We’ve reached the halfway point of the 2025 Halo World Snooker Championship - the 49th consecutive year the event has been held at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.
First held in 1927, it is the longest-running and most prestigious tournament in professional snooker, with a prize fund of £2,395,000, of which the winner will receive £500,000.
Last year saw Kyren Wilson defeat Jak Jones 18–14 in the final. Wilson returned to defend his title but fell at the first hurdle, being knocked out in the first round by Lei Peifan.
With the final second round matches to be completed today, Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins are two of the players to have impressed so far.
As the quarter finals loom, here are the players the bookies reckon have the best chance of triumphing.
5. John Higgins - 10/1
Scotland's John Higgins is enjoying a golden spell at the moment, winning the World Open and the Tour Championship, the latter after taking the last five frames in the final against Mark Selby to win by one. He's 10/1 to win his fifth world title after two narrow wins over Joe O'Connor and Xiao Guodong to reach the quarters. | Getty Images
6. Mark Williams - 18/1
Three-time world champion Mark Williams is 18/1 to add a fourth title to his CV having reached the quarters following wins against Wu Yize and Hossein Vafaei. He's up against old rival John Higgins next. | Getty Images
7. Chris Wakelin - 22/1
Chris Wakelin won his first and only ranking title at the 2023 Snooker Shoot Out. He's enjoying a great World Championship having knocked out ninth seed Neil Robertson and eighth seed Mark Allen so far. He's a 22/1 shot to go all the way. | Getty Images
8. Si Jiahui - 25/1
Si Jiahui has yet to win a ranking tournament - having reached the finals of the 2025 German Masters and the 2024 Wuhan Open. He's 25/1 to make the biggest title in the sport his first having beated David Gilbert in the first round and leading Ben Woollaston in the second. | Getty Images