Players Championship 2026 Predictions: Three value each-way picks

Betfred Snooker Tipster and ex-professional Craig Edwards @EdwardsTips_ brings readers his best bets for the Players Championship, after profits at the recent World Grand Prix, when Zhang Anda rewarded followers each-way at 40/1.

Craig suggests keeping stakes modest this week, but there is value lurking below in this week’s Players Championship for Betfred Insights readers.

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History, Location and Format

The Players Championship gets underway on Tuesday, 17th at the Telford International Centre, with the top 16 players from the one-year ranking list taking part in an event that has a best of 11 frames format to the final, where the finalists will play over the best of 19 frames for the £150,000 top prize.

This means a very strong profiling event, and for that reason, keep stakes small as we take an outsider from quarter 1 and both underdogs in the final section, where there are significant reasons to take on two of the season’s most consistent performers.

World Grand Prix Draw

Neil Robertson v John Higgins

Chris Wakelin v Xiao Guodong

Judd Trump v Zhou Yuelong

Mark J Williams v Barry Hawkins

Shaun Murphy v Zhang Anda

Zhao Xintong v Elliot Slessor

Wu Yize v Mark Allen

Mark Selby v Jack Lisowski

Prize Money

World Grand Prix Odds

Quarter 1

0.5 pt Chris Wakelin each-way (1/2 - 2 Places) @ 22/1

The top quarter sees John Higgins get a late, unexpected promotion from the unlucky no. 17 berth after Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew in a timely manner.

Late replacements always interest me from the perspective of a player freerolling in his own mind and not burdened by any pressure, which makes me take a second glance at the veteran Scot. However, an opening round versus Neil Robertson looks a tough one, given how many close games the Aussie has won between the two in recent times.

The winner will play Chris Wakelin or Xiao Guodong, and Wakelin has an impressive 6-1 head-to-head record against the Chinese star.

That makes the man from Rugby an interesting sleeper in this section, given he is perennially underrated by the market, despite winning a second world ranking title this season at the Scottish Open.

It is worth remembering how well Wakelin has performed in many of the longer-format events in recent seasons. In last year’s World Championship, he outplayed Neil Robertson and Mark Allen before losing in the quarter-final to the eventual champion, Zhao Xintong.

As we are keeping stakes modest in this week’s Players Championship, Chris Wakelin is the value each-way place from the top section.

Quarter 2

It is hard to know how Zhou Yuelong will react to yet another disappointing final frame loss to his compatriot, Zhang Anda, in the semi-final of the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong.

Certainly, he is back on the horse and in the firing line straight away against Judd Trump, whom he has a dreadful record against. With four semi-finals this campaign, Yuelong has found a new level of consistency that will help him finally crack the top 16, but it is hard to make a case for him beating Trump.

The winner plays Mark Williams or Barry Hawkins, who has made the event despite never advancing past the quarterfinals all season. Williams himself has looked in poor form this year after a strong 2025, and Judd Trump looks a good thing to progress from a weak-looking section on current form at a prohibitive price.

Quarter 3

Quarter 3 has three elite players in top form, with Shaun Murphy facing Zhang Anda, a match where the head-to-head is heavily skewed in Murphy's favour.

The winner plays the World Champion, Zhao Xintong, or Elliott Slessor, on paper a match that looks one-sided for Xintong, who won the World Grand Prix in red-hot form, scoring five centuries in a 10-6 win over Anda.

Anda, though, played well and would interest me in a best-of-11 against the world champion, if he can avoid losing to Murphy once again. Interestingly, many will think Xintong only has to turn up versus Slessor, but the Northeast man gave Xintong his hardest match of last year’s World Championship, eventually losing 8-10 in the final qualifying round.

At these prices, the value could be with either of the outsiders in this section, but we concentrate on quarter 4.

Quarter 4

0.5 pts Jack Lisowski each way (1/2 - 2 Places) @ 25/1

0.5 pts Mark Allen each way (1/2 - 2 Places) @ 20/1

Quarter 4 has Mark Allen playing Wu Yize, with the winner facing Mark Selby or Jack Lisowski.

The Selby/Lisowski matchup is always an interesting one and goes against conventional wisdom. You would expect Selby to dominate their history, but Jack Lisowski’s style has surprisingly made the multiple world champion’s legs buckle on numerous occasions.

Certainly, Lisowski beating Selby would open it up for Allen or Yize, but also Jack Lisowski himself, who has been quiet since his emotional triumph in the Northern Ireland Open at the end of 2025.

It is time for the talented left-hander to blow back into the top table with this draw, but if not, there are reasons to consider the other left-hander in the section.

Mark Allen has been seriously overlooked in the outright market because of his opening match against the talented Wu Yize, leaving him quoted at twice the price of his young opponent.

Yize has seduced snooker fans with his exciting play and recent first-ranking title back home in China. While it is taking nothing away from Yize’s achievement, that event was played on the biggest pockets all season, and that can make a huge difference, as we saw back in 2023 when Luca Brecel won the World Championship on the biggest pockets ever seen at the Crucible Theatre.

Playing Mark Allen in an event of this quality is a different ball game altogether, and the Northern Irishman’s form versus Louis Heathcote in a World Open qualifier last week gave me pause to take a second look at his chances here, especially as he has beaten the young Chinese player twice previously, and also has strong head-to-head records versus Jack Lisowski or Mark Selby.

In summary, splitting bets between Mark Allen and Jack Lisowski each-way in the last section is justified by their undervaluation, favourable head-to-head histories, and potential to advance, making them both sensible value options for small stakes.

Check out the rest of our Snooker Betting Tips over at Betfred Insights.