World Championship qualifying - Judgement Day Wednesday: Prediction, Tips and Odds

The last remaining places in the draw for the Snooker World Championship at the Crucible will be decided as Judgement Day comes to a nail-biting end on Wednesday.

With players competing against the backdrop of tour survival battles and a quest to achieve their dreams by earning qualification for the sport's grandest stage, fireworks are assured at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield and two-time finalist Ali Carter could be the latest big-name casualty.

World Championship qualifying betting tips and predictions

He Guoqiang to beat Ali Carter – 13/8

After seeing the likes of Stuart Bingham and Stephen Maguire crash out already at the English Institute of Sport, two-time Crucible finalist Ali Carter will have his mind focused on his clash with He Guoqiang.

Carter, ranked 18th in the world, beat the Chinese 5-3 at the World Open in February en route to a semi-final appearance.

The Captain was fully tested in his previous match, overcoming Ian Burns 10-8.

That was a good win for Carter as his opponent played well, but the dogged Essex potter managed six half-centuries and came back having fallen 7-6 behind to win four of the last five frames when the contest was in the melting pot.

Still, he faces a real challenge here against the 24-year-old world number 50, who is bidding to make his Crucible debut.

The Chinese defeated Liam Highfield 10-3 in his opener and overcame Scott Donaldson 10-9 to book a shot at Carter.

His scoring prowess has shone through, with 17 breaks of 50+ in those two wins, including three centuries, while winning a deciding frame is another feather in his experience cap.

Carter only made one break of more than 70 in his win over Burns and, if he isn't putting frames away in one visit, he could be the latest big name to fall.

Jackson Page to beat Joe O'Connor - 6/4

Maximum man Jackson Page won't want to leave a poor postscript on his historic week in Sheffield by missing out on the main draw as he faces Joe O'Connor.

Page made history by becoming the first ever player to craft two 147 breaks in a single match, claiming a £147,000 bonus in the process, as he eased past Allan Taylor 10-2.

The Welsh ace also fired in breaks of 109, 94, 82, and 63, 53 in that win and is bidding for his third Crucible appearance aged just 23.

He's ranked 35th in the world and now faces England's 30th-ranked O'Connor - who made his Crucible debut last season and stunned four-time winner Mark Selby in the opening round. It has to be said, the Jester wasn't in great form going into that meeting.

Page also took a notable scalp on debut at the Crucible in 2022, beating Barry Hawkins before a chastening loss to his friend and mentor Mark Williams, going down 13-3 in round two.

He bumped into Ronnie O'Sullivan in round one last year and was dismissed 10-1.

After those maximum breaks against Taylor, Page is sure to be feeling confident for a first meeting with O'Connor outside of Championship League action and the Welshman is possibly overpriced.

Michael Holt to beat Fan Zhengyi - 13/10

Michael Holt is another player on a high after a 10-6 win over 2015 world champion Bingham.

The Hitman's career came under threat in 2022 when he fell off the main circuit, but he has enjoyed a renaissance of sorts this season, including a run to the quarter-finals of the UK Championship before Christmas.

A Judgement Day meeting with Fan Zhengyi, who beat Robbie Williams 10-6, is next. The 24-year-old Chinese is ranked 46th in the world, with Holt down in 79th spot, but experience could count for plenty.

Holt hasn't featured at the Crucible since 2016, but he knows the ins and outs of surviving qualifying.

"There's a slightly different atmosphere. I think you can just sense it," he said of clearing this final hurdle.

"The Crucible is such a special place to play snooker. You just want to get there. It is a twitchy game, you have to put it to the back of your mind and get to ten."

Holt's match nous might just get him there and he has won the only previous meeting with Fan Zhengyi, albeit in the one-frame Shootout format.

Read more snooker betting tips and predictions on site

World Championship Outright odds

Judd Trump - 7/2
Ronnie O'Sullivan - 5/1
Mark Selby - 5/1
Kyren Wilson - 13/2
Neil Robertson - 10/1
John Higgins - 10/1
Mark Allen - 12/1
Shaun Murphy - 14/1
Ding Junhui - 16/1

View the full market and more odds for World Championship qualifying - Judgement Day Wednesday on site.

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.

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