A stop-start snooker season picks up some speed this week when the British Open takes place in Milton Keynes as 80 players head to the venue looking to pick up the biggest title of the campaign so far.
This tournament was brought back into the calendar last year and Mark Williams won the title. He is here looking to defend his crown albeit he will look to do so in a different format and a better looking event.
Recent Winners
2021 – Mark Williams
The Format
There has been a complete change in the format for this year. A qualifying round has already got rid of 48 players and will get rid of 16 more at the venue. The main draw is a random draw just like last season but the format has gone up. Each match up to the quarter finals is the best of seven rather than best of five from last year. The quarter finals are the best of nine before the semi-finals over the best of 11. The final will be played out on the Sunday over the best of 19 frames where the champion will walk off with £100,000.
The Favourites
Ronnie O’Sullivan is an 11/2 favourite to win the tournament this week. He shook off any rust that built up in the World Mixed Doubles over the weekend and this would appear the sort of event he will have a good go at with him only having to play one match a day at a venue that he likes. If the world champion fancies the job it doesn’t really matter what the draw does to him so there is certainly plenty of value on the Rocket, who surely wouldn’t be this price if the draw was laid out in front of him.
Judd Trump is an 8/1 second favourite this week. He was another who got the cue arm oiled again in the World Mixed Doubles over the weekend and although his pairing never made the final he got three matches on the TV table which is where he is going to reside throughout the week. He is another who the draw is largely irrelevant for because he knows he can beat anyone on any given day and we’re pretty confident we won’t be seeing Judd priced up at 8/1 for another event this season so those who like him will get well rewarded if he wins.
The defending champion Mark Williams is one of a trio of players who are 14/1 for the title this week. The other two are John Higgins and Yan Bingtao. We know the draw won’t matter to Williams because he doesn’t care about anything but he isn’t in the Champion of Champions yet so he’ll fancy a decent tilt at defending the title this week. Higgins and Bingtao are two class acts as well and if the draw is kind they shouldn’t be too far away when the trophy is handed out.
Mark Selby is the only other player who is shorter than 20/1 this week. He is a 16/1 shot to win the title. He looked in good order in the World Mixed Doubles over the weekend both in himself and on the table where he scored nicely. We know at his best nobody will want to face him and he has become something of a best of seven specialist in recent times. The name of Selby is not yet in the Champion of Champions field so that will be motivation for him to win this week and it can’t be ruled out.
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Betting
I’ll take one main bet from the head of the market and a couple of outsiders who might give us a run for our money with a kind draw and some decent snooker. The bet I like from among the favourites is Zhao Xintong a player who we never need to worry too much about when it comes to rust because we know he is relentless on the practice table. Xintong has won some big events over the last 12 months and I don’t think he is finished with winning yet. He made the final day of the Championship League at the beginning of the season and did nothing wrong in a narrow defeat to Robert Milkins at the European Masters. I expect him to beat Bai Langning here and from there he could be tough to stop if he builds up a head of steam.
The two outsiders I like are Jordan Brown and Jamie Jones, both of whom have favourable opening draws which if they take advantage of they will be into the last 32 and only need a couple more nice draws and they’ll be into the quarter final where this event will be open to anyone. Hopefully we see the big names draw each other early doors in the competition and Brown, who had a good spin in the Championship League, and Jones, who went well in the European Masters, can take advantage and get themselves through to the business end of the tournament.
Tips
Back Z.Xintong to win British Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 23.00 with Betfair (1/2 1-2)
Back J.Brown to win British Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 51.00 with Boylesports (1/2 1-2)
Back him here:
Back J.Jones to win British Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with William Hill (1/2 1-2)
Back him here:
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