Champion of Champions: snooker predictions, free tips & TV details

Free snooker tips, best bets and analysis for the Champions of Champions from Milton Keynes.

Where to watch

ITV4, 1pm Monday

Best bets

Ronnie O'Sullivan to win the tournament
1pt 100-30 Betway

David Gilbert to beat Shaun Murphy
1pt 7-5 Betfred, Betway

Tournament preview

Snooker's stars return to Milton Keynes for the high-class Champion of Champions event and Ronnie O'Sullivan looks a nice price to walk away with the crown.

There's a field of 16 at the Marshall Arena with the winners of the 20 tournaments over a one-year period qualifying.

With some players winning more than one qualifying event, there were fewer than 16 eligible players and the remainder of the field was filled by the highest ranked players who had not already qualified.

That allowed Mark Allen, John Higgins and David Gilbert to join the line-up.

Judd Trump heads the betting alongside O'Sullivan but the Ace looks to have a tougher draw.

Top potters Stuart Bingham, Shaun Murphy and Gilbert are all housed in the same section as the Bristol cueman and Trump will have to beat two of those classy operators if he is to progress to the semi-finals.

O'Sullivan faces Michael Holt in his opening contest, and while the Hitman is a capable performer, the Rocket should blast past the Nottingham man.

Scott Donaldson or Allen will await O'Sullivan should he progress and neither of those opponents are likely to hold many fears for the Chigwell star.

The Rocket remains at the top of his game, as he showed when winning his sixth Betfred World Championship earlier this year, and O'Sullivan has enjoyed unrivalled success in this event.

He has won this tournament three times and has twice been beaten in the final. His only other appearance in this competition resulted in run to the semi-final. That's an incredible record and at 10-3 everything looks in place for another bold showing from snooker's leading light.

There are a host of great match-ups but Murphy's clash with Gilbert looks to be the one to concentrate on from a punting perspective.

Gilbert has developed into one of snooker's top performers in recent seasons and he has the break-building game to trouble anyone.

The Tamworth potter was beaten 17-16 by Higgins in a memorable Sheffield semi-final two years ago but that strong showing looks to have boosted his belief.

Murphy is never taken on lightly, but his attacking game could leave plenty of opportunities for Gilbert to score heavily and the Tamworth cueman doesn't often need a second invitation to take advantage.

There's unlikely to be much between the players and certainly not as much as the quotes about a Gilbert win suggest.

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