Snooker Betting Guides

Snooker traces its origins back to the second half of the 19th century, when British officers stationed in India created a game combining elements of billiards and pyramid pool. It gained popularity in England during the early 20th century and soon evolved into a professional sport with standardised rules and organised tournaments.

The first televised snooker match was in 1937 between Horace Lindrum and Willie Smith, an exhibition match that helped propel snooker to new heights. Professional snooker started to gain momentum in the mid-20th century as televised tournaments like the World Snooker Championship began to captivate audiences worldwide. This era saw the transformation of snooker from a leisure hall pastime to a fiercely competitive sport, producing top players and establishing a thriving professional circuit – and an exciting betting scene. 

Snooker bets come in all shapes and sizes, but most of them are straightforward to place and offer high value odds. Here are some of the most common snooker bets you’ll encounter.

Match Winner

The simplest snooker bet you’ll find; this is simply predicting which player will win the match. The player with the shortest odds is the favourite, and the player with the longest odds the underdog.

Frame Betting

There are a multitude of frame bets, but all of them cover certain events happening within a certain frame. For example, you can bet on the colour of the first ball to be sunk in a frame, or if a player will hit over a certain number of points during a frame.

Over/Under Frames

This bet simply backs how many frames you think the entire match or tournament will have in total.

Highest Break

This is a bet on which player you think will have the highest break in the entire match.

Total Points

This bet involves predicting how many points will be scored in the frame in total between both players.

Tournament Winner Outright

This pre-tournament bet is to back who you think will win the entire tournament. This bet can be placed Each Way which usually pays out if the player you back makes it to the final.

Selecting the right snooker betting platform is important for fans looking to maximize their betting experience. With numerous sportsbook options available, it's crucial to consider various key factors to ensure a better betting journey. Factors such as the platform's reputation, licensing, and regulation play a significant role in establishing trustworthiness and authenticity.

Assessing the depth of snooker betting markets, the competitiveness of odds, and the availability of bonuses can greatly influence your potential winnings and your enjoyment, making it vital you consider these aspects in your decision-making process.

Additionally, aspects such as ease-of-use, mobile compatibility, and quality customer support contribute to an even better betting experience. By evaluating these factors, you can confidently select a snooker betting platform that enhances your overall enjoyment of snooker bets.

Licensing and Regulation

We exclusively recommend sportsbook sites that hold the necessary licenses to operate. In our list of the top 20 UK snooker betting sites, we've outlined the licensing details of each platform.

Variety of Betting Markets

A diverse range of snooker betting markets signifies that a platform offers something extra for snooker punters. 

Competitive Odds

Securing maximum winnings from your snooker bets is important, so find a sportsbook with competitive snooker odds. 

User Interface and Experience

A seamless betting experience coupled with efficient customer support distinguishes a good sportsbook from a great one.

Payment Options and Security

A wide array of deposit options and robust security measures are indicative of a superior sportsbook.

Bonuses and Promotions

Welcome offers, bonuses, and regular weekly promotions make your bankroll go further. Choose a sportsbook platform that makes your betting go further.

Taking everything into consideration, we consider the below 5 sportsbook sites the best UK snooker betting sites to sign up to and play on.

Our verdict

BetUK stands out for offering some of the most competitive snooker odds, ensuring that fans can maximize their potential winnings when betting on the snooker. 

Welcome offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets

Licences: UKGC, Ireland Revenue Commissioners

Example odds: Ronnie O’Sullivan to win World Championship – 4

Our verdict

A mix of great snooker odds and a huge range of snooker markets makes Unibet a great choice. 

Welcome offer: Up To £40 Back If Your First Sports Bet Loses

Licences: UKGC, Ireland Revenue Commissioners, Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner

Example odds: Ronnie O’Sullivan to win World Championship – 4

Our verdict

Known for their awesome offering of snooker spread betting markets, Spreadex are also an excellent choice for fixed odds bets. 

