2026 Snooker Masters: Odds, predictions & betting tips

By Deniss Novickis | Published: January 9, 2026

The second Triple Crown event of the season starts on Sunday at Alexandra Palace, London. Judd Trump, the world number one and still without a title in the 2025/26 season, is once again the man to beat, according to the bookies, while Shaun Murphy will try to defend his title.

In this article, MightyTips' pundits look at the top contenders and their form during the current season, analyse the odds on winning the Masters and some other betting markets available, before making a prediction on the winner and providing a couple more options for value long-term betting.

Trump tops the list of the favourites at 5.00, while the current world champion, Zhao Xintong, is slightly behind, sitting at 5.50. Mark Selby, the only player who managed to win more than one tournament this season, can be had at the same price. Ronnie O'Sullivan, holding the record with eight victories at the Masters, sits at 8.50. The defending champion, Shaun Murphy, is only seventh in the list, at 12.00, to get his hands on the £350,000 winners' prize.

Masters Outright Odds

Below, we examine each of the seven leading contenders, breaking down their performances over the course of the season and assessing their chances of going all the way based on the draw.

Judd Trump

Trump remains world number one despite not winning a title in the 2025/26 season. He has reached the finals of the Northern Ireland Open, the Champion of Champions and the UK Championship, but those runs have been offset by surprisingly early exits at other tournaments, including losses to Matthew Stevens and Elliot Slessor.

The Ace in the Pack has a very favourable draw, as he must beat Ding Junhui and the winner of the Mark Williams - Mark Allen match, because both are far from convincing this season. Judd should reach the semis at the very least, and this might finally be his tournament.

Zhao Xintong

The reigning world champion endured a dreadful opening to the campaign. His form then began to turn, with three semi-final appearances, before a breakthrough in mid-November when Zhao captured the non-ranking Riyadh Season Snooker Championship. That triumph was particularly impressive, earning him £250,000 after victories over Murphy, Trump and Robertson.

The quality has never been in doubt, and the Chinese star appears to be peaking at the right time. He has stayed match-sharp by competing in the non-ranking Championship League just days before his opening clash with Gary Wilson. The path ahead is demanding, with potential encounters against John Higgins and Trump likely standing between Zhao and a place in the final.

Mark Selby

Selby won the Champion of Champions and the UK Championship this season, defeating Trump in both finals. He also reached the semis of the English Open and the British Open, currently occupying second place in the one-year list. Mark is the only player to win more than one tournament this season.

The Jester from Leicester is in the top half of the draw, which seems much stronger than the bottom one. Still, the Masters is one of his favourite tournaments, with three triumphs to date, and he has all the tools to do it again, starting with a first round victory over Xiao Guodong.

Ronnie O'Sullivan

Ronnie is the most successful player in Masters history, having lifted the trophy eight times. However, the Rocket is no longer at his peak. His commitment is not what it once was, with regular tournament withdrawals and a reduced schedule becoming the norm.

The Rocket is still capable of beating anyone in the field if he finds the right rhythm and motivation. That said, sustained excellence over a long, demanding tournament is a different challenge. While his genius remains undeniable, the likelihood of him putting everything together to win the title in 2026 appears very slim. Bookmakers are taking bets on him to win against Robertson at even odds, which is simply insane.

Only four players in Masters history have successfully defended the title:

▪️ Cliff Thorburn (1985, 86)
▪️ Stephen Hendry (1989, 90, 91, 92, 93)
▪️ Paul Hunter (2001, 02)
▪️ Ronnie O'Sullivan (2016, 17)

📷: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/WgUpyFNNkf

— Totally Snookered - Snooker news and fan community (@totalsnookered) January 9, 2026

Neil Robertson

Robbo is first in the one-year list with a significant handicap over second-placed Selby. A tremendous long potter and break builder, his odds of winning the tournament are so high just because he has a very tough path to the deciding match in Ally Pally.

The champion of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters is in amazing form, as he also took part in the Championship League in the first decade of January. He faces Ronnie first, with potential encounters against Kyren Wilson and Selby on the way to the final. The Australian has over 1,000 centuries, and that fact speaks for itself.

Kyren Wilson

The Warrior is having a very poor season, even though he still holds the second spot in the WST rankings. He is only 22nd in the one-year list. Wilson won the non-ranking Shanghai Masters in August, but his best at ranking events this season are two quarterfinals, accompanied by four losses in the very first round.

Wilson has lost two Masters finals previously, and he starts his campaign against Si Jiahui, who has recently won Group 3 of the Championship League. Given his form and the draw, it seems very unlikely that Kyren will be able to go deep in the tournament. In fact, we believe he'll go out in the very first round.

Shaun Murphy

Murphy was in irresistible form in autumn, capturing the British Open and following it up with a run to the final of the Xi'an Grand Prix. Although his performances have dipped somewhat since that purple patch, he remains one of the game's elite break builders.

His scoring power is matched by exceptional long-potting ability, which continues to be his greatest weapon and makes him a constant threat in any match. The defending champion faces a very tough opening match against red-hot Wu Yize, with a clash versus Selby looming. We'd say his chances of retaining the title are not that high.

After analysing the draw, the odds, and the form of the players, Zhao Xintong seems like the most valuable choice. If the Chinese talent can keep it together, Trump should be his only real obstacle on the way to the final. Whoever Zhao plays in the deciding match, he won't be the underdog, so we tip Zhao Xintong to triumph at 5.50.

Most bookmakers offer markets on the winner of each quarter of the draw - essentially betting on which players will reach the semi-finals. Selby looks like the most likely winner of the 1st quarter, and the odds of 2.00 are good enough to make a shot, in our opinion.

Last but not least, betting on Robertson to defeat O'Sullivan in the first round is a must. The odds are even just because of Ronnie's name, as plenty of people will back the Rocket here due to his past victories. However, in current form and state of mind, Robbo will surely win 7-8 matches out of 10 here. This opportunity is too good to pass up.

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