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Breaking News

May 6th 2009

Update from Sheffield

What is the 1st thing you do the morning after becoming the first ever Betfred.com World Champion - meet the press ! John was relaxed and insisted his family were involved because the the popular Glaswegian said that it was his wife and kids that motivated him to win his 3rd title.

Higgins is 10/1 to retain his title and he's delighted Betfred.com are involved and was full of praise for the headline sponsors.

The Betfred Crucible is now returning to normal but don't worry we'll be back and even bigger next year - 2010 is going to be a great year for Snooker!

May 5th 2009

AND NOW FOR NEXT YEAR...

No sooner has the Betfred.com World Championship finished for one year than we are already looking ahead to 2010.

Although delighted with the way things have gone at the Crucible in such a short timeframe since we agreed to sponsor the tournament, we know there are many ways in which we can help to make the World Championship even better.

You can be sure everyone at Betfred will be working tirelessly to achieve that aim.

More on that in due course. But in the meantime, how about a guide to the odds for the 2010 event.

John Higgins is 10/1 to make it three victories in four years – the same price as Shaun Murphy, his victim in the final this time.

Favourite to gain what would be a fourth title is Ronnie O’Sullivan at 7/2, while there is likely to be support for this year’s semi-finalists Mark Allen and Neil Robertson at 16/1.

2010 Betfred.com World Snooker Championship:

7/2 Ronnie O’Sullivan
7/1 Mark Selby
8/1 Stephen Maguire
10/1 John Higgins
10/1 Shaun Murphy
14/1 Ali Carter
16/1 Mark Allen
16/1 Ding Junhui
16/1 Neil Robertson
25/1 Jamie Cope
25/1 Ryan Day
33/1 Marco Fu
40/1 bar

May 4th 2009

JOHN HIGGINS WINS BETFRED.COM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

John Higgins has become the first world snooker champion under the sponsorship of Betfred.com with a resounding 18-9 victory over Shaun Murphy in the final at Sheffield ’s Crucible Theatre.

It’s a third world title for the Scot and second in three years and, while he dominated the showdown with Murphy after winning all but one frame in the second session, it was a hard-fought success as Higgins had to overcome some extreme tests in the earlier rounds.

Jamie Cope and Mark Selby took the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ the full distance and a Mark Allen comeback in the semi-finals caused him great anxiety. But ultimately the 33-year-old was a thoroughly deserving winner.

Leading 11-5 after day one of the final, Higgins kept up the pressure on Murphy and increased his advantage to 16-8 at the end of the Monday afternoon session.

In frame 25 breaks of 58 and 48 put him on the brink of victory either side of the 2005 champion missing a black off the spot, and while Murphy delayed the inevitable with a 59 in the next, contributions of 32 and 73 were enough to get Higgins over the line.

“It was amazing to win my first world title in 1998 and now to win two more in three years is brilliant,” said Higgins. “It’s great to win for my family and friends.

“I know Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis have won a few more than me but to be level with the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan is an amazing honour.

“I won seven of the eight frames in the second session and that made the difference. At 5-5 it looked like being a really tough match but then Shaun missed a couple of balls he would normally have got and that swung it my way.”

Murphy paid a glowing tribute to Higgins and admitted he had just run out of steam towards the end.

“John’s safety and tactical game are the best I’ve ever played against,” said Murphy. “All credit to the guy – he’s the best tactical player I’ve ever seen.

“The first 15½ days of the tournament were fantastic for me but the last day and a half wasn’t great! But I still hope to join the list of multiple winners.”

On behalf of everyone at Betfred, many congratulations to John Higgins and commiserations to Shaun Murphy. Indeed congratulations to everyone connected with what, from start to finish, has been a fantastic Betfred.com World Championship.

May 4th 2009

MONDAY TEATIME UPDATE BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

He’s nearly there, but not quite. John Higgins still needs two more frames when the final resumes tonight to win the Betfred.com World Championship for the third time.

Shaun Murphy ensured the spectators arriving for the evening session at the Crucible will see some meaningful action as he took two frames after the mid-session interval, but still faces a mountain to climb if he is to overturn a 16-8 deficit.

It was a 5-3 session to Higgins and he is now as short as 1/250 to lift the famous trophy clad with Betfred ribbons, while Murphy is 33/1 to pull off what would be the most incredible comeback of all time.

At the interval the worry was that there would be no evening session because if Higgins, who was then 14-6 ahead, had taken the next four frames it would have been all over.

Murphy averted that prospect by winning two in a row, knocking in a break of 79 to reduce his arrears to 14-8, but then it was the turn of the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ to reinforce his authority and put himself on the brink of victory.

A break of 52 proved decisive in frame 24 as Murphy missed the yellow when looking poised to pinch it, and Higgins calmly finished it off to settle the nerves ahead of the big finale in a few hours time.

May 4th 2009

HIGGINS MOVES FURTHER AHEAD - BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

John Higgins is now just four frames away from winning a third Crucible title after moving 14-6 clear of Shaun Murphy in the Betfred.com World Championship final.

The Scot won three of today’s first four frames and is now 1/50 to repeat his 1998 and 2007 triumphs at the sport’s spiritual home.

He could even wrap it up without the need for an evening session, but Murphy only needs to take one of the four frames after the interval in order to ensure those who bought tickets for Monday night will see some meaningful action.

Murphy is out to 14/1 and if he had a mountain to climb before play began today, he now faces a task comparable to scaling Everest equipped only with a stepladder.

Higgins had finished with two breaks of 128 in the last three frames of Sunday night’s stint but did not need to don his big-scoring boots to extend his advantage.

After a low-key opener today won by the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’, Murphy knocked in a 91 and the next frame revolved around the blue, which Higgins potted brilliantly. Although the pink was over a top pocket, Higgins managed to snooker himself behind the black but made the pot after bouncing the cue ball off the side cushion.

Murphy missed the last red to a baulk pocket in frame 20 and Higgins took full advantage to surely dispirit his opponent even further.

May 4th 2009

CRUCIBLE SET FOR EXCITING CLIMAX - BY JON WILDE

Good afternoon from The Crucible, where either John Higgins or Shaun Murphy will today be crowned the winner of the first Betfred.com-sponsored World Championship.

Higgins led 11-5 overnight and Murphy faces the prospect of trying to become the first player since the current format began to fight back and lift the trophy having been more than four frames down after the opening day.

However, he will be encouraged that he is one of the three men who have overcome a 10-6 deficit, which he did on his way to the title in 2005.

We originally priced up the match at 1/16 Higgins 7/1 Murphy after the Scot took seven of last night’s eight frames, but the odds have changed. Higgins has been pushed out to 1/12 and Murphy is in to 6/1.

Updates will appear here after every four frames today, so make sure you keep logging on for all the latest news from Sheffield .

May 3rd 2009

SUNDAY NIGHT WRAP-UP BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

John Higgins turned the screw on Shaun Murphy with a thoroughly dominant second session to race 11-5 clear in the final of the Betfred.com World Championship.

The Scot, seeking a third Crucible crown, is now a red-hot 1/16 favourite to lift the trophy in Sheffield on Monday, with Murphy out to 7/1 to repeat his 2005 victory.

And the bad news for the 26-year-old Englishman is that no player has ever recovered to win a world final from such an overnight deficit, with 10-6 the biggest gap to have previously been bridged.

It was considered a final too close to call by many pundits beforehand and that was reflected in the pre-match odds of 4/5 Higgins Evens Murphy, and the predictions looked like proving correct when the opening session ended level at 4-4.

A final that could go the full distance of 35 frames appeared a real possibility at that stage, but on Sunday night Higgins pulled well ahead to close in on becoming only the fourth man to win three Crucible titles.

