.
The current favourite to become World Champion is World Number Two Judd Trump. Following Thursday's draw, it does look likely that Trump could live up to his nickname and be the 'Ace in the Pack'. He does have 2023 World Champion Luca Brecel lurking in his quarter, however, he looks as if he progress to the Semi-Finals with consummate ease. Whilst I feel that Trump is the most likely winner based on the draw, I am happy to overlook him in the betting. He has won two ranking events this season, but has tailed off in recent months, most recently exiting the Tour Championship in the Quarter-Finals to Barry Hawkins. Whilst Trump has been one of the most consistent players in recent seasons, he has fell short at the Crucible in the last five years - only making the final once in that time. I feel that other players come into this in better form, and represent better value as a result.
One of the players who I feel represents good value is 2010 World Champion NEIL ROBERTSON, The Thunder from Down-Under failed to qualify for the World Championships last year, and has always been criticised that he cannot handle the pressure cooker that is the Crucible. However, I feel that his record of one win, two Semi-Final appearances and six Quarter-Finals disputes that. Robertson has come back to form this season, getting his hands on the English Open and the World Grand Prix. He followed up that win in Hong Kong with a Semi-Final appearance at the Players' Championship and a last eight appearance at the recent Tour Championship. The latter is a tournament which the Australian has enjoyed success in winning it in 2021 and 2022 en-route to the Crucible. Due to this success, he typically enters the World Championships as one of the fancied competitors, however, he has failed to live up to that billing. I feel that this could be due to burnout, having progressed deep into the tournaments leading up to this event, by the time he plays in Sheffield, he doesn't have enough to grind out a result when the going gets tough here.
One player who is looking to defy the trend of Tour Championship winners failing to win at the Crucible is JOHN HIGGINS. The Wizard of Wishaw has danced every dance in the game of snooker, and enters the World Championship as the form pick. He has landed the World Open and Tour Championship titles in recent months, alongside a Semi-Final appearance at the Players' Championship. Despite the worrying trend of Tour Championship winners not faring well in Sheffield, I feel that Higgins could be the man to change that. The Scotsman has fallen into the projected 'easier' side of the draw, with him on a collision course with Judd Trump in the Semi-Finals should results pan out expected. Despite the four-time World Champion not having claimed the crown since 2011, he has shown glimpses of his best here in recent times, reaching the final in three consecutive years between 2017 and 2019. His current form is the best he has enjoyed prior to the World Championships since 2011 - when he last got his hands on the top prize.
The Crucible Curse is looking to be defied once again with World Number One Kyren Wilson being the twentieth player to attempt to break the curse. No first time winner of the World Championship has ever followed it up with a win the following year, with only two players making the final in the next year. Wilson will kick this year's tournament off against China's Lei Peifan on Saturday morning, and will hope that he can avoid any antics to start his title defence in comfortable fashion. He has got his hands on three ranking events this season, and if he can progress to the latter stages of the tournament, he will have every chance of being lucky number twenty, when it comes to defending his maiden World Championship crown. He does offer some value, being priced at a general 8/1, but there is every chance he becomes another name on the list of first time champions to fall by the wayside in the following year.
