Thursday's World Championship predictions and snooker betting tips: Williams can dismiss Brecel challenge

Where to watch

BBC & Eurosport, 10am, 2.30pm & 7pm Thursday

Best bets

Mark Williams -1.5 frames v Luca Brecel
4pts 4-5 Betfair, Power

Mark Allen v Stuart Bingham over 21.5 frames
1pt 4-6 Betfair, Power

World Snooker Championship day six predictions

Mark Williams v Luca Brecel (1pm)

Round two of the World Championship gets underway on Thursday and there are two cracking ties to get stuck into. 

Three-time world champion Mark Williams takes on Luca Brecel in the round-of-16 and the Welshman should make comfortable progress to the quarter-finals. 

Williams was an impressive 10-5 winner over the capable Jimmy Robertson in round one, and that came with the Cwm cueman trailing Robertson 5-4 after the first session. The Welshman made a series of big breaks in that contest, including a knock of 118, and it was a comfortable and imposing first-round victory. 

The 48-year-old has a wealth of experience, and judging by his run to the Masters final this season and British Open win last term, there is still plenty to come from the Welsh Potting Machine.

Williams has been working hard with his coach Lee Walker in the build-up to this event and his record in his last five World Championships appearances reads - winner, last-16, quarter-final, quarter-final, semi-final. 

Brecel crawled past Ricky Walden 10-9 in his opening Crucible clash and the Belgian Bullet was fortunate to claim victory. Brecel has gone on record stating that he has barely been practising leading up to the Sheffield showpiece and that doesn’t bode well for a player who has won just one match at the Crucible.  

Williams has everything in his favour and looks a great handicap bet. 

Mark Allen v Stuart Bingham (7pm)

Mark Allen was a comfortable 10-5 winner over youngster Fan Zhengyi in round one, but the Antrim ace could have a tougher time against 2015 Crucible king Stuart Bingham. 

Bingham hasn’t won an event since he lifted the 2020 Masters crown, but tournaments have been limited in the last couple of years and gaps between competition and low-key events perhaps don’t play to the Basildon potter’s strengths. However, his record in Sheffield has been far more impressive. 

The Essex cueman beat Lyu Haotian and Kyren Wilson, before running Judd Trump fairly close last year and the man nicknamed Ball Run defeated Ding Junhui, Jamie Jones and Anthony McGill to reach the semi-finals in 2021. 

Backing over 21.5 frames in what could be a closely-contested second-round tie looks the play. 

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