European Masters predictions, snooker betting tips & winner odds

Free snooker tips, best bets and analysis for the European Masters, which starts on Tuesday morning.

Where to watch

Live on Eurosport 2 from 2.30pm Tuesday

Best bets

Mark Williams
1pt each-way 10-1 Betfair, Power

Gary Wilson
0.5pt 66-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Tournament preview

There hasn’t been much for snooker punters to have a go at this year but the European Masters should quench the thirst for baize action.

With the Chinese events off the calendar, it has been left to the short-format Championship League to fill the void. Luca Brecel picked up the trophy in Leicester this year, and although the Championship League was a ranking event this season, it remains to be seen what the form of a best-of-four-frame tournament is worth.

Ronnie O’Sullivan and Neil Robertson have declined the opportunity to play in Furth, and while Mark Selby and Judd Trump shouldn’t have too many issues in their held-over qualifiers, they are likely to face stiffer challenges as they progress through the draw.

Mark Williams appears to have been housed in a kind section.

The Welsh Potting Machine couldn’t have asked for an easier first-round assignment against Sanderson Lam and Jack Lisowski is the only serious threat in the eight-player segment.

There’s little form to go on this term, but Williams remains a top-level performer, who made the semi-finals of the World Championship and won the British Open last term and at 10-1 the Welshman looks a play.

Fan Zhengyi was a big-priced winner of this event in February and if there is to be another shock it could come from Gary Wilson.

The Tyneside Terror has had his struggles in recent times, but the Wallsend cueman is a gifted performer and his good form in the Championship League should at least serve as a confidence boost.

Confidence is key with Wilson, and if he can find the sort of break-building rhythm that took him to the final of last season’s British Open, he could outrun odds of 66-1 from a reasonable draw.

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