The first two frames of the evening session were shared before Higgins went into overdrive. Nothing spectacular was needed to go 6-5 up, but then came a break of 95 just before the interval.

Frame 13 was scrappy but also went Higgins’ way, and then the 1998 and 2007 champion turned on the style. In two of the last three frames he knocked in breaks of 128 and will have gone to bed in a much happier mood than Murphy, who must regroup on Monday.

The other man in top form on Sunday night was esteemed snooker journalist and broadcaster Phil Yates.

Our Press Challenges have been extremely popular during the tournament, generating lots of interest and excitement in the media room, and tonight’s was based on predicting what time to the nearest minute the session would end.

Yates got it absolutely spot on at 10.47pm , but was growing increasingly anxious during Higgins’ second 128 break as rival entries of 10.45 and 10.49 had also been posted!

“I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a player to pot a tricky last red along the cushion more in all my years of watching snooker,” said Yates, whose prize is to be a guest of Betfred on one of our sponsored race days at Haydock Park .

May 3rd 2009

SUNDAY TEATIME UPDATE BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

Many pundits said it was too close to call and so it proved in the opening session of the Betfred.com World Championship final with John Higgins and Shaun Murphy tied at 4-4.

The odds had been 4/5 Higgins, Evens Murphy beforehand and that’s still how we price it up going into Sunday night’s second stint.

But there looked like being much more of an imbalance after Higgins had raced into a 3-0 lead, and at that point it was suspected Murphy may still be feeling the effects of his emotionally draining semi-final win over Neil Robertson the previous night.

Higgins made breaks of 78, 52 and 43 to go clear, but then the 2005 champion responded with a 58 to be 3-1 down at the interval as his odds were cut to 6/4 with Higgins 8/15.

Just as he had done against Robertson, Murphy came out firing after the break and reeled off the next three frames, the highlight being a run of 109 which put him level at 3-3.

There were chances for both players in the last frame of the session, but it was 1998 and 2007 champion Higgins who made the decisive contribution of 50 which was enough to keep him as slight favourite to lift the trophy tomorrow.

May 3rd 2009

IT‘S NOT ALL SNOOKER AT THE CRUCIBLE!

Snooker fans have packed into Sheffield but that doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about the big sporting events taking place outside the Crucible.

On a huge weekend of exciting action, the top-quality racing and football have been the focus of attention for many spectators and members of the media.

And of course they have all been having a flutter with Betfred!

The two Classics at Newmarket were good results for us with the favourites being beaten, Rip Van Winkle never getting competitive in the 2,000 Guineas and Delegator losing out in a battle with 8/1 chance Sea The Stars.

Rainbow View, who had been the only horse punters wanted to back in the 1,000 Guineas, was also disappointing and could not cope with the pace of unexposed 20/1 victor Ghanaati.

For the Sheffield football fans, it was Wednesday supporters who had the better of things on the final day of the Championship campaign.

They won 1-0 against Cardiff , whose influx of 8,000 fans into the steel city faced a depressing journey home as they missed out on a place in the play-offs by a solitary goal scored. Lancashire duo Burnley and Preston both won to leapfrog the Welsh club.

The other good news for followers of the Owls was that Sheffield United were pipped to the second automatic promotion spot by Birmingham, who go up with West Midlands rivals Wolves.

So it will be the Blades against Preston in one play-off, while Reading take on Burnley for a place at Wembley.

Liverpool kept up their pursuit of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table with a 3-0 home win over Newcastle , who are now in desperate relegation trouble.

May 2nd 2009

SATURDAY NIGHT WRAP-UP BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

Shaun Murphy will meet John Higgins in the Betfred.com World Championship final after a tense 17-14 victory over Neil Robertson at Sheffield ’s Crucible Theatre.

The 2005 champion recovered from the loss of seven consecutive frames to take the last three of the match after the mid-session interval thanks to breaks of 106, 81 and 94.

Having been a 1/9 shot when he led 14-10 following the third of the four sessions, Murphy drifted out to 4/5 after his opponent drew level by taking every frame before the interval of the concluding stint.

But while the momentum was clearly with the Australian at that point, Murphy, who had barely been able to pot a ball, regrouped during the 20 minutes spent out of the arena and produced some vintage play when the contest resumed.

On Monday either Higgins will capture a third world title or Murphy a second, and it is sure to be a cracker between two of the world’s finest players.

“I’ll give it my absolute all over the next two days and see where we end up,” said 26-year-old Murphy. “I’ve dreamed of playing people like John Higgins in a final at the Crucible and I can’t wait to get started.

“John has come through some awesome matches and we’ve both played well for the whole fortnight of the championship.

“If I win I’ll be joining some very exclusive groups – people who have won the World and UK Championships in the same season, multiple world champions – and to do that would be immense. But there’s a long way to go and I have to win 18 frames.”

However, Robertson feels the greater experience of Higgins may be decisive in who wins the first Betfred.com-sponsored World Championship.

“If Shaun plays like he did in the last three frames he has a big chance,” said the Cambridge-based man from Melbourne .

“But John has had some really good wins in the tournament so far under extreme pressure. I’d probably just tip John, but it should be a great final.”

So it’s England versus Scotland and while Higgins has been as short as 4/7 to be crowned champion, he is now out to 4/5 as we see it being almost a coin-flip.

Murphy is in to Evens and the fact the betting is so close means one thing – a thriller is in store over the next two days.

Make sure you log on regularly to keep up with all the action from the Crucible.

May 2nd 2009

SATURDAY TEATIME UPDATE BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

John Higgins is through to the Betfred.com World Championship final to play Shaun Murphy or Neil Robertson thanks to a 17-13 victory over plucky Mark Allen.

The Scot will contest his fourth Crucible showdown having won the title twice previously, although he made very hard work of seeing off the Northern Irishman having led 13-3 after the Friday morning session.

Allen’s comeback was such that the match prices had been closed after he trailed by 10 frames, yet when he recovered to be 16-13 down he was just 13/2 to complete what would have been the most amazing fightback of all time.

Higgins’ price to lift the trophy on Monday night has been steady since he raced clear of Allen early in their match and that remains the case for he is 8/13 in the outright market.

He also thinks he will hold a significant advantage over his opponent in having reached the final first, thereby enjoying more time to prepare for the best-of-35-frames marathon.

“It would mean everything to me to win the Betfred.com World Championship for a third time,” said the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’.

“And I just hope the other semi-final drains whoever I play in the final. In my experience the person playing late at night in the semis doesn’t normally go on to win it.

“The two times I’ve won the tournament I’ve finished my semi-final in the afternoon and I’d love that to be the case again.”

Although he eventually fell over the winning line, Higgins did the major damage to Allen in session two, which he won 7-1 to lead 13-3.

Allen believes that if Higgins can sustain the form he produced in that session he will be unstoppable in his title quest.

“If John plays in the final like he did on Friday morning I can’t see his opponent getting close to him,” said Allen.

“He was unbelievable in that session and I didn’t do much wrong. To win it 7-1 shows how good he is. He definitely showed his class and if he plays like that again I can’t see anyone staying with him.”

Since our lunchtime update there is one slight change to the outright odds, with Robertson cut to 11/1 from 12s.

Check back with us later on for news and quotes from the Murphy-Robertson match which, if it proves to be as exciting as the earlier contest, could turn out to be a classic.

May 2nd 2009

SATURDAY LUNCHTIME UPDATE BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

Shaun Murphy moved closer to the Betfred.com World Championship final when he won the first five frames of the morning session against Neil Robertson.

But the Australian, who had looked well out of sorts, found his form in time to take the last three and ensure the match still has a competitive edge going into tonight’s concluding stint.