Welcome offer: Bet £25, Get £50 in bonuses

Licences: UKGC

Example odds: Ronnie O’Sullivan to win World Championship – 3.5

Our verdict

Bet365 are at the top of many best sportsbook site lists, and there’s a good reason for that. Bet365 have earned their reputation as one of the best through years of offering punters a reliable, safe and secure site to bet on, with frequently top odds on most sports. 

Welcome offer: Bet £10, get £30 in Free Bets

Licences: UKGC, Malta Gaming Authority, USA (Selected states), Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner

Example odds: Ronnie O’Sullivan to win World Championship – 3.5

Our verdict

Often sponsors of big snooker tournaments, it’s no surprise that William Hill offer some of the best snooker betting experiences around. Their coverage of major and minor snooker tournaments is extensive, and they often provide odds boosts and promotions on the biggest snooker matches. 

Welcome offer: Bet £10, get a £60 bonus

Licences: UKGC, Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner, Malta Gaming Authority

Example odds: Ronnie O’Sullivan to win World Championship – 3.5

Registering for a snooker betting site is straightforward, requiring just a few simple steps to create a new account. Follow these step-by-step instructions to get started:

• Choose a reputable snooker betting site.
• Click on the 'Join Now' button.
• Enter your personal information when prompted.
• Remember to claim any available welcome offers before confirming.
   

You’ll see snooker odds displayed in different ways, depending on what preference you’ve selected in your account. Here are some of the most common odds formats.

Decimal

Odds displayed as a decimal, such as 2.5, are some of the easiest to read. You can quickly see how likely the bookies thinks the event will happen by how large the number is.

Fractional

Popular in the UK and one of the most traditional ways to display odds, fractional odds, such as 3/1, are a good way of comparing the likelihood of events happening.

American

American odds use a standard baseline value of a $100 bet. Odds for favourites will be displayed with a minus sign, showing the punter what stake needs to be risked to win $100. Underdogs will be displayed as a plus sign, with the number indicating potential winnings from a $100 stake.

For example:

Odds of -140 means you must risk a £140 stake to win £100 from the bet. You either lose £140, win £100, or your bet is a push.

Odds of +400 means with a £100 stake, you will potentially win £400. You either lose £100, win £400, or your bet is a push.

Calculating Potential Winnings

Calculating your potential payout from a bet depends on the odds format you have selected.

Calculating Decimal Odds Payout

Decimal odds are simple. Multiply your stake by the decimal number for your total potential payout.

For example, a £5 bet at 4.0 odds would return £20 if the bet won.

Calculating Fractional Odds Payout

Fractional odds are a bit trickier to figure out when calculating potential payouts. The formula to use is to divide the left-hand number by the right-hand number (the numerator by the denominator), multiply it by the stake amount, then add your original stake.

For example, a £5 bet at 7/2 odds would return £22.50 if the bet won.

7 divided by 2 = 3.5 

3.5 x £5 = £17.50 

£17.50 + £5 = £22.50

Calculating American Odds Payout

To calculate winnings from American Odds, it’s easiest to convert the odds first into Decimal Odds. Here’s how that can be done:

If the American odds are positive, follow this formula: (American odds / 100 ) + 1 = decimal odds.

If the American odds are negative, follow this formula instead: 1 – ( 100 / – American odds) = decimal odds.

The easiest way to calculate potential winnings from a snooker bet is to put your odds and stake amount into a payout calculator which will do all the mental arithmetic for you.

A great sportsbook site will offer snooker punters a variety of promotions and bonuses to enhance their betting experience. We take a look at the most common promotions you’ll come across on a snooker betting site.

Free Bets

A Free Bet gives you a certain amount of money to bet on a market of your choice (usually with some restrictions, like minimum odds). Instead of staking money from your own cash balance, a Free Bet lays the bet with the amount of the bonus, with a win returning money based on the Free Bet amount and the odds. However, any potential winnings won’t include the Free Bet stake back as part of the payout.

