The World Snooker Tour continues its back and forth schedule this year, with players heading back over to China again for the 2023 Du Xiaoman International Championship on Sunday. A larger than usual prize pool of £825,000 is on offer, plus all important ranking points, leading to a hotly contested event with plenty of great betting opportunities.
Judd Trump is the name on everyone’s lips in the snooker world right now, with the Englishman having hit a purple patch of form towards the back end of the year. With the Wuhan Open, English Open and Northern Irish Open all in his pocket, can Trump go one more and win four in a row on the WST? Or will world No. 1 Ronnie O’Sullivan remind his compatriot why he’s considered one of the greatest to ever play the sport?
We answer these questions and more by looking at the latest betting odds from bookmaker bet365 before outlining the best bets to make on the 2023 International Championship next week.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: November 2nd, 10:00 P.M. (GMT)
In a rare occurrence, Judd Trump is ahead in the betting odds at bookmaker bet365 despite world No. 1 Ronnie O’Sullivan competing in Tianjin. The two-time winner of this event sits at 4.50 in the betting odds, narrowly ahead of his compatriot O’Sullivan, who returns 5.00 for a win in China next weekend. Not far off the pace as well is Mark Selby at 7.00 before the odds drop for fourth and fifth favourites John Higgins and Neil Robertson, who are on 12.00 and 13.00 respectively.
Luca Brecel bunny hops Robertson in the odds to make the final, with the Belgian coming in fifth favourite at 7.50. Outside of this change, the favourites to make the final remain the same as the outright betting favourites, with Trump in the lead at 3.25 through to Higgins at 6.50.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: November 2nd, 10:00 P.M. (GMT)
It would be a brave man who bets against Judd Trump on the World Snooker Tour right now, considering the Englishman has just torn up three events in a row. However, that’s exactly what we suggest doing this coming week. Instead, wager on Ronnie O’Sullivan to win the International Championship and Mark Selby to reach the final.
O’Sullivan has shown flashes of form amid his medical issues in recent months. Notably, his best performances have come on Chinese soil, with his last win at the Shanghai Masters in September. The Englishman has never won this event before, which is a rarity on the WST, so expect him to be locked in. Chances are he’ll play Mark Selby in the final, who has performed well against Trump recently and is our pick to knock him out in the semi-finals next week.