With 2005 champion Murphy leading 14-10 he is 1/9 to reach the final for the second time, Robertson 5/1 to stage a winning comeback that would thrill the Crucible crowd.

Robertson was probably sorry the session ended when it did for he had really gained the momentum, knocking in the first century break of the match in frame 24.

John Higgins is unchanged at 8/13 to claim the title for the third time but Murphy is in to 6/4, although that is a stand-out price with us due to the imbalance we have in terms of liabilities.

We have barely been able to give Murphy away throughout the tournament whereas Higgins has been extremely popular and we want to get the Northamptonshire man in the book.

Robertson is out to 12/1 and Mark Allen 66/1, the Northern Irishman having been trimmed from 100s due to his plucky fightback last night.

May 1 2009

FRIDAY NIGHT WRAP-UP BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

John Higgins’ hopes of an afternoon off were scuppered by a fine Mark Allen comeback in the third session of their Betfred.com World Championship semi-final at the Crucible.

The Scot had looked set to win a session ahead of schedule when he went into the evening stint 13-3 up, but the plucky young Northern Irishman took six of the eight frames to give himself a glimmer of hope for the Saturday afternoon conclusion.

It was not the highest quality action of all time and had more to do with Higgins maybe taking his foot off the pedal than Allen raising his game.

And the fightback also did nothing to affect the outright odds, which were unchanged at the end of the session from what they had been when the duo walked out at the start of the evening.

Higgins remains the 8/13 favourite to capture a third world title and Allen is still a 100/1 shot to achieve what would be the most remarkable victory in snooker history.

With the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ only needing two more frames to reach the Sunday and Monday showdown, the match prices are closed. But the handicap market is alive and kicking and with Higgins leading 15-9, the prices are based on whether Allen will bag two more frames before his opponent does.

So it’s essentially a best-of-the-next-three-frames market and Higgins is 8/13 to get the better of that cameo, with Allen 6/5.

In contrast, the other semi-final is much tighter and only two frames separate Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson at the midway point, with the 2005 hero holding the edge.

Murphy leads 9-7 and is 2/5 to reach the final for the second time, with Robertson 15/8 after he gave himself the psychological boost of winning a last frame of the afternoon session that could have gone either way.

An extremely risky attempt at a plant by Murphy went wrong and the surprising choice of shot played right into the Australian’s hands as he capitalised to trail by just two frames overnight instead of a much more daunting four.

The Englishman is now 2/1 to claim the title for the second time, but 11/2 shot Robertson will like his chances of coming back having kept his rival within arm’s length.

That duo get proceedings under way at 10am on Saturday and we will update you with all the action as the race towards the Betfred.com World Championship final hots up.

May 1 2009

FRIDAY TEATIME UPDATE BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

Only two frames separate Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson at the midway point of their Betfred.com World Championship semi-final, with the 2005 hero holding the edge.

Murphy leads 9-7 and is 2/5 to reach the final for the second time, with Robertson 15/8 after he gave himself the psychological boost of winning a last frame of the session that could have gone either way.

The Englishman is now 2/1 to claim the title for the second time, but 11/2 shot Robertson will like his chances of coming back having kept his rival within arm’s length.

That semi-final is certainly much closer than the other one as we were forced to go ‘no offers’ on John Higgins as he raced 13-3 clear of a seemingly dispirited Mark Allen.

We initially cut the Scot to 4/7 to become world champion for a third time but eased him slightly to 8/13 after Murphy enhanced his claims of appearing in the final.

Allen is out to 100/1 in the face of what appears an inevitable defeat and we did not expect many takers at that price.

1st May 2009

Update from Betfred.com World Snooker Championship by Angus Loughran

John Higgins produced a devastating display in the second session of his Semi Final against Northern Irelands Mark Allen winning 7 of the 8 morning frames to extend his overnight lead from 6/2 to 13/3 and leaving him requiring just 4 further frames to reach Sundays Final.With 8 frames alloted starting at 7pm on Friday evening Higgins could win with a session to spare if he wins the 4 frames he requires for victory tonight.This Semi Final is in stark contrast to his earlier final frame deciders against Jamie Cope and Mark Selby.If Higgins does win tonight he will have a day off while Neil Robertson of Australia and Shaun Murphy slug it out over the next two days for the other place in The Final.

Mark Allen is 50/1 for a huge upset comeback and 100/1 to win outright while John Higgins is 4/7 to land a 3rd World Crown and after

Friday mornings devastating display which included 2 ton breaks he is certainly the one to beat at present.Mark Allen won only one frame the 14th this morning although it did contain a break of 104.The Match resumes at 7pm.

April 30 2009

Evening update from the Crucible by Angus Loughran

Honours even at 4/4, after the first of 4 sessions in the 2nd Semi Final of the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship at The Crucible. The prices remain as they were at the start of the match with Murphy 8/11 and Robertson 11/10 to reach The Final over two days, starting on Sunday.

Thursdays evening session began with a tense opening frame which could have gone either way and lasted 48 minuites, before Murphy won a tense safety battle.

The pace of the match quickened after that, with only one of the remaining 7 frames lasting over 20 min, and few big breaks - the highest being Murphys 88 without reply, which won frame 6 to give him a 4/2 lead, all credit to Robertson who won the evenings final two frames to see us level overnight at 4/4..

The second session of this match continues at 2:30pm Friday, with the conclusion over two sessions on Saturday at 10am and 7pm, with 17 frames needed to reach The Final.

John Higgins is the 5/6 market leader to win a 3rd World Crown, with Shaun Murphy 5/2 next best. Neil Robertson is 4/1, with Mark Allen, who trails John Higgins 6/2 after their opening session, the 12/1 outsider.

April 30 2009

Betfred.com World Snooker update by Angus Loughran at The Crucible Sheffield.

John Higgins showed no sign of tiredness following his epic 13/12 last 8 triumph over Mark Selby, late on Wednesday evening, when taking a commanding 6/2 first session advantage over Mark Allen, on Thursday afternoon, at a packed Crucible.

The match, over 4 sessions, continues at 10am Friday with 8 more frames, and Allen, who stunned Ronnie OSullivan in the 2nd round, looked tired on his World Semi Final debut, despite taking the opening frame.

Higgins is now 1/8 to reach the Final, and 5/6 clear market leader to go on and land his 3rd World Title on Monday night, following his triumphs in 1998 and 2000.Mark Allen is 5/1 to comeback and reach the Final, and is now 12/1 and rank outsider to win Mondays Betfred.com World Snooker Championship.

Higgins still needs 11 more frames to reach the required 17 needed to win The Semi Final, and despite not being at his best on Thursday afternoon, will be hard to catch after such a great start which included a break of 114 in frame 6, the 73rd of these Championships, with the punters who backed 65 or more centuries in the event already paid out.

Mark Allen will be hoping that he repeats his morning performance of last Saturday against Ronnie, but already Higgins Crucible Semi Final experience is showing, and the Scot will be hoping to power further ahead in the next 8 frames played on Friday morning.

April 29 2009

WEDNESDAY NIGHT WRAP-UP BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

And then there were four. Either John Higgins, Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson or Mark Allen will win the Betfred.com World Championship.

Each semi-final will feature a man who has been there and done it against a player aiming to lift the famous trophy for the first time. Higgins versus Allen gets under way on Thursday afternoon, while Murphy and Robertson start out in the evening.

Two-time former champion Higgins is now the 5/4 favourite and remains the winner our traders do not want. Since the exits of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ali Carter, the Scot has been the only loser in the outright book but keeps battling back from the brink of defeat.

