Friday's Betway UK Championship quarter-finals betting preview and free tips

Free snooker tips, best bets and predictions for the Betway UK Championship quarter-finals in York.

When to watch

BBC2, BBC red button & Eurosport 1, 1pm & 7pm Friday

Best bet

Ding Junhui -1.5 frames v Liang Wenbo
1pt 8-13 general

Quarter-final preview

Mark Allen is the favourite for Betway UK Championship glory in the wake of Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby exiting the ranking tournament in the fourth round.

Allen heads into the last eight in a half of the draw with opponents originally priced at 100-1, 750-1 and 2,000-1 for the title.

After winning his first major in last year's Masters, Allen is a 21-10 chance with the sponsors to go all the way at the Barbican Centre prior to his quarter-final clash with rank outsider Nigel Bond, conqueror of Judd Trump.

In the other bottom-half clash the oddsmakers expect Stephen Maguire to end the run of 2003 UK champion Matthew Stevens, who pipped Selby 6-5 on Thursday.

The top half features three Chinese stars - Ding Junhui, Yan Bingtao and Liang Wenbo - and seasoned Scot John Higgins. The Wizard of Wishaw, a 6-4 victor over Stuart Bingham in the last 16, will play teenager Yan, who, like Ding, has found better form in recent weeks.

The bookies are taking no chances with Allen and Bond, so for anyone looking for a last-eight interest it could be worth siding with Ding, who was a 50-1 chance for a third UK triumph early last week, to successfully concede Liang a start of 1.5 frames on the handicap.

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