Ronnie O'Sullivan World Snooker Championship Odds: The Rocket favourite to land eighth Crucible crown

Ronnie O'Sullivan's odds of capturing an eighth World Snooker Championship title have shortened to 6/4 after blitzing Jackson Page 10-1 in their first-round showdown at the Crucible.

(Odds will display when market is available)

The Rocket made light work of his helpless Welsh opponent, producing another masterclass on the baize to set-up a last 16 showdown with Ryan Day.

O'Sullivan was in destructive mood as he rattled seven 50+ breaks en-route to his resounding 10-1 success - keeping his hopes of becoming just the fourth player, after Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and Mark Williams, to win The Masters, UK Championship and World Championship in the same season.

The Londoner led Page 8-1 overnight and wasted absolutely no time in wrapping up the victory on Thursday afternoon to seal his spot in the second round.

The manner of his triumph shouldn't have come as too much of a surprise, with the 48-year-old having returned to Sheffield in fine fettle on the back of another mesmerising campaign.

The seven-time Crucible champion has already captured five major titles throughout the 2023/24 season, including the UK Championship, for an eighth time, and the World Grand Prix, despite opting to withdraw from numerous other events.

He boasts a quite formidable record at the spiritual home of snooker too, having drawn equal with Stephen Hendry for the most modern-day triumphs at the Crucible with his success there two years ago.

A resounding 18-13 success over Judd Trump in 2022 secured his seventh world title 21 years after capturing his maiden Sheffield crown, with his victory over John Higgins (18-14) back in 2001 laying the foundations for what has transpired to be a remarkable professional career.

O'Sullivan's hopes of surpassing the record he shares with Steven Hendry were crushed by eventual champion Luca Brecel 12 months, with the Belgian Bullet - already knocked out of this year's event - miraculously overturning a 10-6 deficit to prevail 13-10.

However, that disappointment has seemingly served to spur the 2024 favourite on this time around, and it would come as absolutely no surprise to see, for many. the greatest player of all-time holding aloft the fabled trophy for an eighth time come Monday 6th May.

Odds were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.

Mark Mothershaw

• World Snooker Championship
• Ronnie O'Sullivan
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