Having scraped through against Jamie Cope in the last 16, Higgins again came through a decider to win 13-12 against Mark Selby from 12-11 down. After two re-racks, he hit a brilliant break-off shot from which his opponent left him on and a break of 75 was enough to send the 1998 and 2007 champion through.

Higgins is 1/2 to reach the final and Allen, who had earlier added Ryan Day to a list of victims that also includes Ronnie O’Sullivan, is 13/8.

Talking of Allen, the 11/2 outsider for the title was in exalted company as he watched Manchester United win their Champions League match 1-0 against Arsenal in the Betfred lounge.

Betfred are, of course, known for their darts connections having staged the League of Legends last year and Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor and Colin ‘The Wizard’ Osborne were also enjoying the sponsors’ hospitality during the big game.

Taylor is a big snooker fan and said: "I love the game. I’ve been watching it every day. I used to play all the time and I find it really addictive. My highest ever break is 64... I got to that and then s**t myself!

"I went into the arena to watch two frames of the Higgins-Selby match and I must have picked the worst two frames of the whole championship because the pink and black went safe. But to be fair there was some good safety play."

Asked about his football-watching companion Allen, the 14-times world champion, who was in Sheffield on the eve of the city’s Premier League darts night, added: "I thought he could win the tournament when he beat Ronnie O’Sullivan."

But if he is to do so, Allen must not only beat Higgins but also Murphy or Robertson, who are 5/2 and 7/2 respectively to be crowned king of the Crucible on Monday.

Murphy is 8/11 to reach the final and Robertson 11/10... and the Aussie looks to be the dark horse given his impressive record of converting semi-final appearances into tournament victories.

Robertson won 13-8 against Stephen Maguire, who admitted he played more like the world No 102 than the world No 2, yet it was still a top-notch display from the Cambridge-based Melbourne man.

So now we are down to one table. We only need one winner, and it’s wide open. The Betfred.com World Championship semi-finals will be terrific – bring it on!

April 29 2009

WEDNESDAY TEATIME UPDATE BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

Shaun Murphy and Mark Allen are the first two semi-finalists in the Betfred.com World Championship and the last-four line-up will be completed tonight.

Both players won 13-11, Murphy getting the better of maximum man Stephen Hendry while Allen added Ryan Day to his last of victims which also includes Ronnie O’Sullivan.

They will now wait to find out their opponents on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as they are in separate halves of the draw, so could therefore meet in the final on Sunday and Monday.

Ahead of the evening session Murphy was the new favourite for the title at 3/1, and the way he played against Hendry to hit back from 5-2 down he fully deserved that status.

Allen was in to 5/1 and his only regret at not finishing off Day sooner was that he was unable to make it to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United take on Arsenal in the Champions League. “Maybe I’ll have a word with Fred and he’ll fly me down in a chopper,” quipped the Antrim man.

Higgins and Selby have been inseparable in the outright betting ever since they were paired together in the quarter-finals. They were 4-4 after the first session and 8-8 after the second but we made Selby 4/5 to progress, with Higgins at Evens.

The reason for the duo being joint 7/2 second favourites in the outright market is that Higgins remains our only losing result in the book.

Neil Robertson and Stephen Maguire are not players you would associate with slow play but their quarter-final was pulled from the arena two frames early after an opener that lasted almost 63 minutes.

It was decided to give the duo a break of an hour and a quarter before they played to a finish, with Robertson leading 8-6 when the halt was called.

The Australian was 1/2 to secure a semi-final against Murphy, while Maguire was 13/8. It was 9/2 Robertson in the outright market, with Maguire out to 13/2.

April 29 2009

Hendry hails Betfred’s “fantastic” donation

Stephen Hendry MBE has praised the “fantastic gesture” by Betfred in their donation of £147,000 to Sport Relief in honour of his magnificent 147 break at the Betfred.com World Championship in Sheffield.

The seven-times former world champion achieved snooker’s most coveted feat in frame seven of his quarter-final against Shaun Murphy, potting a black after each of the 15 reds and then clearing the six colours.

Big-hearted bookie Fred Done had promised before the tournament began that he would make the donation when the first maximum break was made in this the first year of Betfred.com sponsorship of snooker’s biggest event.

“It’s a fantastic gesture by Fred and I’m delighted to be a part of that,” said Hendry after bravely bowing out of the tournament with a 13-11 defeat to 2005 champion Murphy.

“I think it’s a great idea for Betfred to give money to charity. It’s nice to win the top break prize for myself but even better that Fred is giving £147,000 to Sport Relief.”

The maximum was Hendry’s second at the Crucible Theatre and came 14 years after his previous one, in the 1995 semi-finals against Jimmy White.

“It was a great feeling, especially because it was at the Crucible,” added Hendry. “It’s been a long time since I made a 147 in a tournament so it was long overdue.

“You make a lot in practice but it’s all about making them in the arena when you’re under pressure.

“I didn’t feel nervous. I just stayed focused on the balls and felt comfortable right through the frame. There were a couple of tricky shots so it was a great feeling to pot the final black.”

Betfred boss Fred Done said: “It’s fantastic that Sport Relief are receiving the £147,000 donation and I’m delighted that it was a true snooker legend in Stephen that made the 147 break.”
Karl Reynolds, Sport Relief’s Head of Fundraising, said: “We are thrilled that Stephen Hendry’s skill has potted Sport Relief an amazing £147,000. A big thank you to Stephen and Betfred for one of the first donations to Sport Relief 2010.”

April 28 2009

TUESDAY NIGHT WRAP-UP BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

Shaun Murphy had much the better of the evening session against maximum man Stephen Hendry and won six of the eight frames to move 9–7 ahead.

The 2005 champion produced the best possible response to being overshadowed by the Scot’s exploits in the morning and is now 2/9 to progress to the semi-finals when they finish off at 10am on Wednesday.

Hendry is 3/1 to keep alive his hopes of a record eighth world title, but will need to produce the form of his excellent Tuesday morning session when he made that magical 147 break.

It was honours even in the second session of the Mark Allen-Ryan Day match, but the Northern Irishman will be happier as he took the final two frames to retain the advantage of two he held after the morning stint.

That means it’s 9-7 to Allen ahead of their conclusion tomorrow and Ronnie O’Sullivan’s conqueror is 2/5 to reach the last four, with Day at 15/8.

In the outright market John Higgins is now the 7/2 favourite ahead of his quarter–final opponent Mark Selby at 4/1.

Murphy is 5/1 after his fine evening session, with Stephen Maguire and Neil Robertson at 11/2.

Allen, who looks on course for the semis, is 7/1 and Hendry and Day are now the 14/1 outsiders.

April 28 2009

TUESDAY TEATIME UPDATE BY JON WILDE AT THE CRUCIBLE

Wow! What a first day at the Crucible this year it’s been for me. Barely had I walked through the Stage Door and collected my admission pass than Stephen Hendry had made a 147 break.

It’s fantastic news, of course, that Hendry, the most successful player of all time, achieved his second Sheffield maximum. As well as securing £147,000 for himself plus the £10,000 highest break prize if nobody else does a 147, he bagged a £147,000 Betfred donation to Sport Relief.

This maximum came 14 years after his previous 147 at the Crucible, made in the semi-finals against Jimmy White. That Thursday in 1995 I made my first ever visit to the World Championship and guess what? I missed the 147 because my train was delayed!

But I managed to savour this one and it was also great news for Sport Relief, who will receive the fantastically generous donation from Fred.

Karl Reynolds, Sport Relief's Head of Fundraising, said: “We are thrilled that Stephen Hendry's skill has potted Sport Relief an amazing £147,000. A big thank you to Stephen and Betfred for one of the first donations to Sport Relief 2010."

