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Beginners Guide to Snooker Betting

What’s better than watching and playing a game of snooker? Well, betting on the sport online is! If you've ever played snooker, then you understand how a lot more goes into the game than merely striking balls and hoping for the best. Skill, strategy, and tact are required if you’re hoping to land the ball in one of the six pockets.

Veselin Ignatov
By Veselin Ignatov
  2. Betting Academy
  3. Snooker Betting Guide
Lucky for you, snooker betting doesn’t need to be as intimidating if you’re armed with the right knowledge. You simply need to understand the ins and outs of the game, familiarize yourself with the rules, and equip yourself with a few snooker betting tips.

In case you’re new to the game, this is the ultimate guide of snooker betting explained. We’re going to unpack all you need to know about the game and inform you of popular snooker betting competitions worth checking out. By the end of the article, you’ll be a pro in all things snooker betting online. Let’s get right into it!

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Understanding the rules

snooker balls

The game is played with 22 balls. There is one white ball which is also known as the cue ball.

15 of the balls are red, and the remaining six are coloured yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, and black. Each ball is worth a certain number of points as follows:

  • Red – 1
  • Yellow – 2
  • Green – 3
  • Brown – 4
  • Blue – 5
  • Pink – 6
  • Black – 7

Snooker can either be played by two players or more than two sides. Generally, players take turns to hit the balls into any one of the six pockets by striking the white ball with the cue. The goal is to put the red ball in the pocket first, followed by a coloured ball, and the sequence continues. If a player successfully lands a ball into a pocket, he or she has another go.

If a player misses or pots the wrong ball, the opponent takes a shot. Once all red balls are potted, players attempt to pot the remaining balls according to their ascending order of points. The player who has more points wins the frame. The player who wins a set number of frames ultimately wins the match.

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To enjoy snooker betting online, you’ll need to visit a sports betting website offering the sport. We’ll have to warn you that with sports betting on the rise, you’re bound to come across numerous snooker sportsbooks. However, not all sports betting sites will provide you with the best snooker betting opportunities.

As such, you need to look out for certain factors before you pledge allegiance with any site for an ultimate snooker betting experience. The first thing you want to check is if the site is licensed. Next, you want to look if the bookie offers special promotions tailored explicitly for snooker betting fans.

Also, the best betting sites for snooker offer multiple betting markets, the likes of Snooker Outright Betting and Live Snooker Betting. The latter allows you to watch the game or match you bet on live. Ideally, you also want to look for a snooker betting platform that provides players with the best odds, the latest snooker betting tips, updated tournament previews, and engaging debates related to the game.

Which are the most popular competitions?

snooker player

The best snooker betting site also avails several snooker competitions that players can bet on and enjoy. But you need to understand that not all snooker competitions are popular and worth your time. The best tournaments are played on a bigger stage and therefore provide better snooker betting odds. That ultimately means they attract more prize money making them more rewarding for punters.

Also, with significant snooker tournaments, you’re guaranteed a fun and worthwhile gambling experience. That’s because only the best and skilled players are part of the action. Below we’ll briefly outline some of the most famous snooker competitions to watch out for.

Masters

The Masters’ Tournament is deemed the second longest-running competition in the snooker world, after the World Championships. It’s considered one of the most prestigious snooker competitions played by some of the best players in the game. The tournament has been running annually since 1975, and Alexander Palace has been hosting the Masters competition each year.

It’s a strictly by invitation type of tournament. While initially only 10 players were invited to play, the number of invitees increased to 16. Ronnie O’Sullivan holds seven titles of the exclusive tournament since 2021.

World Championship

The World Championship is undoubtedly the mother of all tournaments in the snooker world. To say watching the competition is a thrilling experience is an understatement. Some of the best players in snooker take part in this ranking tournament to give punters an exhilarating experience.

The World Championship snooker tournament is a gruelling affair that ultimately puts a snooker player’s credentials to the test. In short, this is the snooker event that every player wants to win. That doesn’t come as a surprise since £500,000 is up for grabs to the tournament champion! For you, that means exciting gameplay and higher snooker betting odds.

