5-2 in snooker up 3.95 units
Mark Williams ML for 4 units at -145. This line is fishy to me as I had Mark Williams as a lot bigger favorite. Li Hang did win the last time these two played, but that was before Mark Williams got hot. Li has lost his last 5 matches against good competition, while Williams has won his last 10 matches against arguably better competition. Williams is a joint favorite to win this event at 20/1 odds.
Stuart Bingham ML for 3 units at -300. Bingham is a joint favorite to win this Shoot-Out at 20/1 odds as well. He gets an unranked opponent in the first round in James Silverwood. Silverwood has lost his last two matches against unranked competition. Bingham rarely slips up at the beginning of tournaments. Thought this line would be close to -450, so a value play here even at high juice.
Mark King ML for 2 units at -180. Ashley Carty has never beat King in an event. King is a fairly consistent player. King usually only loses to tough competition, Carty does not really qualify as that. Best of luck.
Mark Selby, Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Judd Trump, and Ding Junhui all chose not to participate in this tournament. I can’t speak for all these players, but I can promise Ronnie is not playing because the first place prize is not big enough. Ronnie has been feeling ill this year, but if this purse was considerably bigger than the 150,000 pounds it is.. he’d be there.