Apart from his 147, Hendry had much the better of the first session of his quarter-final against Shaun Murphy and although he lost the final frame, he still led 5-3.

The Scot was in to 8/13 to reach the semi-finals with Murphy 5/4, while Hendry was 6/1 to win an eighth world title and Murphy 10/1 to claim a second.

The action on the other table during the morning was inevitably overshadowed but Mark Allen took a 5-3 lead over Ryan Day. The Northern Irishman, who beat Ronnie O’Sullivan in round two, was trimmed to 15/2 in the outright market and the Welshman pushed out to 12s. Allen was 1/2 to win the match and Day 13/8.

John Higgins made a fine comeback for the second consecutive afternoon, this time to draw level at 4-4 with Mark Selby having been 3-0 down. That meant we still couldn’t split them in terms of who would reach the last four – it was 5/6 apiece – or for the outright, with the duo becoming 4/1 joint favourites to lift the trophy next Monday.

Neil Robertson took a 5-3 lead over Stephen Maguire, who consequently was pushed out to 11/2, the same price as his opponent, to win the tournament. The Australian was 4/7 to progress to the last four and Maguire out to 11/8.

The other big news of an exciting day was that the Crucible will host the Betfred.com World Championship for the next five years, with an option for a sixth.

Snooker staying at its spiritual home is great for British fans – and for Betfred of course!

April 28th 2009

Maximum man Hendry seals £147,000 for charity

Betfred are to donate £147,000 to Sport Relief after Stephen Hendry achieved snooker perfection by making a maximum 147 break at the Betfred.com World Championship in Sheffield .

The title sponsors promised the donation for the first player to make a maximum in this year’s tournament at the Crucible Theatre and it was Hendry who accomplished the feat on day 11.

In frame seven of his quarter-final against Shaun Murphy, the seven-times former world champion potted a black with all 15 reds and then cleared the colours to complete the sport’s most coveted achievement.

It was the second time Hendry had made a Crucible maximum, his first coming in the 1995 semi-finals against Jimmy White, and his ninth in all.

Betfred boss Fred Done said: “It’s fantastic that Sport Relief are receiving the £147,000 donation and I’m delighted that it was a true snooker legend in Stephen that made the 147 break.”

April 27 2009

MONDAY NIGHT WRAP-UP BY JON WILDE IN SHEFFIELD

We now know the quarter-final line-up for the Betfred.com World Championship and one thing is for sure – it’s anyone’s title!

The betting is wide open and it’s 7/2 the field, with Stephen Maguire the new favourite after his 13-6 demolition of Mark King who was allowed only two frames by the Scot in their second and third sessions.

Maguire now takes on Neil Robertson in what is arguably the tie of the round. The Aussie ended the challenge of last year’s runner-up Ali Carter by winning 13-8 and is 15/2 in the outright market. Robertson is 6/4 to reach the semi-finals and Maguire 8/15.

John Higgins produced the performance of the day to hit back from 12-10 down to win 13-12 against qualifier Jamie Cope.

The match was halted when a spectator was taken ill early in the final frame and Higgins returned to the arena faced with a tricky pot into a middle pocket. He had been pondering the shot in his mind during the unscheduled break, but sank the red with aplomb on his way to making a decisive break of 80 with the black out of commission.

Higgins, winner of the title in 1998 and 2007, now faces Mark Selby and is Evens to get through, with the Englishman at 4/5 to make the last four. But we have them as 4/1 joint second favourites in the outright market because Higgins is the worst result in that book.

The clash of Shaun Murphy and Stephen Hendry will create plenty of interest in the Tuesday morning session. We give Murphy the edge in this one and he is 8/13 to end the Scot’s bid for an eighth world crown, with Hendry 5/4 to continue his excellent run.

Murphy is 7/1 to repeat his 2005 victory at the Crucible and Hendry is 9/1 to roll back the years.

The two outsiders meet in the other quarter-final and Ryan Day is 4/5 to get the better of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s conqueror, Mark Allen.

Day is 9/1 and Allen 10/1 to lift the trophy on May 4 and both have shown during the tournament so far that they must not be discounted lightly.

Rejoin us on Tuesday for all the latest from the Betfred.com World Championship at the Crucible. We’ll be updating after each session with all the latest news and odds!

April 27 2009

Higgins Sneaks Through a Thriller

John Higgins has been cut to 4/1 joint second favourite for the Betfred.com World Championship after coming through the match of the tournament so far, 13-12 against Jamie Cope.

The Scot trailed 12-10 but reeled off the last three frames, which were punctuated by interruptions after two members of the crowd were taken ill, including a gritty break of 80 in the decider.

In the quarter-finals Higgins, who is seeking a third world title, will play either Mark Selby or Graeme Dott.

Selby is the other 4/1 joint second favourite behind Stephen Maguire, who took over at the head of the market at 7/2 when he opened a 10-6 lead against Mark King in a match to be concluded on Monday night.

April 27 2009

Aussie Rules Against Carter

Neil Robertson is now 7/1 to win the Betfred.com World Championship for the first time after an impressive 13-8 second-round victory over last year’s runner-up Ali Carter.

The Australian left-hander was 9-7 ahead overnight and got into his stride as soon as today’s concluding session began, making breaks of 89 and 59 to go 11-7 up.

Carter kept himself alive in the match thanks to a break of 60, but the 27-year-old from Melbourne was well in command and secured the two more frames he needed to book a quarter-final against Stephen Maguire or Mark King.

The defeat of Carter was good news for our snooker traders, with the Essex cueman the worst result in the outright book following the exit of Ronnie O’Sullivan on Saturday.

April 27 2009

Maguire now favourite for Betfred.com glory..

Stephen Maguire is the new 7/2 favourite for the Betfred.com World Championship having closed in on a quarter-final place thanks to a superb second session in his match against Mark King.

The Scot displaced Mark Selby at the head of the market as he won six of this morning’s eight frames at the Crucible, pulling 10-6 clear after the duo had resumed level at 4-4.

Selby was ahead by the same scoreline against 2006 champion Graeme Dott, the eight frames of their second session having been shared equally with the Leicester cueman 6-2 up overnight.

Betfred spokesman Jon Wilde said: "We were tempted to make Maguire and Selby 4/1 joint favourites, but the fact Maguire has been the more heavily backed of the pair up to now tipped the balance in favour of making him the 7/2 ‘jolly’.

"We also feel that if any player is going to make a comeback in tonight’s concluding session it is more likely to be Dott than King, although it will be a big shock if Maguire and Selby fail to reach the last eight."

Betfred.com World Championship odds (correct at 2.30pm): 7/2 Stephen Maguire, 4/1 Mark Selby, 6/1 John Higgins, 7/1 Shaun Murphy, 8/1 Ryan Day, 9/1 Mark Allen, Stephen Hendry, Neil Robertson, 12/1 Ali Carter, 16/1 Jamie Cope, 100/1 Graeme Dott, 200/1 Mark King.

Second round match betting (both matches level at 10-6):

1/33 Stephen Maguire
11/1 Mark King

1/25 Mark Selby
9/1 Graeme Dott

Quarter-final match betting:

8/13 Shaun Murphy - 4/5 Ryan Day
5/4 Stephen Hendry - Evens Mark Allen

Day 10

Monday morning update by Jon Wilde..

With a week of the Betfred.com World Championship to go we are in the happy position of needing only two more results to go our way to ensure a profitable tournament.

Ali Carter and John Higgins are now the only losers in the outright book they went into the final session of their second-round matches precariously placed.

Carter needed to overturn a 9-7 deficit to Neil Robertson, while Higgins was tied at 8-8 against Jamie Cope so the traders were in confident mood.

