Snooker Betting Guide: Handicap, Frames, Centuries, Highest Break & more

Snooker has long been a darling of the UK and Ireland's sporting public, dating back to the glory nights of the 1980s when it could haul in millions of television viewers.

The 1985 World Championship final, when Dennis Taylor pipped favourite Steve Davis on the final black with a watching television audience of more than 18 million people glued to the post-midnight finish, remains as one the most iconic moments in sports television.

Today, the snooker circuit is ever-growing as the sports' powerbrokers seek to make inroads in lucrative markets in China and the Far East where cue sports are incredibly popular.

Currently, snooker's Triple Crown events - the UK Championship, Masters and World Championship - remain in Britain but for how long will World Snooker resist a move?

Below is our handy guide to betting on snooker as we dive into some of the main markets available in the green baize pursuit.

Match Betting (To Win Match)

The most straightforward bet you can have in a snooker match, this market identifies which of the two competing players you expect to win.

Match betting in snooker guarantees a definitive outcome, as there are no draws in tournament snooker - similar to tennis match betting, as an example.

For this market, simply choose the player you expect to win the match.

Multiples can also be backed in the match betting market, allowing punters perhaps choose a snooker accumulator.

Outright Betting

The outright betting market seeks to find the last player standing - the tournament winner.

Snooker tournaments typically end on a Sunday night, with the concluding session of the final often providing great drama.

Outright betting on snooker tournaments can also be backed each-way, where half the odds are paid on the finalists.

Sunday nights at the snooker are what legendary broadcaster David Vine used to call 'wages time' as the finalists collect their cheques.

This is where you want your outright betting selections to be involved for a payout.

In most major tournaments, quarter-betting is also available in the pre-tournament outright markets. Here, you are backing a player to win their quarter of the draw - thus making at least the semi-final stage of the tournament for a winning bet.

Handicap Betting

Snooker match betting is often lop-sided, depending on the rankings, form, experience and hopes of the two players involved.

Handicaps are used to level the playing field for betting purposes. In a typical best-of-11 match, for example, handicaps can be used to give the underdog a head-start (+1.5 frames) or apply a handicap to the favourite (-1.5 frames).

Various handicaps are available on every match, allowing punters to choose their desired handicap line.

Frame Markets

Frame markets are available on individual snooker matches and there are a variety of punting options, including:

1st Frame

Back either player to win the first frame of the match.

Total Frames

Snooker matches end when one player wins enough frames to ensure their opponents cannot catch up. For example, in a best-of-11, the match ends when one player reaches six frames.

In that example, the total frames market allows the punter to bet on how many frames will take place, with six the lowest (6-0 win) and 11 the highest (6-5 scoreline).

Race to

Break down the match for betting purposes by taking a player to win the race to a specified number of frames. If the player gets to that number first, it's a winning bet, regardless of the final outcome of the match.

Odd/Even

Bet on whether the number of frames played in a match will finish on an odd or even total.

Match to go do a deciding frame

Bet on whether or not the match will go to a deciding frame.

Snooker Explained: Rules, Equipment, Scoring & more

Century Markets

A century break is the icing on the cake for a snooker player winning a frame. The game's elite pride themselves on the ability to make breaks of 100 or more and the quality of their encounters can be judged on the amount of centuries in a match.

There are lots of options for betting on centuries.

Match Centuries

 Bet on the number of century breaks you believe the two competing players will combine to make.

Player Centuries

Bet on the number of century breaks you believe an individual player will make during a match.

Centuries 2-Way

This market can be used either for the two players combined or as individuals.

You are betting on the player(s) getting above or below a certain number of century breaks, for example, over 1.5 match centuries would require two or more 100-plus breaks to be a winner.

Highest Break

Bet on which player you believe will make the highest break in a specific match. In an instance where they make the same high break, this bet would be voided.

147 Break

The coveted maximum break, a 147 is the pinnacle of scoring power for a snooker player - the perfect frame.

The '147 break in match' market allows punters to bet on whether or not there will be a maximum break in the match (yes/no), while in certain longer matches, such as finals, you can back an individual player to make a 147 in a specific match.