The best of the best in snooker head to Berlin this week to contest the 2024 BetVictor German Masters. Well, most of the best, as yet again, Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from an event at the last minute.
Despite winning the Snooker Grand Prix recently, O’Sullivan will be out of action in this World Snooker Tour ranking event. Can his countryman Judd Trump capitalise and grab his share of the £427,000 prize pool? Or will someone else step into the gap left by O’Sullivan?
We break down all the latest betting odds from bookmaker William Hill ahead of the first break and outline the best bets to make on the German Masters this week.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: January 28th, 7:30 A.M. (GMT)
Outright betting odds heading into the German Masters have changed significantly since Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew from the event. The Englishman was the favourite in Berlin, but his compatriot Judd Trump now shoots up to the odds leader at bookmaker William Hill, paying 4.33 for the win.
Mark Selby comes in next at 7.50, before a further drop off to Kyren Wilson, Mark Williams and John Higgins, all tied for third at 12.00. Odds to make the final are slightly more spread, with Trump ahead and Selby second, but Williams getting ahead of Wilson and Higgins at 6.50.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: January 28th, 7:30 A.M. (GMT)
In the absence of an in-form Ronnie O’Sullivan, it’s hard to get past Trump winning this one. Just a few months ago, Trump was the hottest thing on the WST. At one stage, he won three consecutive tournaments and was a regular fixture at the business end of virtually every event.
Now, he’s slightly less invincible. However, last week’s Snooker Grand Prix was a promising sign for the Englishman, with Trump narrowly losing in the final. The man that beat him—O’Sullivan—won’t be there to do so this week, and we say a 4.33 return is a nice reward for backing Trump in Berlin.
Those after a slightly strong return may want to look at Chinese player Zhang Anda. Anda is in good nick at the moment, having just made the quarter-finals at the Snooker Grand Prix. Two other variables are going in his favour this week too.
First, Anda has a propensity for big upsets. Just last week he took out Mark Allen, and late last year, Luca Brecel and Ronnie O’Sullivan also fell to his game. Add this to the fact that Chinese players have enjoyed disproportionate success at the German Masters in recent years, and a wager on the 32-year-old could have some merit. Even backing him to make the final pays a healthy 15.00 and is worth a bet we say.