With Ronnie O’Sullivan’s exit, the Betfred.com World Championship had been blown wide open and we entered day 10 with Mark Selby our 7/2 ‘jolly’ largely due to the good start he made against Graeme Dott.

By contrast, Stephen Maguire, who would have been challenging for favouritism, struggled early in his clash with Mark King and trailed 5-4 overnight.

The standard of the players left in the event suggests the quarter-finals will be closely fought and picking a winner looks tricky.

Meanwhile, Stephen Hendry and Mark Allen have been the popular early choices for the first two quarter-finals.

The Scot is 5/4 to beat Shaun Murphy while Allen is Evens to follow up his win over Ronnie O’Sullivan by knocking out Ryan Day.

Punters are clearly impressed by Hendry’s resurgence for he has been backed in from 50/1 to 8s and is now only a small winner in the outright market.

Day 8

The Latest from the Betfred Crucible from Mark Pearson..

Dear loyal readers I'm sorry about the lack of insight of late, but been rather busy getting the Betfred Crucible ready for 2010. Next year is even bigger - snooker fans know it's 25 years on since a finger wagging celebration. We like tradition and we have a huge team getting things rocking and rolling.

Back to this year and if you like sport, small punts and showbiz get yourself down to the BETFRED CRUCIBLE. If you don't have a ticket come down to Fred Square (shortly to be painted Blue), and watch the action, the sport and the punting on the BIG SCREEN. We are in snooker for the long haul. We will bring the only business that matters - showbusiness - THE FULL MONTY!

For those of you who know Betfred we are on phase 3, we have another 144, because we like to take it to the max. I have a guaranteed bet for you - there will be the 9th 147 at the home of snooker. Then we have to pay out 147 bags of sand. We always pay out with a smile and that will be massive because the cash will be going to Sport Relief. Plus if there is a max ,out of my own pocket I will pay for an air conditioning engineer - because it's about to get hot and steamy.

If you are new to Betfred we like inside knowledge. The cloths and cushions were changed recently to make the sport more lively. The next change will be derig on Wednesday night, when we turn the arena into the world's greatest gladitorial theatre. Bring it on.

Coming soon at the Crucible is Shakespeare's Tempest so lets cook up a betting storm. Hendry punters could be celebrating after being well backed each way to win an 8th crown. This could be the best snooker for a long long time - especially because we took 26 grand off one Ding fan. The rocket is back and happy with his stick.

Finally it's the Sheffield marathon on Sunday, but the real endurance test happens here at the Betfred Crucible. As the Rocket said to me, only the Olympics is longer than this tournament. Get down, support sport!

Day 6

Thursday Update from the Crucible - Mark Pearson..

The snooker was not the best at times, but the sport at the now renamed "Betfred Crucible" was a cracker. A legend of the game has said to me that Betfred are bringing back the glory days to Snooker, to which I replied, "Wait to see what we have planned for next year!"

Day, Murphy and Robertson all through. Meanwhile Burnett and Maguire is poised at 6-3 to the Scott.

As for the betting, it's lively but everyone agreeing that Betfred are making the atmosphere at the Crucible. Personally I can't wait for this afternoon. Ding versus Hendry could be a classic. We have taken a bet of £26,000 in Suffolk on Ding to win at 8/13, and with Roy Keane the new Ipswich boss it's all happening in that part of England.

But internationally, over 100 million will watch the 7 time Champion take on Ding. Quite a few of the journos from China have backed Hendry at 6/5 !!! What is guaranted - fascinating snooker !

It's a late start today because all the staff went 10 pin bowling last night - of course we priced it up !!!! World Snooker were the 4/5 favs and they obliged with a highest score of 194. Meanwhile 25/1 outsiders Betfred were shocking and will need the bumpers next time.

Right got to go but more from later when the Rocket Show rolls into town !!!!!

Day 5

Morning Session from Betfred.com World Snooker Championship from Angus Loughran..

Wednesday morning at The Crucible sees Shaun Murphy, the 2005 Champion, resume 5/4 ahead and needing 5 more frames in his first round clash with Andrew Higginson on Table 2, to set up a second round clash with Marco Fu which would start on Friday, when they resume at 10am on Wednesday.

The first session, with the exception of a magnificent break of 123 by Murphy, which saw him take the lead 2/1 in frame 3, was littered with mistakes, and although Murphy leads 5/4 he should have been further ahead but missed many frame winning chances on Tuesday afternoon, he is however still 1/6 to progress and 14/1 to win the title, with Higginson on his Crucible debut and clearly nervous on Tuesday afternoon available at 4/1 with Betfred to cause a big upset.

On Table 1, Ryan Day, World Number 8, is 1/2 to beat Stephen Lee in only their 2nd meeting, the other a 5/4 victory for Lee in the 2nd Round of the LG Cup in Preston in 2002.

Day reached the last 8 last year, before losing 13/7 to Stephen Hendry, while Lee, although having lost in the first round in the last two seasons, reached the semi finals before losing to Mark Williams 17/8.

Day 4

Update from Betfred World Snooker Championship by Angus Loughran..

After a scrappy first session which failed to see a century break, the two chinese players Ding and Wenbo produced a thrilling 2nd session, which saw World Number 14 Ding edge home 10/8 after trailing 7/8, having led 7/4 Ding levelled with a break of 111 and took the lead with a break of 91 in a 9 minuite 17th frame, Ding took the match in frame 18 to win 10/8 and avoid a tense final frame.

Betfred now make Ding 14/1 to win the title, and he now faces 7 times World Champion Stephen Hendry in a repeat of last years 2nd round clash which the Scot won 13/7.

Betfred make Ding 4/6 to gain revenge and make the last 8 with Hendry 6/5. This eagerly waited clash is over 3 sessions starting on Thursday afternoon at 2pm, continuing Friday morning at 10am and concluding starting at 7pm on Friday night and is best of 25 frames.

Latest News

Betfred have shortened 31 year old world number 14 Marco Fu from 33/1 to 20/1...

Betfred have shortened 31 year old world number 14 Marco Fu from 33/1 to 20/1, to win The Betfred.com World Snooker Championship at The Crucible Sheffield following his 10/4 victory over Joe Swail on Monday night.

Ronnie OSullivan is still hot favourite to retain his title at 7/4 with Mark Selby 6/1 following his 10/6 triumph over Ricky Walden on Monday afternoon. Ali Carter is Betfreds worse result at present with last years runner up having been well supported at 12/1, and is now into single figures at 9/1.

The action continues at 10am on Tuesday with Peter Ebdon 4/11 taking on Nigel Bond 2/1, and Ding who leads Liang 5/4 strong favourite at 2/7 to overcome his fellow coutryman Liang available at 5/2, and set up a mouthwatering 2nd Round weekend clash with Stephen Hendry this weekend.

Day 4

Tuesday April 21st Morning Session at The Crucible from Angus Loughran

Peter Ebdon, who won a memorable World Championship title beating Stephen Hendry 18/17 in 2002, starts his bid for a 2nd World Title on the back of winning the latest ranking event in China earlier this month, and while in excess of 100 million viewers, will be glued to Table 2 where Ding leads Liang 5/4 Ebdon will quietly go about his buisness against Nigel Bond in their 9th meeting on Table 1, with both players having won 4 times, the latest when Ebdon beat Bond 10/7 here two years ago.

Betfred have Ebdon a hot favourite at 4/11 for this first round clash, with Bond avilable at 2/1. World number 11 Ding holds a narrow 5/4 advantage over fellow countryman Liang when the two countrymen play to a finish in thier first meeting..

