UK Championship Snooker Betting Tips
The UK Championship gets underway on Saturday and the baize is set for nine days of top-level snooker action.
The York competition carries the prestige of forming part of the sport’s Triple Crown, alongside the World Championship and Masters, and there is no shortage of title contenders for this year’s edition.
We have three selections who look to have a strong chance of performing well at the York Barbican.
Tip 1 – Zhao Xintong to win the UK Championship each-way @ 9/2
The 11 major snooker tournaments this season have produced 11 different winners and Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan, who occupy two of the top three spots in the UK Championship outright betting, are not amongst the winners.
Of course, the class is there for the Rocket or the Ace to take down the York prize, but Zhao Xintong is a winner this term and he rates a better bet to land a second UK Championship crown.
The world champion took down last week’s Riyadh Season Snooker Championship, beating Neil Robertson, Trump and Shaun Murphy along the way, and the Cyclone could not be heading to York in better form.
The 28-year-old put in a blistering display to win the World Championship last season and he is very much on the rise, while his rivals appear to be heading in the opposite direction.
A first-round draw against Long Zehuang or Louis Heathcote couldn’t have been any kinder and the Chinese sensation has been housed in the opposite half to tournament joint-favourite Trump.
A 9/2, Zhao can be backed to blow his UK Championship rivals away.
Tip 2 – Zhou Yuelong to win the UK Championship each-way @ 40/1
Zhou Yuelong takes on O’Sullivan in round one and the Rocket is expected to blast past his Chinese foe.
However, the seven-time UK champion hasn’t been anywhere near his best this season and that could give Yuelong an opportunity to progress.
The 27-year-old has reached the final of the English Open and semi-final of the Northern Ireland Open in the current campaign and he is a talented and progressive performer.
A below-par O'Sullivan could have a job on keeping Yuelong at bay and there is plenty to like about an outright play at 40/1.
Tip 3 – Elliot Slessor to win the UK Championship each-way @ 40/1
With doubts over O’Sullivan’s form, the third quarter of the draw could open up and, at 40/1, Elliot Slessor is another potter worthy of support from the third section.
The Tyneside cueman started the season at a career-high ranking of 29 and that is likely to rise further with Slessor reaching the semi-finals of the lucrative Saudi Arabia Masters and last eight of the English Open this term.
A first-round contest against Kyren Wilson is tricky, but Barry Hawkins, David Lilley or Artemijs Zizins await in round two and there is enough juice to chance progress from the 31-year-old at a big price.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change
