2025 World Open snooker betting preview: Kyren Wilson to conquer with Trump lurking

The World Snooker Tour returns to China for one last time this season, as the sport’s top stars cue up for a shot at the £175,000 first prize on offer at the 2025 World Open held between February 23 to March 1.

Titles won in China this season have been spread about with Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, Xiao Guodong and Ding Junhui claiming the four previous events.

The upcoming World Open started with 128 players in a flat draw, meaning all players began in the opening round, as opposed to a tiered system where the top seeds get a free pass to the later rounds.

The majority of round one matches have already been played in England just before Christmas, as players aimed to qualify for the main venue stages in Yushan. Although several top stars – including Trump, Wilson and Ding – have had their opening ties held over.

A small group of famous baize exponents will not be in Eastern China, though, for one reason or another. Ronnie O’Sullivan and Luca Brecel withdrew because of medical issues, while Mark Williams and Si Jiahui lost in qualifying. 

Neil Robertson was eliminated without hitting a ball, after getting his days mixed up over the festive period and missing his first round match!

The favourites: Reigning champion Trump aiming for a three-peat

Judd Trump has won the last two editions of the World Open in 2019 and 2024.

The world number one – who now splits his time between the UK, Dubai and Hong Kong - loves playing in China. Trump has won eight professional titles in the country.

‘The Ace in the Pack’ has enjoyed an incredible season with three massive titles to his name, but since his UK Championship triumph in early December, he hasn’t made a final from his next four event outings.

Trump – who needs to win seven matches in Yushan for a three-peat – is the tournament favourite at an extremely short price of 3/1 (BetMGM).

The second favourite for the World Open crown is Mark Selby 11/2 with Betway, who is red-hot having won the last two professional competitions back-to-back; making a maximum 147 break on his way to retaining the Championship League Invitational and then securing the Welsh Open last week.

The Leicester cue-man is a prolific winner of trophies in China, and like Trump has eight to his name, although his last arrived in 2018 (COVID-19 event postponements to be factored in).

World champion Kyren Wilson’s sizzling start to 2025 stopped in Wales when he lost in the last 32. He had reached the first three finals of the new year, collecting the German Masters title in Berlin.

Wilson is priced at 13/2 (BetMGM) - that appears to represent better value than Trump who is more than half those odds, albeit a kinder-looking draw than Wilson.

Other usual suspects also feature near the top of the betting including Mark Allen (9/1 BetMGM) and Shaun Murphy (12/1 Betway). 

Xiao Guodong (12/1 Betway) has gatecrashed that bracket this season following a breakthrough campaign where he won his maiden ranking crown on home soil in Wuhan. Xiao also made the semi-finals at the International Championship in Nanjing.

John Higgins (14/1 BetMGM) has not won a ranking title in four years but is now suitably equipped with a new cue. 

The Scot reached the quarter-finals in Wales last week and was only ousted by eventual winner Selby via a decider. Higgins could meet Wilson in the last 16.

FIRST’s top tip for the 2025 World Open – Kyren Wilson

By far the best 12 months of his career, Wilson has also had a sublime start to 2025. He knows how to win an event like this in China, defeating Trump in the Xi’an Grand Prix final earlier this season. The world champion is 13/2 with BetMGM for World Open glory.

Kyren Wilson to win the tournament - 13/2 (BetMGM)

Murphy can continue fine form

Newly minted Masters champion Shaun Murphy suffered an early exit in Wales despite some big break-building. ‘The Magician’ could still be riding the crest of a wave and is a former World Open champion. 

Shaun Murphy is 12/1 with Betway to win the title again

The value contenders – Another ‘Wilson’ for glory? Another home winner?

It has been a frustrating 2024/25 campaign for world number 15 Gary Wilson, who won two ranking titles last season.

Matters were made worse last week when he was ill for his Welsh Open title defence and ended up losing first round in a deciding frame.

However, ‘The Tyneside Terror’ is in a mini section of the World Open draw where there is no obvious favourite and he is the highest-ranked seed. He can’t play anyone ranked higher than him until at least the quarter-finals.

If Wilson can find something, 66/1 (BetMGM) represents juice, and despite his difficult term, he did reach the last eight of the last Chinese event (International Championship) and has been to a ranking final in the country before.

Wilson managed to scrape into next week’s World Grand Prix in Hong Kong as the 32nd and final seed, meaning he could have less pressure this week with that place assured.

Given the success of Chinese players on home soil during the last two events held there – three of the four semi-finalists at both the Wuhan Open and International Championship were from China. 

It seems prudent to perhaps look at backing a local cueist, and there are plenty to pick from!

In the ‘secondary tier’ of Chinese hopefuls are Yuan Sijun (50/1 Betway), Pang Junxu (50/1 BetMGM) and Xu Si (66/1 Betway).

Yuan has had a brilliant few weeks on the World Snooker Tour, reaching the semi-finals of the German Masters and last 16 in Wales, eliminating several multiple-time major winners along the way.

Xu has compiled two 147s on the circuit this season and made the quarters and semis of two Chinese tournaments this term.

Fan Zhengyi, and last December, Lei Peifan, have been shock winners of ranking events in recent years, and both were far bigger prices than Yuan, Pang or Xu currently are.

FIRST’s value pick – Gary Wilson

There is an opportunity for Wilson in the draw to gain confidence and momentum before facing a higher-ranked seed later on. 

The three-time ranking event champion is 11/1 with Betway to win the third quarter of the draw and 66/1 with BetMGM to go all the way in Yushan.

Gary Wilson to win the tournament - 66/1 (BetMGM)

Home comforts for Pang Junxu?

A former ranking event finalist, could Pang be the next Chinese star to make his big career breakthrough and join compatriots Xiao, Ding and Lei as a trophy winner this season? On home soil, BetMGM says 50/1 he does.

Pang Junxu to win the tournament - 50/1 (BetMGM)

Odds correct at the time of writing.