.In a tense opening 9 frames both players made plenty of mistakes, and rather suprisingly there were no century breaks, it is sure to be a tense morning and may go right to the wire. Betfred still rate Ding a hot jolly at 2/7 with Liang available at 5/2, a price which could look generous if he wins the first frame of the morning. It certainly promises to be an exciting 4th morning at The Crucible with the action starting at 10am on both tables.

Day 3 - 20th April 2009

Angus Loughran reports from Crucible Theatre Sheffield.

Mark Selby from Leicester is through to 2nd Round of Betfred.com World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, and has been clipped to 6/1 from 7/1, clear 2nd favourite after defeating Ricky Walden 10/6 in a match where Selby, Runner Up to John Higgins in 2007, admitted afterwards he could not have played much better. He closed out the match, which lasted just over 5 hours of playing time, with a fine break of 101 in the closing frame, his 3rd century of the match.

Selby now faces Scotlands Graeme Dott, a first round winner over Barry Hawkins on Sunday.

Dott has lost in the first round both in 2007 and 2008 since beating Peter Ebdon to win the title in 2006.

The 2nd round clash over best of 25 frames, is over 3 sessions at 2pm Sunday afternoon with the conclusion on Monday 27th staring at 10am and concuding at 7pm.

They last met in recent China Open where Dott won 5/1 and this should be a tight match. In 256 2nd round matches since 1979 33 have gone to deciding frame, a 34th could be on the cards next Monday.

Day 3 - BREAKING NEWS - 20th April 2009

Over 100 million watching in China...

Over 100 million watching in China the match between Ding and Liang. This could be the match of the tournament so far. There is a real sense of anticipation at the Crucible.

In other news signifigant cash for Ali Carter. Over a six figure liability. He's now 9/1.

Day 3 from the Crucible - 20th April 2009

The Chinese duo of Ding and Liang get their first session under way...

The Chinese duo of Ding and Liang get their first session under way on Table 2 at 2:30 and it has special significance as it is there first meeting in a major event although Liang has never beaten his chinese colleague, he did reach the Quarter Finals last year before losing 13/7 to Ronnie OSullivan. Ding is World Ranked 11 compared to Liang who is 40 and Ding is 4/9 with Liang 7/1. The winner faces 7 times World Champion Stephen Hendry in Round 2.

On Table 1 to finish continuing at 2:30 is Mark Selby who leads 6/3 against Ricky Walden. Selby beat Walden in final Qualifying round 10/6 in 2007 and it is 1/20 for Selby with Ricky Walden 15/2 for a shock comeback triumph. The highest break in the first session was 90 by Walden in frame 3 while Selby made a decent 73 to secure a 6/3 overnight lead in frame 9. If Walden wins a couple of early frames it could be a long afternoon.

Tonight starting at 7pm Joe Perry from Cambrideshire a Quarter finalist in 2004 is 4/5 to beat Stokes Jamie Cope available at Evens. Cope plays at The Crucible for the 2nd time having lost 10/9 to Peter Ebdon in the first round 12 months ago.Perry won 5/2 in their last meetiing in The Northern Ireland Trophy last year.

Day 2 - 19th April 2009

It's been another classic day at the Crucible...

It's been another classic day at the Crucible and Stephen Hendry rolled back the years and booked his place in the 2nd Round. The 7 time World Champion was 7-5 down at the interval, Williams had to replace his tip, then Hendry won the next 5 frames. For some Hendry was their outside bet at 50/1, and the likeable star has been slashed to 25/1 ten years after last lifting the World Crown.

Other highlights was last year's beaten finalist Ali Carter defeating Gerard Greene 10-5. Just like O'Sullivan the Essex man has promised more when he returns to Sheffield on Saturday and he's now 10/1 with us and a big liability.

2006 winner Graeme Dott is through after defeating Barry Hawkins 10-8 and the match betting was a loser for Betfred, he' 40/1 for a second title.

Day 2 Latest - 19th April 2009

Ali Carter last year's beaten finalist is safely into the last sixteen...

Ali Carter last year's beaten finalist is safely into the last sixteen after defeating Gerard Greene 10-5.

It was hard work at times but Ali told Betfred that the most important factor is that he's there in the second round.

The qualified pilot from Chelmsford is a big loser for Betfred.com and the 29 year old is now 10/1.

He's returning back to Essex to practice and has promised to deliver higher breaks after failing to hit a century. He will now face Neil Robertson or Steve Davis on Saturday here at the Crucible.

Day 1 - 18th April 2009

Fantastic opening day at the home of the snooker and here at Betfred.com we've cut the champs odds.

Cheered on by his mate artist Damian Hirst, Ronnie is now 7/4 after he eased past his practice partner Stuart Bingham 10-5. O'Sullivan was relaxed after his victory but told punters there is a lot more to come.

O'Sullivan told Betfred, "I need to improve on that really, my scoring was okay, long potting not so great, safety okay but not great, I'm trying to find the right balance. There were spells I thought I played quite well."

So Ronnie through and last year's beaten finalist looks in good nick, and is leading Gerard Greene 6-3.

One of the afternoon highlights was two former champs battling it out. 7 times champ Hendry went 4-1 up, but his mate Mark Williams pegged him back then took the lead at 5-4. This is going to be a fantastic World Championship.

17th April 2009

Fred's hoping for a maximum payout!

Big-hearted bookie Fred Done has issued a challenge to all players in the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship - make a maximum break and raise £147,000 for Sport Relief!

Fred has pledged the donation for the first maximum at the Crucible in the inaugural year of Betfred's sponsorship of the sport's most prestigious tournament.

Cliff Thorburn famously compiled the first World Championship 147 in 1983 and last year the total was raised to eight when, for the first time ever, there were two in the same event - by finalists Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ali Carter.

"I'll be happy to pay up because a maximum break always enriches a snooker tournament," said Fred. "It's something that everyone loves to see and if one of the players can fulfil the challenge, 147 grand will be going to Sport Relief, a fantastic charity."

Sport Relief has raised over £75million since its inception in 2002 and the funds are spent on helping vulnerable people who are living incredibly tough lives both in the UK and in the world's poorest countries.

Karl Reynolds, Head of Fundraising for Sport Relief, said: "We are thrilled that Betfred has selected Sport Relief as the charity for this potentially incredible donation and we've all got our fingers crossed for a 147 break at this year's Betfred.com World Snooker Championship."

16th April 2009

Welcome to Betfred

Betfred.com's sponsorship of the World Championship is both welcome and timely, not just because of their injection of cash but because they will provide a betting facility at the Crucible, an attraction much missed elsewhere on the circuit this season.

They are no strangers to snooker, having previously sponsored its Premier League, so it can be confidently assumed that the game's blue riband will be in good hands for at least the next four years.

Betfred are not the sort of sponsors who say to a governing body: 'Here's the money, get on with it.' Far from it. If they take on an event, they want to raise its profile and to increase the public's awareness of it.

This media guide is an example. Only on April 8, at the sponsorship's official launch, was it even contemplated. Starting from scratch, to have it ready in less than ten days was some effort.

"With Betfred around you'll feel a buzz around the place," said Ronnie O'Sullivan when he attended the sponsorship launch as a gesture of personal support to Fred Done, Betfred's co-founder and driving force.

"Fred was very hands on," he recalled of the company's involvement in the Premier League.

In the perennial Punters v Bookies battle, there has never been a better friend to punters then the Steve Davis of the early 80s, whose success rate was so phenomenally consistent that one season, it was calculated, he delivered a higher return from bookmakers than the same investment with a high interest building society account would have done.

There have also been the inspired outsiders, whose triumphs could not have been predicted no matter how diligently the formbook had been studied.

Joe Johnson, who had never previously won a match at the Crucible, started at 150/1 but played to a standard he never equalled before or since to come home as the 1986 champion; Shaun Murphy, a 150/1 qualifier, became champion in 2005.