For example, a £5 Free Bet that wins with odds of 4/1 will return a payout of £20 (if you’d staked £5 of your own cash balance the return would be £25).

Deposit Bonuses

Deposit bonuses give you extra cash to play with when you deposit, usually shown as a percentage extra. Most deposit bonuses will have a wagering requirement attached to them, so read the promotion terms and conditions before trying to withdraw any winnings associated with the bonus.

Example deposit bonus: Depositing £50 with a 100% extra deposit bonus would give you a bankroll of £100 to play with.

Risk-free Bets

Risk-free bets are like Free Bets, but you are staking your own cash from your balance. With a risk-free bet, if the market you are backing loses, you’ll get your stake refunded back to your balance.

For example, a £5 bet on Ronnie O’Sullivan to win at 4/1 odds would payout £25 if he won, or £5 if he lost.

Boosted Odds

Boosted odds are a fantastic way to increase your potential winnings when betting on snooker. Look for odds on players that are clear favourites in a match that have been boosted to take full advantage. You can find great value bets from boosted snooker odds.

Acca Insurance

Acca Insurance is a promotion that protects your snooker accumulator bets from losing if only one leg of the bet doesn’t come in.

For example, if you had a 5-Fold Acca on 5 favourites to win their matches, and 4 had already played and won, with Acca Insurance you’d get your stake back if your 5^th player backed then lost their match.

There are many major and minor snooker tournaments throughout the year. The World Snooker Championship, Masters and UK Championship are considered the Triple Crown of snooker events, and only three players have won the Triple Crown in the same season (Davis, Hendry and Williams), with 11 players winning a career Triple Crown (winning the three titles across different seasons in their career).

We take a closer look at the top snooker tournaments to bet on below.

World Snooker Championship

Winner’s prize money: £500,000

Date held: April – May

Number of players: 32

Tournament format: Best of 19 frames (rising to best of 35 frames for final)

The Masters

Winner’s prize money: £250,000

Date held: January

Number of players: 16

Tournament format: Best of 11 frames (rising to best of 19 frames for final)

UK Championship

Winner’s prize money: £250,000

Date held: November – December

Number of players: 32

Tournament format: Best of 11 frames (rising to best of 19 frames for final)

China Open

Winner’s prize money: £177,000

Date held: March

Number of players: 32

Tournament format: Best of 11 frames (rising to best of 19 frames for final)

World Open

Winner’s prize money: £170,000

Date held: March

Number of players: 64

Tournament format: Best of 11 frames (rising to best of 19 frames for final)

The top 16 snooker players in the world is constantly in flux as players win and lose tournaments. Here are some of the top players to bet on in 2024.

Ronnie O’Sullivan

As of writing, Ronnie is ranked the world number one snooker player. He first rocketed on to the professional snooker scene in 1992, and since then he has won a staggering 41 ranking tournaments, including 7 world titles. 

Judd Trump

A pro snooker player since 2005, Judd Trump has won 27 ranking tournaments in his career, being crowned world champion once in his career in 2019.

Mark Allen

Currently ranked number 3 in the world, Mark Allen began his professional snooker career in 2005. Since then, he has won 11 ranking tournaments, breaking into the top 16 rankings in his first 3 professional seasons. 

Ding Junhui

The most successful Asian snooker player in the history of the sport, Ding started his professional career in 2003. He has won 14 ranked tournaments and is the only Asian player to have been ranked number one in the world.

Luca Brecel

The current world champion, Luca first broke into the professional snooker scene in 2011. In 2012 he became the youngest player to enter the World Snooker Championship at just 17 years old and has since won 4 ranked tournaments.

The women’s game has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, with more and more women taking up the sport professionally. Here are some of the sport’s most famous women players.

Reanne Evans

Reanne is the current women’s world number one snooker player and is the most successful woman in the history of the sport (a 12-time Women’s World Champion). In 2023, she defeated Stuart Bingham, becoming the first woman to win a televised match at a ranking event.

