Championship League Group One predictions, betting tips, preview & TV details

Championship League Group One predictions, betting tips & TV details for the latest snooker action from Milton Keynes.

When to watch

Live on FreeSports, from 12.30pm Monday

Best bets

John Higgins to win Championship League Group One
1pt 5-2 general

Zhou Yuelong to win Championship League Group One
1pt 15-2Betfred

Zhou Yuelong to beat Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
1pt 10-11general

Group One preview

John Higgins is the favourite to get the new year off to the best possible start and win the opening group in the original-format Championship League, which starts in Milton Keynes at lunchtime on Monday, and the Scot's record in a tournament he usually likes means he merits respect.

Higgins remains one of the sport's best match-players and having lifted the trophy in this competition in 2017 and 2018, the Wizard of Wishaw could take some stopping in the early efforts to earn a place in April’s winners’ group.

It's the best of five frames which pleasingly gives punters some respite from the dreaded draw. But the round-robin format and the fact that the section is competitive - former world champions Stuart Bingham and Graeme Dott also feature in the opening septet - means that group and match backers should still adopt plenty of caution.

If Higgins is to require more than one group outing in preparation for the Masters, which starts on Sunday, it could be fast-improving Zhou Yuelong who pips him to a winners' group berth.

Zhou, runner-up to Higgins in the 2018 Championship League, played a number of blinding matches in the first half of the 2020-21 campaign and reached the semi-finals of the Betway UK Championship early last month. Many reckon he may soon relieve Ding Junhui of the Chinese number one position and Zhou is worth an interest along with Higgins to top the group.

Match bettors may find some value in backing Zhou to prove dominant in his clash with Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. Theppy won their first three meetings up to 2015, but Zhou bossed the Thai 5-1 in the 2019 China Championship and could further reduce his series arrears.

Group Two of the Championship League follows this Wednesday and Thursday with Group Three on Friday and Saturday.

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