UK Championships first round predictions and winner odds: Jones has the edge

Free snooker tips, best bets and analysis for the Tuesday's games at the UK Championship.

When to bet

2.30pm Tuesday

Best bets

Jak Jones
1pt 4-6 Betfair, Hills

Tournament preview

The 44th UK Championship begins with 16 games on the opening day, as the Triple Crown event returns to York after taking place behind closed doors in Milton Keynes last year.

The first day’s play sees number five seed Kyren Wilson and former winners Shaun Murphy and John Higgins get their campaigns under way.

All three men are heavily fancied to progress to the second round, with Murphy the most vulnerable to an upset according to the oddsmakers - albeit it he is a 1-7 shot against 19-year-old Si Jaihui.

In a slate of predominantly one-sided matchups, as is to be expected in the first round of a large event, the clash between Jak Jones and Oliver Lines stands out as a more competitive fixture.

Lines reached the last 32 of this year’s British Open but has failed to make it beyond the first round of this competition in two of his last four attempts.

In contrast, Jones has reached at least the second phase of this tournament in the last four renewals and progressed to the third round last year before he was beaten by Higgins.

The Welshman is up to his highest world ranking of 60th and made the quarter-final of last year’s English Open, his best showing at a ranking event.

Jones was edged out 4-3 by world number 14 Barry Hawkins in the first round of this year’s renewal of that tournament and can pick up compensation here.

The 28-year-old looks primed to continue his run of navigating the first round of this competition.

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