Ng On-yee

At one time the women’s world number one, Ng On-yee has won three IBSF World Snooker Championships and three World Women's Snooker world championships.

Mink Nutcharut

The only woman known to have made a maximum break, Mink Nutcharut won the 2022 World Women's Snooker Championship. As world women's champion she earned a two-year card to compete on the professional tour. Alongside Neil Robertson, she won the 2022 World Mixed Doubles championship, defeating Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna to bag the £30,000 prize.

World Women's Snooker Championship

Winner’s prize money: £6,000

Date held: March

Number of players: 16

Tournament format: Best of 5 frames (rising to best of 11 frames for final)

UK Women’s Championship

Winner’s prize money: £200

Date held: September

Number of players: 64

Tournament format: Best of 3 frames (rising to best of 7 frames for final)

Snooker betting strategies offer fans a tactical approach to betting on this fascinating sport, allowing for informed decisions that can maximize potential winnings. From analysing player performance to understanding tournament dynamics, mastering snooker betting strategies is essential for those seeking success in the thrilling world of snooker betting.

Research and Analysis 

Successfully predicting the outcome of a snooker match can be immensely gratifying. In addition to harnessing all available statistics and rankings, consulting a snooker tipster's blog provides a valuable starting point for making informed betting decisions.

Staying updated with the latest snooker tips from a trusted tipster offers valuable insights into developing your own strategies for predicting future snooker matches. By reading snooker betting tips, you'll begin to figure out the correlation between statistics, player form, rankings, and the bets placed by experienced tipsters.

As you become adept at utilising all available resources, you'll gain the confidence to predict snooker matches with ease and precision.

Utilising Player Statistics

Mastering the art of analysing player form and leveraging match data may require some time investment, but as you begin utilising all available statistics, patterns will start to emerge, providing valuable insights for informed betting decisions.

When betting on a snooker match, examining the historical head-to-head record between the players serves as a crucial starting point for predicting the match's outcome. 

Additionally, evaluating players' past performances in the tournament can offer valuable insights. Factors that affect performance include crowd influence, tournament formats, and familiarity with opponents – making experienced snooker players a wiser betting choice over newcomers to the event.

Backing the Favourite Accumulator Strategy

Snooker accumulator betting is a strategy where you combine multiple match winner bets on one bet slip, with each match winner bet added increasing the odds. Here’s how you do it:

Find snooker matches where there is a clear favourite (the odds will be relatively low)

Add multiple match winner favourites to your bet slip to create an accumulator bet

Remember, each added selection raises the odds, but also increases the risk

Live Betting Strategies

The true test of snooker betting strategies emerges during In Play snooker betting, where predictions are put to the challenge in real time. Betting on live snooker events not only sharpens your predictive skills, but also serves as an excellent platform to refine a snooker betting strategy. 

For instance, seizing opportunities like backing a favourite who's trailing but showing strong form can yield better value odds if they stage a comeback, while recognising signs of nervousness in a favourite opens the door for backing the underdog, capitalising on potential upsets driven by crowd support and faltering favourites. 

Reacting to match dynamics through In Play betting underscores a solid snooker betting strategy, emphasising the importance of watching numerous snooker matches to enhance your betting abilities.

Pre-tournament Bets

Pre-tournament outright winner bets are a good way to get high value odds on top players. Because snooker is such an unpredictable and volatile sport, you can get high odds for a tournament favourite to win, meaning single and each way bets are a good snooker bet to place for decent potential winnings.

Back Skilful Players to Hit Centuries 

The best players in the world hit century breaks for fun, so backing a top 16 ranked player to hit a century in a match is a good strategy. For example, Judd Trump has hit an astonishing 973 century breaks in his career, and Ronnie O’Sullivan has hit over 1,200.

Make Use of In Play Bets

Take advantage of high value In Play bets when a favourite has had a slow start. Usually, the odds will be higher value if you back the favourite in a match they have started slow in, meaning you can get more potential winnings if the favourite comes back to win.