Premier League of Snooker

The Premium League of Snooker is a professional non-ranking snooker tournament that started back in 1987 up until 2012. The tournament was played seasonally between mid-September right up to early December. The Premier League of Snooker was also an invitation-only event that accommodated up to 10 players.

This competition doesn’t follow a strict criterion when selecting players. Rather, a combination of popular and up-and-coming players are invited to take part in the competition. The prize fund of this competition was quite sizable where the winner walked away with £50,000 and the runner up £25,000.

UK Snooker Championship

Avid snooker fans should know that the UK Snooker Championship is one of the most popular professional ranking snooker tournaments not only in England but all over the world. The event garners a lot of attention and coverage and is screened live on BBC. The UK Snooker Championship is held at the Barbican Center in York.

The winner of the exclusive tournament walks away with a staggering £200,000, which essentially makes it a competition with high betting odds for punters. Ronnie O’Sullivan has been the winner of the coveted tournament seven times and has been impressively consistent in gameplay. This tournament is only open to UK players and UK passport holders.

Scottish Snooker Open

The Scottish Snooker Open is another professional ranking snooker tournament that punters can watch and bet on. As the name suggests, this tournament is held in Scotland but is open to players from other nations. It started back in 1981 and went through numerous name changes such as the International Open, Matchroom Trophy, and Players Championship. Steve Davis is the tournament’s consistent winner after recording six wins from eight final matches. This tournament is still in full swing, with the actual season’s fixtures and results on display online on various sports betting sites.

Short history and facts

Snooker is believed to have begun in 1975 after being created by Lieutenant Neville Francis Fitzgerald Chamberlain. The Lieutenant was busy playing black pool, a billiards game comprising one black ball and 15 red balls. Chamberlain decided to include other coloured balls in the game, giving birth to Snooker. As for the name, novice cadets studying at the Royal Military Academy were nicknamed “snookers”.

Chamberlain realized that all the players who enjoyed playing this new version of the game he created were snookers, and the name instantly stuck. Shortly after, Chamberlain introduced the game to his friend based in England, who then introduced it back in the UK. But it’s not until the 19th century that the game became commercially viable.

The first snooker competition took place in 1916. It was called the English Amateur competition, while the first professional competition known as the Professional Snooker Competition started in 1927. The competition later became known as the World Snooker Championships. It ran for 15 consecutive years giving way to various tournaments now available.

Final thoughts

Betting on snooker is increasingly becoming popular as the sport gains more coverage. The sport’s increasing popularity also means snooker betting sites are on the rise. Therefore, to enjoy most of your betting experience, we advise you to register with a legit site regulated by reputable gambling authorities.

Before you start betting real money, it pays to familiarize yourself with the rules of the game. Study the game as well as the players involved before placing any bet. Make sure you check their form and past accomplishments. Also, remember that a snooker game takes time, so you’ll need a lot of patience if you decide to bet on the sport. Overall, betting on snooker isn’t too challenging to understand the sport and know the players you’re betting on.

FAQ about Snooker betting

How to bet on Snooker?

There are plenty of betting options in snooker, such as Outright Bets, where you bet on which player will win the tournament, reach the final, win a quarter, or highest break. Or, you can back a player to win a particular match, which is known as Match Betting, among other options.

Who is the best snooker player in the world?

Judd Trump holds the position of the undisputed number one snooker player in the world. Season 2020-2021 he won five ranking events. He was voted the prestigious World Snooker Tour’s Player of the year for three consecutive years.

Who has won the most titles in snooker?

Ronnie O’Sullivan has won the most titles in snooker tournaments, which include the World Snooker Championships, Masters, and UK Championships.

Is snooker betting online fair?

Yes, snooker betting is fair. You just have to ensure you register with a reputable sports betting platform to avoid being ripped off. Sceptics can even watch the match play out live if the sports betting site permits.

Is there In-play betting with snooker?

Yes, several snooker betting sites allow in-play betting. In this case, punters have the opportunity to place a bet in the middle of the game.

Author
Veselin Ignatov
Veselin Ignatov
Certified Expert Certified Expert
Veselin's primary job is to create unique content, such as reviews and analyses of different bookmakers and other topics from the iGaming industry.