Dear snooker member,

Yan Bingtao’s defeat was a disappointing end for our outright, especially given we may never get those prices again and it’s been a solid four weeks betting profit that it would have been nice to put the cherry on with our big ante post bet. Certainly, cannot be unhappy how he played, he lost to the man of the tournament so far. Mark Williams is running for us still in our “winning quarter” bet and if he beats Judd, I would expect him to beat John Higgins but equally I would expect him to lose to Ronnie.

At the semi-final stage, bar Neil Robertson and Zhao Xintong, the four players are the other best players of the season and all proven former champions. It should be a feast of top-class snooker to end what has been a superb World Championship.

Judd Trump v Mark Williams

These two have crossed swords an awful lot in short format snooker but barely played any big matches, of the 27 times they’ve played I can only find two what I would call ‘matches of significance and won one each. Trump is dominant in the head-to-head by 18-9 but with so much best of 5 and 7, he’s bound to be.
Judd has a remarkable constitution for the battle in the last four years and that has served him well here, getting to the semi-finals with his C game. Noticeably, his best session in his last two matches was his last when it mattered most. Our outright McGill, lost little in defeat of their last session and threw the kitchen sink at him why he ran with the momentum against Bingham. That match, I expected Bingham to wilt late on so it was a shame for our handicap bet that traded at 1.10 or less at 8-5. I wouldn’t expect MJW to wilt the same and Judd will need to play to a higher-level, early doors, I imagine but he likely will.
On the snooker both have produced so far you could make an argument for Mark to win the opening session today at circa 2/1 and the match but I prefer to watch and enjoy given how much Judd has raised his game throughout his career at the later stages of events.

Ronnie O’Sullivan v John Higgins

I know long term members would have been expecting this bet, in the four years of my service it’s one we’ve taken several times except the one occasion Higgins was the fav. In that time, it’s only lost once and throughout my lifetime at prices 11/8 and above, often near 2/1 Higgins is always a bet. The matchup is a coin-flip pure and simple, in fact, John has much the better of their ‘matches of importance’ and could be theorized as favourite. Public money always talks though and Ronnie’s fans and cult followers, will bet him at any number. Ronnie has done what he had too, all event well and looks in a good place but his price has regressed ridiculously compared to the rest. John has looked a little off at times but that is to be expected after his Tour Championship reverse. Last night’s win must be like a shot in the arm having lost so many close ones and the way he closed it out will help him. Because of Ronnie’s brilliance, all your choices as a player are simple ones, you have to play well in your own mind. John has responded to this challenge on numerous occasions and it actually appears to switch him off a little. Flip side of that is Ronnie has huge respect for John, some would say, too much.
Ronnie could easily win but at the prices it’s a +EV situation we always exploit as bet sent last night.
I half expect John to have a great session tonight and 6-2 score line or better is possible in my mind if you want some small stakes interest, John Higgins might provide it. If John gets a long way in front we may hedge.

The season is over for the main tour but in the next 3 to 4 weeks there is he World Seniors and QSchool for us