World Snooker Championship predictions: O'Sullivan eyes record eighth Crucible crown
- The World Snooker Championship starts on Saturday
- Ronnie O'Sullivan is the defending champion
- Recommended bets:
- Ronnie O'Sullivan @ 4/1
- Mark Allen @ 14/1
- David Wilson @ 66/1
The Crucible Theatre is set for two weeks of thrilling baize battles when the World Snooker Championship gets underway on Saturday.
The world's top-16 ranked players were already assured of their place in Sheffield, and after four gruelling qualifying rounds, they have been joined by 16 more polished potters.
Ronnie O'Sullivan is the defending Crucible champion and the rampant Rocket is bidding to make it a record-breaking eighth World Championship title at the home of snooker.
The qualifiers are complete, the first-round draw has been made and 32 top potters are ready to slug it out.
O'Sullivan holds favourite claims in bid for an eighth world title
O'Sullivan has won two of the last three World Championships and there has been no diminishing of the 47-year-old's talents.
The Rocket was an extremely impressive winner of the Sheffield showpiece last year, beating top operators in David Gilbert, Mark Allen, Stephen Maguire, John Higgins and Judd Trump along the way.
The Chigwell cueman never looked in any danger, despite facing some of snooker's top performers.
O'Sullivan looks to have a far easier task on the draw this time around, and having started the event as an 11/2 shot last season, is shorter this year.
The Rocket has not won a ranking event title in the current campaign, but the seven-time champ has lifted the Hong Kong Masters and Champion of Champions invitation crowns this term and it would be unwise to put too much significance on his performances in low-key WST events.
Allen angle is one to consider
Allen has just about been the best performer on tour this season, winning three ranking event titles, and there appears to be some value in the Northern Irishman.
The Pistol does not have the best record at the Crucible, but there is no doubt the Antrim Ace has what it takes to star in Sheffield and the 37-year-old arrives at the World Championship with any off the table issues cleared.
Allen is housed in the opposite half of the draw to tournament favourite O'Sullivan and looks set for a big two weeks in Sheffield.
Wilson worthy of support
Gary Wilson is a seriously talented break-builder and the Wallsend cueman made the semi-finals of the 2019 World Championship.
That performance showed that the Tyneside Terror is capable of winning major events and Wilson landed the first ranking title of his career when lifting the Scottish Open crown earlier this season.
The 37-year-old starts his World Championship campaign against his good friend Elliot Slessor and it is a contest that Wilson can be expected to progress from.
Mark Selby, John Higgins and Kyren Wilson are the top potters in Wilson's quarter of the draw, but on the evidence of his efforts this season, he has no reason to fear the challenge of those cuemen and it would be no surprise to see the Wallsend potter outrun those odds.
