Champion of Champions predictions and snooker betting tips: Wakelin can cast spell on Wizard

Where to watch the Champion of Champions

Live on ITV4, 1pm & 7pm Wednesday

Best bets for Wednesday's Champion of Champions

Chris Wakelin to beat John Higgins
1pt 19-10 BoyleSports, Hills

Wednesday's Champion of Champions predictions

Ding Junhui is set to replace Ronnie O’Sullivan in the Champion of Champions draw on Wednesday after the Rocket withdrew from the Bolton tournament on Tuesday.

O’Sullivan was due to play Zhang Anda in their group opener, but now Ding will get a chance to avenge his Tianjin loss last week to International Championship hero Zhang.

Mighty Mouse, as Zhang is known, has been in fantastic form, reaching the final of the English Open in October and then claimed the first ranking title of his career on Sunday. And on the form Zhang has shown this season, he looks a major danger this week.

John Higgins and Chris Wakelin also battle it out for a place in the last four in Bolton.

Wakelin came close to landing only the second ranking title of his career in Northern Ireland last month, and while the achievements of the 31-year-old pale into insignificance against those of four-time world champion Higgins, the Warwickshire potter could be worth a punt this afternoon.

Higgins was beaten in the early stages of the International Championship. Prior to that, the Wizard of Wishaw declined an invitation to play in the Northern Ireland Open and that followed a first-round loss in Wuhan.

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