Saturday's World Snooker Championship match predictions and betting tips: Carter looks ready to fly again

Where to watch the World Snooker Championship

BBC & Eurosport, from 10am Saturday

Best day one bets

Ali Carter -2.5 frames v Jak Jones
1pt 4-5 Coral, Ladbrokes

Stuart Bingham to beat David Gilbert
1pt 8-11 general

Luca Brecel to beat Ricky Walden
1pt 8-13 general

World Snooker Championship day one predictions

Ronnie O'Sullivan opens proceedings at the World Championship with a clash against promising youngster Pang Junxu, but the defending champion's wellbeing has to be taken on trust in Sheffield this year so it may be wiser to look elsewhere for value.

Ali Carter, who was beaten by O'Sullivan in Crucible finals in 2008 and 2012, is back to somewhere near his best after years battling serious illness and the Captain can start his title tilt on a positive note with victory over qualifier Jak Jones (7pm).

Welsh debutant Jones has won both of his previous clashes with Carter, but the Essex cueman is a different beast now compared to the player who lost those outings in 2019 and 2020 and the favourite looks the bet to successfully concede a handicap start of 2.5 frames.

After ousting Adam Duffy in qualifying, Jones showed sound temperament to then defeat Robbie Williams 10-9 and Barry Hawkins 10-8 and he made at least one century break in each of the three matches he won to earn a first competitive trip to the Crucible.

But Carter is one of the best players never to have gone all the way at the Crucible and he should be thrilled to be back in Sheffield, feeling better than he has done for years and competing at the top level again.

Elsewhere on opening day, it could pay to chance Stuart Bingham, who has won all 12 of his previous meetings with first-round opponent David Gilbert (10am).

Former pig-farmer Gilbert posted breaks of 130, 115, 103 and 96 on the way to ousting Matthew Stevens in the final round of qualifying. He could threaten Bingham, but the fact that the seed has won 57 of the 80 frames the pair have contested is a compelling argument for supporting him.

Ricky Walden made four century breaks in seeing off Ian Burns in qualifying and then a 130 on the way to pipping Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the final round.

However, Luca Brecel, his first-round foe this afternoon (2.30pm), leads Walden 6-3 on the head-to-heads and it's surely only a matter of time before the improving Belgian, who is making his sixth Crucible appearance, wins his first match at the hallowed arena.

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