Tournament Qualification for World Snooker Championship 2025 Complete: Top Betting Suggestions for Underdogs
Here's a rewritten, fresh take on the article:
Prepare yourself for the pulsating 2025 Snooker World Championship!
16 scrappy contenders have managed to snag their spot in this year's most prestigious snooker tournament, with qualifying rounds recently wrapping up.
We've got our betting tips lined up for the plucky underdogs in store for you!
Who are the 16 qualifiers for the 2025 Snooker World Championship?
The greatly anticipated Snooker World Championship 2025 is fast approaching. The top 16 players from the WST World Ranking [Link included] grab an automatic ticket to the tournament.
Another 16 fierce competitors battled through qualifying matches and clinched their spots at this year's Snooker World Championship.
Here are the names of the qualifiers who've earned their spurs:
- Zak Surety (73)
- Chris Wakelin (20)
- Daniel Wells (49)
- David Gilbert (23)
- Zhao Xintong (%)
- Zhou Yuelong (32)
- Ryan Day (36)
- Ben Woollaston (44)
- Matthew Selt (34)
- Pang Junxu (27)
- Ali Carter (18)
- Lei Peifan (39)
- Wu Yize (22)
- Fan Zhengyi (46)
- Hossein Vafaei (24)
- Joe O'Connor (30)
These qualifiers may seem like underdogs, but some could turn the tables and give the seeded players a run for their money. Remember, last year, Jak Jones, a qualifier at 31, reached the very final of the 2024 Snooker World Championship.
While Judd Trump, 35, Mark Selby, 41, and Ronnie O'Sullivan, 49, are heavily favored by bookmakers, let's take a look at the intriguing outsiders with high betting potential!
The Potential Outsiders to Watch
Zhao Xintong: The Chinese Phenom (Rebounding from a Ban)
28-year-old Zhao Xintong has left a lasting impression on everyone who watched the qualifying rounds. Known as one of China's brightest young snooker talents, Zhao faced a 20-month ban for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal [Link included].
Since his return as an amateur, Zhao has been putting on an outstanding show. With his powerful performances, he rose through the ranks from the first qualifying round. He displayed remarkable skill, racking up an impressive four century breaks in his very first match against Ka Wai Cheung.
He then bested Long Zehuang, Lyu Haotian, and Elliot Slessor to seal his return to the Crucible.
Translation: A warm welcome back to the Crucible, Zhao! The former UK Champion fought tooth and nail through every round of the World Championship qualification and secured his comeback with a hard-earned 10-8 victory over Elliot Slessor!
Zhao should prove to be a formidable adversary for the seeded players, and sports betting enthusiasts can place a bet on him at a quote of 12.00.
David Gilbert: Last Year's Semifinalist
David Gilbert, 43, has also secured a spot in the 2025 Snooker World Championship. Gilbert is well-known among snooker fans, as he reached the semifinals of the competition last year.
David Gilbert performed relatively modestly during the season, missing out on any major final appearances. He breezed through the qualifiers, however; due to his world ranking, he only needed to win two games to qualify.
Gilbert triumphed over Gong Chenzhi 10-6 and Aaron Hill in a nail-biting decider 9-10.
Despite his strong record, bookmakers give Gilbert slim chances of taking the title, offering odds of 50.00 for his victory.
Notable Absences: Some Surprising Early Exits
While players like Zhao and Gilbert have claimed their spots in the 2025 Snooker World Championship, some top-ranked competitors have surprisingly fallen short and won't be gracing the Crucible Theatre this year.
This includes Jack Lisowski, 33, who lost 8-10 to Zak Surety, 33, in the third round, marking the first time in three years that Lisowski misses the World Championship. Gary Wilson, 39, also won't make the event after losing the decider to Daniel Wells, 36, in the fourth round**.
Other notable absentees this season include Stuart Bingham, 48, Jackson Page, 23, and Jimmy Robertson, 38, who all failed to qualify.
Joe O'Connor: A Promising Contender
Joe O'Connor, 29, has earned his place in the 2025 Snooker World Championship as well. Joe O'Connor beat budding talent Iulian Boiko, 19, in the third round and Jackson Page yesterday.
O'Connor is seen by many as a talented up-and-comer who hasn't yet reached his full potential. In the 2024/2025 season, he made it to the finals of the World Open but was edged out by John Higgins, 49.
During the 2024 Snooker World Championship, O'Connor pulled off a major upset, defeating four-time champion Mark Selby in the first round.
Those placing bets on O'Connor to win can collect 33.00 odds.
Another Qualifier in the Final: Is it Possible?
This year's 2025 Snooker World Championship lineup includes several powerful qualifiers. Sports betting fans have an excellent opportunity to get behind an underdog, perhaps even seeing a qualifier compete in the final once more.
Keep tuned to our coverage for the Snooker World Championship as the action unfolds!
What are the potential outsiders in this year's Snooker World Championship that sports betting enthusiasts should consider? Zhao Xintong, the Chinese phenom who returned to the Crucible after a ban, and David Gilbert, last year's semifinalist, are both intriguing contenders with high betting potential. Zhao, at a quote of 12.00, and Gilbert, with odds of 50.00, might just turn the tables and give the seeded players a run for their money.
