Thursday's Masters predictions and snooker betting tips: Williams can star

Free snooker tips, best bets and analysis for day five of the Masters at Alexandra Palace on Thursday.

Where to watch

BBC & Eurosport, 1pm & 7pm Thursday

Best bets

Mark Williams +2.5 frames
2pts 4-6 BoyleSports

Jack Lisowski -1.5 frames
1pt 10-11Hills

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Day five preview

Ronnie O’Sullivan takes on Mark Williams in what should be a blockbuster Masters quarter-final and the lively Alexandra Palace crowd should get their money's worth on Thursday.

O’Sullivan was impressive in a 6-1 first-round victory over Luca Brecel, but there was little resistance from the Belgian and the Rocket was able to coast to victory.

Williams produced a fantastic display when seeing off Dave Gilbert 6-2 in their Ally Pally opener, and anything like a repeat of that performance, will at least see the Welsh Potting Machine covering the handicap.

The Cwm cueman opened up with three consecutive breaks of 126, 127 and 95, and that scoring power, allied with superb tactical acumen, looks enough to give O’Sullivan a game.

The Rocket knocked in runs of 97, 104 and 134 against Brecel to show his break-building talents remain undiminished, but Williams is likely to give O’Sullivan plenty to think about in this last-eight encounter.

The 4-6 on offer about Williams with a 2.5-frame start looks cracking value.

Hossein Vafaei was another impressive first-round winner, coming through 6-2 against four-time World Champion Mark Selby. However, it was an out-of-sorts Jester who rather handed the game to Vafaei, and it’s not difficult to question that form.

The Iranian is a good performer, but he isn’t a top-16 potter and he made it into the event only after the suspension of Yan Bingtao and Zhao Xintong. Yes, the 28-year-old can continue to improve, but his ranking is inflated by a victory in the Shootout, which is a one-frame novelty event, and the prices seem to be giving Vafaei too much credit against Jack Lisowski.

Jackpot was given a tough test by John Higgins in round one, the Scot made breaks of 79 and 142, but Lisowski showed his class coming through a 6-3 winner.

The Gloucester potter looks far more composed and competitive since he has come under the tutelage of former world champion and mentality monster Peter Ebdon and Jackport can reward handicap backers on Thursday evening.

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