Northern Ireland Open tournament preview, and free tip

Snooker tips, best bets and predictions for the second of the Home Nations series events in Belfast.

When to bet

From 10am Monday (live on Eurosport 1, 1pm & 7pm)

Best bet

Mark Allen to win Northern Ireland Open
1pt 14-1 general

Tournament preview

With most of the Northern Ireland Open seeds in decent nick, the chances of an outsider posting an each-way return in Belfast is slim.

Mark Williams is the only top-16 player missing the tournament, the second in the Home Nations series.

But with the big names on top of their games as the Betway UK Championship draws near, the Northern Ireland title looks like going to an elite performer.

Judd Trump is the world title holder, world number one and defending champion at the Waterfront Arena. But while the World Open hero is currently taking the sport on to new heights, the fact the Ace in the Pack has been busy in recent weeks may count against him.

Ronnie O'Sullivan played well in the Champion of Champions but was pipped by a determined Neil Robertson, while there have also been positive displays in recent weeks from Mark Selby in his English Open cakewalk and John Higgins in Yushan.

Mark Allen, in the same quarter as Robertson and Stuart Bingham, goes into his home tournament on the front foot. The world number seven is playing better and better and punters can definitely consider an interest on the Pistol.

The fact he opens with a best-of-seven-frame shootout against Sam Craigie is far from ideal, but snooker punters should by now be well aware of the more random nature of many events on the modern circuit.

Shaun Murphy has started the season superbly, but it will be interesting to see if the Magician keeps up the good work throughout the campaign.

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