Snooker Betting Tips: UK Championship 2025 Predictions & Odds
Second only to the World Championship at Sheffield’s iconic Crucible Theatre, the UK Championship at the York Barbican is where snooker’s elite collide in the pursuit of Triple Crown glory.
This is a tournament that rarely strays far from the game’s top shelf.
World number one Judd Trump returns as defending champion, looking to go back-to-back in one of the sport’s most demanding arenas.
Snooker Betting Tips: UK Championship
It’s no shock to see Trump sitting atop the market with betting sites going into the tournament. But he’s not the only man bringing form and pedigree to York.
Zhao Xintong arrives with momentum of his own. Fresh off a run to the International Championship semi-final, where only Wu Yize halted him, Zhao has already shown he can thrive on this stage.
His earlier victories over Mark Allen and Kyren Wilson at the Champion of Champions underline the danger he presents in a format that rewards fearless, free-flowing snooker.
Ronnie O’Sullivan, the most decorated player in UK Championship history with eight titles, lifted the trophy in 2023 and is once again among the frontrunners to reclaim the crown.
Since 2020, Neil Robertson, Zhao Xintong and Mark Allen have also etched their names onto the trophy — six different winners in the last six editions, a testament to just how difficult this event is to win.
Here at Free Bets, let’s take a look at some of the best betting for the event starting on Saturday:
Tip 1: Judd Trump to win 1st Quarter at 11/8 with bet365
Trump’s so-so season has opened up a bit of value in seeing him win through his quarter.
The world number one has reached two major finals and one semi-final so far this campaign, struggling to get over the line and failing to make a dent in any of the other ranking tournaments.
It shouldn’t be a huge concern for the “Ace in the Pack”.
Great players like Trump have the uncanny ability to spring into life when it matters most, and a run to the semi-finals this year — something he’s done on three of the last five visits to York — looks good.
Tip 2: Zhao Xintong to reach the Final at 5/2 with William Hill
World champion Zhao Xintong finds himself in the bottom half of the draw in York, full of familiar names.
In fact, of the 15 players that share his half of the draw, five are Chinese meaning that Xintong could, in theory, have an all-Chinese derby run to the final.
The second seed burst onto the world scene by winning this tournament in 2021 and after returning to form to reach the semi-final of the International Championship, should arrive at the Barbican with confidence.
Kyren Wilson and Ronnie O’Sullivan are probably the two biggest threats in his half, along with the ever-competitive John Higgins.
Tip 3: Ronnie O’Sullivan to win the UK Championship at 8/1 with William Hill
It’s not the worst idea to stake a small bet on Ronnie O’Sullivan ending his recent drought by bagging what would be a ninth UK Championship.
“The Rocket” will receive huge support in York, and boosted to a massive 8/1 by William Hill opens up the opportunity to give him a look.
The comparatively short format of the UK Championship allows the more naturally talented players to spring into life, rather than being weighed down by their lack of form over marathon matches.
More UK Championship Tips
Following this outright preview, Lewis Watson will be with us next week with some daily snooker tips for you as the tournament reaches the latter stages.
And it's not just snooker we cover, we've a variety of betting tips on site this weekend, covering everything else in the sporting world.
How to Watch the 2025 UK Snooker Championship
There's exceptional coverage of the competition, as you would expect from something so big.
Free to air coverage is available via the BBC, who will be showcasing every single game via the BBC Sport website. Plus for TV viewers, coverage will be split across BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Four throughout the week.
Alternatively, for those with a subscription, you can also catch the action on TNT Sports or the Discovery+ streaming service.
UK Snooker Championship Schedule
Here's a look at the schedule for this week long snooker event.
- Round One - Saturday Nov 29th - Tuesday Dec 2nd
- Last 16 - Wednesday Dec 3rd & Thursday Dec 4th
- Quarter Finals - Friday Dec 5th
- Semi Finals - Saturday Dec 6th
- Final - Sunday Dec 7th
