World Seniors Snooker Championship: Prediction, Tips and Odds

The World Seniors Snooker Championship arrives on the back of the World Championship itself and there are plenty of former greats hoping to etch their name on the trophy.

There are few bigger names in the history of the sport than Jimmy White and the Whirlwind is the defending champion at the Crucible Theatre, having also won the title in 2010, 2019 and 2020.

In fact, White has made the last five finals in Sheffield and he is 7/2 to maintain his dominance, with Ken Doherty heading the betting at 9/4.

Doherty finished runner-up to White in 2020 and he competed in World Championship qualifying, losing 10-6 to Marco Fu, so should be sharper than most.

Igor Figueiredo, Barry Pinches, Michael Judge and Tony Drago are four more players who will believe they can make their presence felt in the 16-runner event, which starts on Wednesday 8th May and concludes on Sunday 12th May.

The opening round is played over a best-of-five, with the quarter-final and semi-final best-of-seven and Sunday’s title decider being a best-of-nine.

World Seniors Snooker Championship betting tips and predictions

Jimmy White to win outright - 7/2

This is an event that four-time champion and two-time runner-up White evidently gets himself up for and he is sure to have been putting in the hard graft for his title defence.

The Whirlwind defeated Alfie Burden 5-3 in last season’s final, having finished runner-up to David Lilley and Lee Walker in the previous two years.

Having also claimed the title in 2019 and 2020, White has made five consecutive finals and that has coincided with the tournament switching to Sheffield, having previously had a temporary home in Scunthorpe.

Playing at an iconic venue such as the Crucible Theatre is clearly to White’s liking and it is probably why he has raised his game on the senior tour.

The short format means surprises can happen, but the early draw looks kind for White, who opens up against Andrew Norman.

Figueiredo would be a tricky quarter-final opponent, but it gives White the opportunity to knock a title contender out of the draw early and that should set him up nicely for a likely semi-final showdown with Drago or Judge.

White has been keeping busy on the main tour and, while he was beaten 10-3 by Liu Hongyu in World Championship qualifying, the Chinese player is a cut above any of these opponents and that should ensure he is sharp.

The 62-year-old is evidently not the force of old, but he is still extremely capable and he should be determined to defend his crown in front of what should be an army of support.

Barry Pinches to win outright - 15/2

Doherty is the star name in the bottom half of the draw and, while the Irishman has a favourites chance, there is a potential lurker in Barry Pinches, who could meet him in the semi-final stage.

Pinches was a quarter-finalist at the 2021 World Seniors Championship and he continues to hold his form well despite being 53 years of age.

The Canary has enjoyed plenty of success on the Q Tour this season and it was as recent as February when he defeated Shaun Murphy to qualify for the Welsh Open.

Still being competitive against elite players on the main tour should stand Pinches in excellent stead and an opening-round showdown with Joe Johnson looks like a formality.

In the quarter-final, Pinches could face either James Wattana or Rodney Goggins, but he should have a class edge on those two opponents in their current well-being.

A semi-final with Doherty evidently requires more but there isn’t as much between the pair as the prices suggest, which is why Pinches could represent some each-way value at 15/2.

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World Seniors Snooker Championship betting tips odds

Ken Doherty - 9/4
Jimmy White - 7/2
Igor Figueiredo - 9/2
Barry Pinches - 15/2
Michael Judge - 10/1
Tony Drago - 12/1
Dechawat Poomjaeng - 14/1
James Wattana - 14/1

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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.