The crammed snooker calendar maintains its relentless pace as it quickly turns its focus from the Welsh Open to the Players Championship. Since rebranding in 2017, the tournament has wandered from place to place and now lands in Telford for the first time this year. Only the top 16 players on the one-year ranking list earn a berth in this high-stakes event, leaving Shaun Murphy, the reigning champion, unable to defend his title due to his absence from the field. The tournament will begin on February 19 and continue until February 25.
Murphy, who beat Ali Carter in the Players Championship 2023 final last year, found himself ineligible for a title defence after being ousted in the first round of the Welsh Open by Barry Pinches. Despite his withdrawal from last week’s Llandudno tournament due to “stage fright,’’ world No. 1 Ronnie O’Sullivan is set to take the stage at the Players Championship on Tuesday. However, whether he will make a comeback for the second Players Series event of the year remains uncertain.
Who will take the crown from Murphy in Telford? We break down the latest odds from bookmaker William Hill and outline the best bets to make on the Players Championship 2024 this week.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 19th, 2:00 A.M. (GMT)
Judd Trump beats Sullivan in the favourites race for the £385,000 event. Trump comes into the competition after winning the 2024 German Masters. He will be starting his bid for a third Players Championship title when he takes on Chris Wakelin later today.
Trump has been in top form recently, so it’s not difficult to imagine him lifting the trophy on February 25th. Sullivan, who matches Trump’s four ranking events title haul and boasts an 86% win ratio this season, is also a low-risk option to consider.
Martin O’Donnell will be an agonising miss in the tournament despite putting on a marvellous Welsh Open campaign. He made it all the way to the final but could not overcome Gary Wilson to clinch the title. The Minister of Defence needed to win the tournament to break into the top 16. A last-minute heartbreak deprived him of Welsh Open glory and a spot in the Players Championship. Had he succeeded, he would have replaced Chris Wakelin in the Players Championship lineup.
Regardless, Gary Wilson at 29.00, looks to be the most enticing Players Championship betting prospect to us. He successfully defended his Scottish Open title in December. Now, he comes to the tournament fresh off of his triumphant Welsh Open run. The Tyneside Terror is our pick as the best betting pick to win the Players Championship 2024.
