The World Snooker Championship returns to the iconic Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England, this weekend, as the best players from around the globe compete in the game’s most prestigious tournament.
The action will unfold from Saturday, 19 April until the final session in the decider on Monday, 5 May.
Englishman Judd Trump is the early favourite to go all the way in Sheffield, with Ladbrokes offering odds of 7/2 for a repeat of his 2019 glory.
Next on the list of fancied contenders is Mark Selby at 11/2, with snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan the third favorite at 13/2.
Defending champion Kyren Wilson will not give up his crown without a fight, and coming into the World Snooker Championship in decent form, he is considered to be a solid outside bet at 7/1.
The 33-year-old would be the first player in the modern Crucible era to successfully defend his title as a first-time champion if he can rekindle his form from 2024.
The draw for the first round of the 2025 World Snooker Championship will take place tomorrow (17 April) when the top 16 seeds will discover their path to glory at the 49th edition of the tournament at the spiritual home of snooker.
The qualifying process concludes today, with 16 winners from the round of 48 making up the full list of 32 contenders vying for glory.
Zhao Xintong secures Crucible return
One player who has stormed through the qualifiers is former UK champion Zhao Xintong.
He secured his place in the World Snooker Championship main event with a 10-8 victory over Elliot Slessor on Tuesday evening at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
Zhao is currently playing under amateur status ahead of his return to the professional ranks next season, on his comeback from an infamous match-fixing probe in 2023.
Back then, he was ranked at world number six before his 20-month ban commenced, but thanks to his first-place finish on the Q Tour Europe ranking list, he has earned the chance to compete for the £500,000 top prize at the Crucible.
At 12/1, Zhou Xintong is the seventh favourite to go all the way in the World Snooker Championship tournament.
WELCOME BACK TO THE CRUCIBLE, ZHAO! 🫡
The former UK Champion battles through every round of World Championship qualifying, sealing his Crucible return with a hard-fought 10-8 win over Elliot Slessor.#WorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/mTiA9gEuI5
— WST (@WeAreWST) April 15, 2025
Rocket Ronnie O’Sullivan plays the waiting game
Ronnie O’Sullivan, the maverick legend of the game, insists he still has the “energy and hunger” to go the distance at the top level in the game, despite not playing in a ranking event since the UK Championship in November.
During the event at the York Barbican venue, he snapped his cue in frustration with his form, showing that all wasn’t well with the prodigious icon.
He hasn’t actually confirmed if he will take part in the 2025 World Snooker Championship, but if any tournament can coax him back into the fold, surely it will be the biggest of them all.
As always, the West Midlands native remains an enigma.
The 49-year-old has not missed the tournament since making his Crucible debut in 1993, aged 17, with his title victories achieved in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and most recently in 2022.
The Rocket is listed at 13/2 to secure an eighth World Championship title.
If you fancy an outside bet, Scotsman John Higgins is in form and confidence following his recent Tour Championship triumph in Manchester, listed at 12/1.
The full odds below are from Ladbrokes and were correct at the time of writing.
- Judd Trump – 11/2
- Mark Selby – 7/2
- Ronnie O’Sullivan – 13/2
- Kyren Wilson – 7/1
- John Higgins – 12/1
- Neil Robertson – 12/1
- Zhao Xingtong – 12/1
- Mark Allen – 16/1
- Shaun Murphy – 18/1
- Barry Hawkins – 20/1
Image credit: WPBSA/X
