Betfred World Championship semi-final predictions & snooker betting tips

Free snooker tips, best bets and analysis for the Betfred World Championship semi-finals which start on Thursday.

Where to watch

BBC & Eurosport, from 1pm Thursday

Best bets

Over 28.5 total frames in John Higgins v Ronnie O'Sullivan
7pm
1pt 8-13 Betfair

Mark Williams highest break v Judd Trump
1pm
1pt 7-5 Betfair

John Higgins v Ronnie O'Sullivan

7pm

Head-to-head: O'Sullivan leads 38-35 (plus three draws)

The Betfred World Championship semi-finals sees the match lengths ramped up to a best-of-33-frame format and the four remaining players get centre stage for the first time properly as the five-day one-table phase starts.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, who is chasing a modern record-equalling seventh Crucible title, is the favourite after dropping just 14 frames in victories over Dave Gilbert, Mark Allen and Stephen Maguire, the last two cakewalks against opponents who offered little in way of resistance.

That just goes to show how good O'Sullivan is, although the Rocket has struggled against his semi-final opponent and fellow Class of 92 legend John Higgins this season. The Scot has won all four of their meetings this term, although O'Sullivan still shades the series lead 38-35.

Higgins was a fairly routine victor against Thais Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Noppon Saengkham in his early rounds but the Wishaw man, whose only title this season has come in the Championship League, looked as if his head had dropped when struggling to shake off Jack Lisowski, second-round conqueror of Neil Robertson, in the last eight.

Having looked a vulnerable leader, Higgins produced some of his best snooker against Lisowski when trailing 12-11 to pip Jackpot 13-12.

O'Sullivan has been giving himself every chance and looks fit and well, while Higgins seemed jaded on occasions against Lisowski. Therefore, this potential classic could be closely fought, so have a modest interest on over 28.5 frames.

Mark Williams v Judd Trump

1pm

Head-to-head: Trump leads 18-9

Judd Trump appears not to be at his brilliant best, although he is playing a thoughtful, more methodical brand of snooker that looks to be giving the former world number one his best chance of winning a second Crucible crown this year.

Suggestions that Trump was not at his best when lifting his maiden world trophy in 2019 feel wide of the mark, though, because his final victory over John Higgins was quite possibly the best performance in a Sheffield title match in the sport's history.

It feels as if Trump is some way below that mark right now. However, he's battling away quietly and admirably and things could obviously get better in the tournament's remaining days.

Mark Williams stands in Trump's way in the semis and the Ace in the Pack, who has won exactly two-thirds of their previous 27 meetings, is likely to prove a tougher stumbling-block for the Welsh Potting Machine, another Class of 92 wonder.

However, Trump's tournament ton-ups tally stands at just 23 compared to Williams's whopping total of 237, so it could be worth backing the three-time Crucible king to deliver the clash's highest break.

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