When Tony Meo, 200/1 ante-post, became the 1989 British Open champion, he was the longest odds winner ever recorded for a major sporting event since Theodore, first past the post in the 1822 St Leger at 200/1.

Dave Harold, the 1983 Asian Open champion, opened at 500/1 but apart from his brother's tenner no one backed him at these odds.

As for hard luck stories, look no further then the 1990 British Open when one punter, well known in snooker circles but preferring to remain anonymous, was on the verge of a high four figure payout for a modest stake on a six match accumulator.

After five wins, he could almost feel the money in his hand when Alain Robidiux led his fellow Canadian Bob Chaperon by 47 with only 35 on the table in the deciding frame.

Chaperon successfully laid two snookers, extracting a free ball from the second, then snookered himself on the last red, fluked it, cleared up with 40 and went on to defy pre-event odds of 100/1 to win the tournament.

Even then, Chaperon did some bookmakers a favour. Alex Higgins, who had not won a televised tournament for seven years, was also initially available at 100/1, excessively generous odds in retrospect, 66/1 after the third round and 50/1 after the fourth.

Some bookmakers were carrying substantial liabilities until Chaperon managed to beat Higgins 10-8 in the final.

How will Punters v Bookies go this year? Whichever way, it will be good to have Betfred around.

16th April 2009

Ronnie's Message

"Defending my World Championship in the first year of Betfred.com's title sponsorship will be an absolute pleasure and is something I'm really looking forward to.

I'm so pleased that Fred Done has got involved with the biggest tournament in the snooker calendar. He's a great character and a winner himself and that will rub off on the players. When I heard the news I thought it was fantastic, that it meant the World Championship could only improve and become a better tournament.

All the players are sure to thrive off the enthusiasm Fred and his team will bring to the event and we will learn a thing or two about how a tournament should be run because Betfred know how to do it.

I've been fortunate in the past to have played in some events in which Betfred have been involved and I can only say they were a massive success. It was never just 'there's the money, end of' with Fred, he was very hands-on. He is a personality and with Fred and his team on board, I believe this will be the most successful World Championship ever.

It's certainly good for snooker and it's also good for me to have someone involved who I like. It means I tend to go out of my way to try to put on an even more special show. Having Fred on board has given me the incentive to give 150% when sometimes I go into my shell and keep myself to myself. I know the team of people working for Betfred and that will make it an even better time.

In fact it will be just like a holiday for me with a bit of snooker in the middle! I will continue my normal routine, which includes going running, and being in Sheffield will make no difference to that.

Of course it also means being back at the Crucible, which is such a special place with so much going on and a lot of excitement. In the earlier rounds, with two tables, there's a lot of applause and action happening at the same time, and then for the semi-finals it goes down to one table and that's when the tournament really begins. You can feel the pressure a bit more then. Some people thrive on it, some don't, but you kind of pick up on all that while you are there and I think that's what makes it much more of a special event.

And I can assure you I'm completely determined to become world champion for the fourth time. I hate seeing other people lift trophies so that's a great incentive for me to win again and keep playing at a high level. I've never been able to retain the world title and that's definitely something I would like to do.

I'm really excited about having the chance to win the Betfred.com World Championship and looking forward to it so much. I'd like to offer my thanks to Fred for his involvement and I'm sure I speak for all the players when I say we are certain it will be a hugely successful tournament. Let's get it on!"

16th April 2009

Rocket fired up for Betfred lift-off!

Ronnie O'Sullivan believes the involvement of Betfred.com ensures this year's World Snooker Championship will be the best ever.

Betfred.com, the world's biggest independent bookmaker, has signed a four-year deal to become the new title sponsor of snooker's most prestigious tournament, starting with the 2009 event in Sheffield from April 18-May 4.

Rocket Ronnie, the defending champion, will be going for his fourth world title at the Crucible and is overjoyed that Betfred.com boss Fred Done, former sponsor of snooker's Premier League, has given the sport such a timely lift.

"I've been fortunate in the past to have played in some events in which Betfred have been involved and I can only say they were a massive success with Fred," said the world No 1.

"It was never just 'there's the money, end of' with Fred, he was very hands-on. He is a personality and with Fred and his team, it will be the most successful World Championship."

The boost provided by Betfred.com has helped O'Sullivan become even more fired up to retain his crown, which he regained with an 18-8 triumph against Ali Carter in last year's final.

"It will be a pleasure to be there," said the Essex star. "I'm sure the players will thrive off the enthusiasm and learn a thing or two about how an event should be run because Fred knows how to do it.

"He's a great character and a winner himself and that will rub off on us. I'm very pleased that Fred is involved. When I heard the news it was like 'fantastic, it can only go up' and the World Championship can only become a better tournament.

"Thanks to Fred for his involvement, we are all looking forward to the event and we'll make sure it's a successful one. Let's get it on!"

Fred revealed he had no hesitation in adding the Crucible to the portfolio of prestigious sporting venues with which he is associated, being the official bookmaker and betting partner at Manchester United and Wembley Stadium.

"When I got the opportunity to sponsor the World Championship it took me a millisecond to make my mind up - I said 'let's go for it'," revealed Fred.

"It's 17 days of snooker at the home of the sport with the best 32 players in the world. I like to be associated with the best and I can't wait for the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship to get started."

16th April 2009

Betfred.com Named Title Sponsor for the World Snooker Championship

Betfred.com have announced a new exciting partnership with World Snooker to become the main sponsor of the World Snooker Championship for the next four years.

The sport's most prestigious tournament will now be known as the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship.

The event at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield runs from April 18 to May 4, is one of the highlights of the sporting calendar and features all of snooker's top players, including defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, seven-times winner Stephen Hendry, John Higgins, Steve Davis, Shaun Murphy, Mark Selby and Ali Carter.

Announcing the deal, Betfred boss Fred Done said: "It's always been an ambition of mine to sponsor a World Championship and this is a competition with so much history. When it comes to snooker this is the pinnacle of the sport and I look forward to watching the world's greatest 32 players."

World Snooker chairman Sir Rodney Walker said: "We are extremely pleased to have entered into a long-term partnership with Betfred.com, which is a fantastic company for our sport to be associated with and again they have demonstrated their support to the benefit of all fans.

"The fact we have been able to secure a four-year agreement within the current economic climate is testament to the popularity of snooker in the UK and internationally. We look forward to working together with Betfred.com to build and develop the sport further over the coming years."

Betfred.com are no strangers to the world of sport and have already secured deals with Wembley and Manchester United to be their exclusive online bookmaking and gaming partners.

After successfully sponsoring Snooker's Premier League, the players are very pleased with the announcement.

Snooker legend Stephen Hendry said: "I'm delighted that we have found a sponsor for the World Championship. I've known the people at Betfred.com for several years so I know snooker will be able to build a great relationship with them."

Last year's Crucible runner-up Ali Carter said: "It's great news for snooker and all the players. The World Championship is our biggest event and having a major sponsor in Betfred.com adds to the prestige, so it's brilliant to have that secured for the next four years."

Rising star Mark Selby, last year's Masters champion, added: "So many millions of people in the UK and internationally love snooker. The amount of TV coverage and viewing figures are very strong, and obviously Betfred.com has realised that. Everyone can now look forward to a great tournament."

Last year, the tournament received 127 hours of coverage from BBC Sport, with 24.5 million adults watching at least five minutes of consecutive action. It also received extensive coverage around the world with a reach of over 60 million individuals on Eurosport and a peak audience of over 10 million on CCTV5 (China) alone.

You can also follow the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship on Twitter @ BetfredSnooker (http://twitter.com/BetfredSnooker)