Supercomputer reveals its prediction for the 2025 World Snooker Championship with Ronnie O'Sullivan in running

Conducted by the tech boffins over at AceOdds, the ‘Snooker Supercomputer’ simulated the 2025 World Snooker Championship 10,000 times through its system, calculating who would win this year’s ultimate prize on the circuit..

World number one Trump won 16.8% of all its simulations, more than any other player.

Trump is the favourite with bookmakers to conquer the Crucible for the second time in his career, next month. The Englishman lifted the trophy in 2019 after he defeated four-time winner John Higgins 18-9 in a record-breaking final that featured 11 century breaks (Trump -7, Higgins - 4) - setting a new record for the most tons in a ranking event final.

Despite his favourite tag, though, a few questions have been raised by pundits in the lead up to the extravaganza surrounding Trump’s chances in Sheffield.

‘The Ace in the Pack’ enjoyed a sensational first half to this season, winning the Shanghai Masters, Saudi Arabia Masters, and the UK Championship. He also reached the finals of the Xi’an Grand Prix and the Northern Ireland Open.

But since his UK triumph at the start of December, Trump has not won a title on the World Snooker Tour. His only final appearance came at last month’s Players Championship where he was ousted 10-9 by Kyren Wilson in a thrilling final.

That was the third time that the world’s top two ranked players have faced each other in a title match this season, and Wilson has won all three. The reigning World Champion also defeated Trump in the semi-finals of the Masters, putting an end to a potential ‘Trump Slam’ after those Saudi and UK victories.

Trump was well beaten by Barry Hawkins in his first match of the Tour Championship - the most recent event on the circuit - which amplified concerns about the 35-year-old’s consistency and durability in longer-format tournaments.

Last year, Trump was poor as he exited the World Championship at the quarter-finals stage after suffering a shock defeat to Jak Jones. The year before that he went out first round to Anthony McGill, but the year before that he made his third Crucible final.

Second in the Supercomputer’s standings was Higgins, who won 10.1% of the permutations.

The great Scot and ‘Class of 92’ member is arguably the most in-form player on the professional circuit at the moment having won two of the last four competitions.

The 49-year-old ended a four-year wait for a ranking title at the World Open in Yushan, China at the start of March, and just a few weeks ago he also added the Tour Championship accolade to his illustrious career CV when he recovered from 8-5 down to defeat Mark Selby 10-8 in the final in Manchester.

It is 14 years since Higgins claimed the fourth and most recent of his world titles, although he did reach the final three years running between 2017 to 2019.

Mental and physical stamina is often a big factor at the Crucible. Last year, Higgins conjured up an all-time classic counter clearance to pip Mark Allen 13-12 on the final black ball in round two, but the next day he had to face Wilson in the quarter-finals, went 4-0 down, and was playing catch-up all the way before succumbing 13-8 to the eventual winner.

There isn’t much between third and fourth in the Supercomputer’s ratings with Ronnie O’Sullivan (8.6%) and Mark Selby (8.4%) very close together.

With 11 world crowns between them, they would renew their rivalry in the quarter-finals should they both get that far.

Surprisingly, reigning champion Wilson is fifth in the statistics with only 7.0%; perhaps the Supercomputer has somehow factored in the dreaded ‘Crucible Curse’ into its analysis.

‘The Warrior’ has easily enjoyed the best 12 months of his career, doubling his ranking event title tally from five to ten in that short space of time.

Wilson has undoubted Crucible pedigree. In his last seven appearances there, he has made the one-table set-up seven times -a semi-finalist in 2018 and 2021, runner-up in 2020, and champion in 2024.

Completing the Supercomputer’s top eight are Barry Hawkins and Neil Robertson who are both on 5.5%, while Shaun Murphy is not too far behind with 5.3%.

Last year’s surprise runner-up Jak Jones has been given a 1.4% chance of Crucible glory by the technology. Jones is a top 16 seed there for the first time in his career.

2025 World Snooker Championship Supercomputer title percentages:

• Judd Trump – 16.8%
• John Higgins – 10.1%
• Ronnie O’Sullivan – 8.6%
• Mark Selby – 8.4%
• Kyren Wilson – 7.0%
• Barry Hawkins – 5.5%
• Neil Robertson – 5.5%
• Shaun Murphy – 5.3%

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