The biggest event on Sheffield's sporting calendar returns this week as the greatest snooker stars from all over the world once again battle it out for World Championship glory.
Defending champion Zhao Xintong comes into the competition in excellent form after emphatic wins over Judd Trump and John Higgins in the Tour Championship. He’ll be full of confidence heading into this one, but will be wary of falling victim to what’s commonly referred to as the Crucible Curse, with no first time winner ever successfully defending their crown in Sheffield.
We’ve already seen plenty of shocks on Judgement Day such as 2023 winner Luca Brecel failing to qualify for the tournament. However, most of the other big names are still around, including many of the usual suspects for the title such as seven-winner Ronnie O’Sullivan, four-time winner Mark Selby and 2024 champion Kyren Wilson.
With all that in mind, we take a look at the 16 pre-tournament favourites and their chances of success, according to the bookmakers at Sky Bet. (Odds correct as of Thursday 16 April)
13. Zhang Anda - 50/1
Nicknamed the Might Mouse, the 30-year-old has never progressed beyond the first round. He faces a tricky first round test against Mark Allen. | Local Library