The Masters Snooker 2024 Tips: Allen can keep up his hot streak

The New Year starts with a bang and the second Triple Crown event of the season, as The Masters returns to the Alexandra Palace this week.

The biggest non-ranking event of the season features a £250,000 prize for the winner and as always, we've enlisted ace Snooker tipster Dean Strand to give us his predictions for this prestigious tournament.

1 pt - Mark Allen to win Outright - 12/1

Defending Champion Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan lead the betting this week but it’s Mark Allen that stands out to me at odds of 12/1.

The Pistol finished last season top of the 1-year list and although he started this one a little slowly, he looked back to his best before Christmas, winning the Champion of Champions with ease, featuring back to back 6-2 victories against Carter and Higgins, before demolishing an in-form Judd Trump 10-3 in the final.

His recent Masters record hasn’t been good since lifting the Trophy in 2018 but he’s been involved in a few deciding frame losses against very good players and he does seem to have raised his game over the last couple of years.

The 37-year-old faces John Higgins up first, who seems to be struggling with the bigger occasions a little lately and Al

len has won their last two meetings, including the recent 6-2.

0.5 pts Each Way (1/2, 2 Places) - Zhang Anda to win Outright - 25/1

In the bottom half of the draw, I'm going for the surprise package of this season, China's Zhang Anda.

Anda spent years struggling to even make it into the top 64 but this season everything seems to have just clicked for him and after reaching the final of the English Open, Quarters of UK and winning the International Championship, he now finds himself ranked 13th in the World.

It’s tough to know how he’ll handle the pressure of such a big event making his debut here, yet the draw has been relatively kind to him and odds of 25/1 for one of the in form players of the season look worth an each way punt.

All three players in his quarter of the draw seem to be struggling as of late. First round opponent Shaun Murphy has lost 5 of his last 6, Lisowksi 5 of his last 7 and Brecel 5 of his last 9.  'Mighty Mouse' also beat Brecel 6-4 in the UK.

1 pt - Kyren Wilson Highest Tournament Break - 20/1

In the tournament highest break market, Kyren Wilson looks a very big price at 20/1.

One of the best break builders on tour, averaging a century every 6.71 frames this season, which is a better ratio than anybody else. The Warrior has breaks of 140, 142 and an additional four 130+ breaks.

A tricky first round match against Judd Trump awaits but it only takes one chance to knock in a big break and he’s beaten Trump on the big stage plenty of times before.

You can read all Dean's latest Snooker Betting Tips at our dedicated Insights content hub.