O'Sullivan vs Higgins: Class of 92 Clash Awaits — Our Last-16 Betting Preview

The Pick

Back Ronnie O'Sullivan to beat John Higgins in their World Championship last-16 tie. O'Sullivan looks sharp, composed and — crucially — motivated. He's chasing a record-breaking eighth world title, and that hunger showed in a dominant 10-2 dismantling of He Guoqiang. Higgins is never to be taken lightly, but at the current prices, O'Sullivan represents solid value to advance to the quarter-finals.

The Analysis

Let's start with the obvious: when Ronnie O'Sullivan is in this kind of form at the Crucible, you back him and you don't overthink it. The seven-time world champion, now 50 years old, wrapped up his first-round match against China's He Guoqiang with a ruthless 10-2 scoreline, posting a break of 113 and then a century of exactly 100 to close out proceedings in style. This despite switching his cue mid-match — a bold call that, by all accounts, paid off handsomely.

O'Sullivan led 7-2 after the first session and never gave He a foothold from there. He was briefly eyeing something special when he potted nine reds and eight blacks at the start of the tenth frame, only to opt for the blue rather than continue the black sequence. That moment of pragmatism is actually encouraging — it suggests O'Sullivan is playing to win matches, not to chase records. He made a break of 153 at the World Open last month (the highest in professional snooker following a free ball off a snooker), so the fluency is clearly there. At the Crucible, he looks every inch a champion in pursuit of history.

Standing in his way in the last 16 is John Higgins, also 50, and very much part of snooker's celebrated Class of 92 — the remarkable generation that turned professional in 1992 alongside O'Sullivan and 51-year-old Mark Williams. Higgins is a four-time world champion himself and remains a formidable opponent at any stage of the tournament. This is no gimme. The Scot has the tactical nous and the bottle to cause problems, and if O'Sullivan drops concentration, Higgins will punish him. The tie gets underway on Saturday evening (19:00 BST), with further sessions on Sunday evening and Monday afternoon (13:00 BST if required).

That said, O'Sullivan's record at the Crucible since his last title in 2022 — when he became the oldest world champion at 46 — points to a player who knows how to navigate the Sheffield pressure cooker. The prospect of becoming the sole record-holder in the modern era, surpassing Stephen Hendry's seven titles, is a compelling narrative and one that seems to be fuelling rather than burdening him.

Selby's Form Worth Watching Too

Mark Selby is the other big story from the early rounds. The four-time world champion — titles in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021 — had endured a miserable run at the Crucible, losing in round one in each of the past two years. That made his 10-2 win over 2024 finalist Jak Jones all the more significant. Selby raced into a 6-0 lead, building on breaks of 67 and 50, and although Jones showed some fight late on — including a 90 break — Selby took the first three frames of the evening session to close it out emphatically.

Selby now faces China's Wu Yize in the last 16, with that match beginning on Sunday at 10:00 BST. Wu is only 22 years old but already ranked 10th in the world, and Selby himself has spoken warmly of the young Chinese star's talent and his importance to the sport's future. Selby may be the more experienced player, but underestimating Wu would be a costly mistake. This is a fascinating generational matchup and well worth watching — or having a small interest on.

The Odds

Odds are indicative and subject to change. Always check your preferred bookmaker — Bet365, Paddy Power and William Hill all carry comprehensive World Championship markets. Look for the 'Frame Handicap' markets if you want enhanced value on the O'Sullivan tie specifically.

The Verdict

O'Sullivan at evens or better to beat Higgins is the play. It's not without risk — Higgins is a legend of the game and a fully functioning major threat — but O'Sullivan's current sharpness, combined with the weight of history driving him on, tilts the balance clearly in his favour. If you can find a Frame Handicap backing O'Sullivan -3.5 or -4.5, that's worth a look at the right price given how one-sided his first-round display was.

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