The Stars are Aligning For a Memorable Snooker World Championship
The Crucible countdown is on as the field of the World Snooker Tour begins jostling for position
Lewis Watson 
Kyren Wilson's thrilling 10-9 win over Judd Trump in Sunday's Players Championship final has set the snooker bar extremely high.
The reigning world champion has found an extra gear since claiming his maiden Crucible crown in 2024 and is spearheading the charge towards what could be one of the best World Championships in years.
We head to Sheffield on April 19, and for the first time in recent memory, it feels like a World Championship that won't be centred around the movements of Ronnie O'Sullivan.
The seven-time world champion and G.O.A.T of the baize has been M.I.A for a large part of the 2024/25 season, withdrawing from eight ranking events, and with a lack of high-pressure table time under his belt, it's impossible to stomach his 9/2 second-favourite price in the latest snooker betting, to win an eighth crown.
World Championships Looks Wide Open in 2025
Instead, we have a pack of players that are arguably finding the peak of their powers heading to the Crucible, setting us up for some mouth-watering encounters inside the home of snooker.
Kyren Wilson's success this season has been attributed to his attacking style on the table, attempting to win frames as quickly as possible and drown his opposition out. It's a tactic that has seen the "Warrior" scoop ranking titles at the Xi'an Grand Prix, Northern Ireland Open, German Masters and Players Championship, notably, beating world number one Judd Trump in three of these finals.
Wilson is third-favourite with betting sites to retain his title in Sheffield, but the rejuvenation of some of the sport's favourite characters are why he should be looking over his shoulder rather than ahead to another final.
Mark Selby looks to have tamed his demons winning two rankings titles as well as the Championship League and can never be dismissed in Sheffield considering the grit you need to win through some of the marathon matches in the latter stages.
Neil Robertson is winning again. The Australian's form fell off a cliff a few years ago, but with a beaming smile on his face seems to be up for the fight again, winning the English Open and World Grand Prix in what has been his best season for a number of years.
And who can forget Shaun Murphy? The "Magician" won this year's Masters crown and has been a serial quarter-finalist in ranking events this season. His World Championship form has been scrutinised over the last few seasons, but two final appearances in 10 outings isn't the worst going considering the stacked field.
Even John Higgins is back in the winner's circle. The "Wizard of Wishaw" won his first ranking title since 2021 at the recent World Open, and with only two exits before the quarter-final stage across his last nine World Championships, the signs are pointing towards another good tournament for the Scot.
But world number one Judd Trump will still be considered the man to beat. Trump hasn't won the 'big one' since 2019, with quarter-final losses plaguing his recent attempts at becoming a two-time world champion.
He has gone about his business quietly, but impressively, as always, winning the Saudi Arabia Masters and UK Championship, but three final losses to Kyren Wilson will hurt Trump, whilst signalling the birth of a new rivalry at the top of the sport.
Throw Mark Allen, Ding Junhui, Mark Williams and Barry Hawkins into the mix, as well as a slew of talented young Chinese talents, and the 2025 Snooker World Championship could well prove to be one of the best and most competitive in living memory.
As we edge closer to the tournament next month, we'll have all the latest free bets and offers for the World Snooker Championship, either offers specifically for the event, or those that can be used across any sports including snooker.
We'll also have Lewis Watson on hand to preview the action throughout with his snooker tips, giving his outright verdict plus plenty more insights as the tournament plays out in Sheffield.
