World Snooker Championship Betting Odds and Event Info

Date: 2027.04.17 - 2027.05.03
Contest: Snooker
Location: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England


A match at the World Snooker Championship can change direction several times before it is finished. Players return for another session carrying the score from the previous one, with time to consider missed chances, adjust their approach and prepare for the next stretch of frames.

That format gives the championship much of its character. Heavy scoring matters, but so do safety play, patience and the ability to recover after an opponent takes control of a session.

The 2027 championship runs from April 17 to May 3 at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre. Wu Yize returns as defending champion after winning the 2026 final in the deciding frame.


The 2027 World Snooker Championship

The next edition brings two anniversaries: 100 years since the first World Championship and 50 years since the tournament arrived at the Crucible in 1977.

There is also a significant increase in prize money. The 2027 tournament will have a total fund of GBP 3 million, with GBP 625,000 for the champion. That raises the winner's cheque from the GBP 500,000 awarded in 2026.

Qualifying is scheduled for April 5 to 14 at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. The successful qualifiers then join the seeded players at the Crucible, where the main draw begins on April 17. The final takes place over May 2 and 3.

Wu's defence follows a run of four first-time champions. Luca Brecel won in 2023, Kyren Wilson in 2024 and Zhao Xintong in 2025 before Wu added his name in 2026. The trophy has changed hands each year despite the presence of several multiple winners in the field.


How the World Championship Began

Joe Davis won the inaugural championship in 1927, defeating Tom Dennis in a final held in Birmingham. Davis went on to win the first 15 editions, collecting his last title in 1946 before retiring from the championship undefeated.

The competition later passed through different arrangements, including a period when the title was contested through challenge matches. A knockout tournament returned in 1969, the year generally used as the starting point for the modern era.

The move to the Crucible in 1977 gave the event a lasting home. Its compact theatre setting became closely associated with the championship, with spectators watching from close to the tables and every mistake carrying an immediate reaction.


How the Tournament Works

The Crucible draw consists of 16 seeded players and 16 qualifiers. It is a straight knockout competition, so every match produces a winner who advances and a loser whose championship ends.

A frame is one game of snooker. Players build points through potting and can also receive points when an opponent commits a foul. A match is won by reaching the required number of frames, rather than by adding together the points scored across the entire contest.

First round: Best of 19 frames, first to 10.

Second round: Best of 25 frames, first to 13.

Quarter-finals: Best of 25 frames, first to 13.

Semi-finals: Best of 33 frames, first to 17.

Final: Best of 35 frames, first to 18.

The eventual champion must win five matches and 71 frames at the Crucible, in addition to any qualifying matches. Longer contests leave room for a comeback, but they also require players to maintain their concentration across several sessions.

For anyone assessing the draw, a qualifier's ranking tells only part of the story. Those players have already come through competitive matches to earn their place, and that recent form can matter when they meet a seed.


Records and Notable Performances

Most world titles overall: Joe Davis, 15.

His victories came between 1927 and 1946, across a very different period in the championship's history.

Most world titles in the modern era: Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan, seven each.

Hendry won his seven between 1990 and 1999. O'Sullivan matched that total with his 2022 victory. These figures should be distinguished from Davis' overall record.

Youngest Crucible champion: Stephen Hendry, 21 in 1990.

Wu Yize became the second youngest when he won at 22 in 2026.

Oldest Crucible champion: Ronnie O'Sullivan, 46 in 2022.

His seventh title came more than two decades after his first victory in 2001.

The venue has also produced some of snooker's most memorable breaks. Cliff Thorburn made the first Crucible 147 in 1983. O'Sullivan's maximum against Mick Price in 1997 took just five minutes and eight seconds, an extraordinary burst of scoring on the sport's biggest stage.


Recent World Snooker Champions

2026: Wu Yize, China

Defeated Shaun Murphy 18-17 in the final.

2025: Zhao Xintong, China

Defeated Mark Williams 18-12 in the final, becoming the first Chinese world champion.

2024: Kyren Wilson, England

Defeated Jak Jones 18-14 in the final.


What Happened in the 2026 Championship?

Wu arrived at the 2026 tournament without a previous match victory at the Crucible. By the end of the fortnight, he had beaten Lei Peifan, Mark Selby and Hossein Vafaei before surviving two matches that went the full distance.

The first was a 17-16 semi-final win over Mark Allen. The second came against Murphy, the 2005 champion, in a final that repeatedly returned to level terms during the closing session.

Murphy forced a deciding frame with a clearance of 75 after Wu missed a black in the 34th. Wu then took his opportunity in the decider, potting a difficult red to a middle pocket and building a break of 85 to secure the title.

It was the first Crucible final to reach a deciding frame since 2002. Wu's victory also gave China consecutive world champions, following Zhao's breakthrough a year earlier.


World Snooker Championship Betting Markets

The championship offers opportunities to assess both the full tournament and individual matches. The available markets depend on the sportsbook, with some focusing on results and others on scoring within a match.

Outright winner: Select the player who will win the championship. The draw and potential opponents affect the route a selection must take to the final.

Match winner: Back either player to win a specified match, regardless of the final frame margin.

Frame handicap: Bet on the result after a stated frame advantage or disadvantage is applied. A player can win the match without covering the handicap.

Total frames: Choose whether the number of frames played will finish above or below the listed line.

Correct score: Predict the final match score, where this market is offered. The possible scores depend on the match length for that round.

Century breaks: Markets may cover a player's centuries or the number made in a match. A century is a break of at least 100 points during one visit to the table.

Retirements, walkovers and unfinished matches may be treated differently across these markets. The settlement rules are worth checking before comparing otherwise similar prices.


What to Consider Before the Championship

Recent results provide a useful starting point, but the way a player wins can be just as relevant. Long potting creates openings, accurate cue-ball control extends breaks, and strong safety play can keep an opponent from getting an easy chance.

Match length also matters. A good record in short matches does not automatically translate into the same advantage over three or four sessions. Previous performances in longer contests can help explain how a player responds when the score turns against them.

As the tournament progresses, the time spent at the table and the interval before the next match become additional considerations. A narrow victory can be impressive while still leaving a player with less recovery time than the opponent waiting in the next round.

-

View more Sporting Contests