World Snooker Championship predictions, betting tips and odds: Warrior Wilson looks ready to regain world crown

World Snooker Championship date, start time & TV info 

Dates Saturday, April 18 to Monday, May 4
Starts 10am Saturday
Venue Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
TV BBC, TNT Sports & Discovery+

The best snooker players on the planet will descend on Sheffield's iconic Crucible Theatre for the 50th year in succession from Saturday for the 2026 World Snooker Championship.

Zhao Xintong became the first Chinese player to be crowned world champion a year ago and the Cyclone is the bookmakers' favourite to become only the third man in 30 years to successfully defend the Crucible crown.

World Snooker Championship betting tips & predictions

Best bets

Kyren Wilson to win the World Championship
1pt each-way 12-1 BoyleSports, Hills

Jak Jones to win the World Championship
1pt each-way 66-1 BoyleSports

John Higgins to win second quarter
1pt 9-2 bet365

Kyren Wilson: the 2024 world champion has his sights set on reclaiming the titleCredit: VCG

Warrior will relish the battle to regain Crucible crown

Kyren Wilson, World Championship hero two years ago, has been handed one of the tougher opening-round tasks in this year's tournament but if the Warrior can find a way past talented teenager Stan Moody he could navigate a path to a second trophy in three years.

A Chinese player was crowned king for the first time last year when Zhao Xintong deservedly swept aside allcomers to take the title. Zhao has done such a good job in the 12 months since that he is a clear favourite to become the first maiden Crucible champion to successfully defend his title.

The principal reason for the oddsmakers making Zhao a strong market leader ahead of second-favourite Judd Trump is down to the Shenzhen native's recent 10-3 demolition of Trump in the Tour Championship final in Manchester.

The game comes so easily to Zhao that he is well placed to retain his Sheffield crown. But while favourite-backers can definitely consider aligning themselves to this year's top seed, one or two others may offer slightly better value in the charge for the trophy.

With Zhao likely to dominate the top half of the draw, world number one Trump is the favourite to come through the bottom half. Many observers would love to see Bristolian Trump, 36, add to his solitary world title captured in 2019, but while he has played well in patches this season he hasn't quite set the campaign alight in the way he has done in the past.

There is little between Trump and Wilson these days and the Kettering cueman has enjoyed some fine victories over the Ace in the Pack in recent seasons. Therefore, notwithstanding Wilson's potentially difficult opener against Moody, who is one of England's finest young players, there may be better value to be had about the Warrior than Trump.

Longer format suits 66-1 shot Jones

Seven-time Crucible champion Ronnie O'Sullivan and four-time winner Mark Selby are shorter in the betting than fifth-favourite Wilson. But while O'Sullivan, the finest player in the game's history, is still breaking records on the baize aged 50, it may count against him that he hasn't played as much this season as many of his rivals.

Of course, competing less hasn't always been detrimental to O'Sullivan down the years and sometimes it has helped with his focus. But the talent pool is still increasing and there are definitely more players who are less fearful of taking on the Rocket these days, so the veteran can be opposed in Sheffield this year.

Selby is often a title threat in April and this year is no different, but the Leicester ace will open against a red-hot first-round opponent in Jak Jones, who looks to be playing even better now than he was when making the final in 2024, when only Wilson blocked his path. 

Welshman Jones, 32, can also be chanced in the outright betting because he has the right credentials to shine in longer matches and at his best there are few players who can live with him.

John Higgins: veteran is still a force to be reckoned with on his dayCredit: VCG

Wizard of Wishaw still capable of producing magic

It's difficult to confident about how well O'Sullivan will perform in this year's 17-day marathon and with Neil Robertson having been below his best for a few seasons now, it could be worth having an interest on John Higgins winning the second quarter of the draw. 

Higgins is an evergreen performer and the four-time world champion has enjoyed another fine campaign, reaching the finals of the International Championship, Masters and Players Championship.

The 50-year-old may struggle with focus and energy as the tournament goes on, but he may have enough to thwart his great rival O'Sullivan over the best of 25 frames should they clash in round two.

Click here to check out Aaron Ashley's predictions for day one at the Crucible  

World Snooker Championship first-round draw

Here is the draw for the first round of the 2026 World Snooker Championship.

(1) Zhao Xintong v Liam Highfield
(16) Ding Junhui v David Gilbert
(9) Xiao Guodong v Zhou Yuelong
(8) Shaun Murphy v Fan Zhengyi

(5) John Higgins v Ali Carter
(12) Ronnie O'Sullivan v He Guoqiang
(13) Chris Wakelin v Liam Pullen
(4) Neil Robertson v Pang Junxu

(3) Kyren Wilson v Stan Moody
(14) Mark Allen v Zhang Anda
(11) Barry Hawkins v Matthew Stevens
(6) Mark Williams v Antoni Kowalski

(7) Mark Selby v Jak Jones
(10) Wu Yize v Lei Peifan
(15) Si Jiahui v Hossein Vafaei
(2) Judd Trump v Gary Wilson

Seedings in brackets. First round matches are best-of-19-frames and will be played from Saturday, April 18 to Thursday, April 23.

World Snooker Championship betting odds

Here are the latest odds for the 2026 World Snooker Championship, which begins at Sheffield's iconic Crucible Theatre on Saturday, April 18.

Odds correct at time of publishing

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FAQs

Where is the 2026 World Snooker Championship taking place?

For the 50th year in succession, the 2026 World Snooker Championship will be held at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.

When is the 2026 World Snooker Championship?

The 2026 World Snooker Championship starts on Saturday, April 18 and runs until Monday, May 4.

Where can I watch the 2026 World Snooker Championship?

Every frame of the 2026 World Snooker Championship will be shown live on the BBC, TNT Sports and HBO Max.

Who are the favourites to win the 2026 World Snooker Championship?

Defending champion Zhao Xintong is the general 2-1 favourite to win a second world title in Sheffield, with 2019 winner Judd Trump and snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan, who is attempting to win a record eighth world title, rated among his the Chinese ace's biggest threats.

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