Tour Championship Snooker 2026 Predictions: Yize does it in Manchester

After the euphoria of a 66/1 winner at the World Open, Betfred snooker tipster and ex-pro Craig Edwards @EdwardsTips_ attempts to find readers another winner at the Tour Championship.

Craig has three selections to get stuck into, so here are his Tour Championship 2026 Predictions...

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New customers only. Deposit via Debit Card & place first bet £10+ (1/1+) on Sports in 7 days. £30 Sports & £20 Acca Free Bets within 10 hrs of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment excl. & T&Cs Apply.

History, Location and Format

The Tour Championship at Manchester Central is the season's only longer-format snooker event, preceding the World Championship qualifiers. This week, the top 12 players compete in best-of-19 matches for a £150,000 prize, with the top four in the world entering at the Quarter Final stage.

This is the eighth edition of this ranking event and there has only been one multiple winner of the title in Neil Robertson (2021, 2022). The defending champion is John Higgins, who defeated Mark Selby 10-8 in last year's final.

Prize Money

Tour Championship Draw

Quarter Finals

Neil Robertson [1] v Hawkins / Un-Nooh
Shaun Murphy [4] v Trump / M Allen
Mark Selby [3] v M J Williams / J Higgins
Zhao Xintong [2] v Wu Yize / C WakelinRound 1

Barry Hawkins [8] v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh [9]
Judd Trump [5] v Mark Allen [12]
Mark J Williams [6] v John Higgins [11]
Wu Yize [7] v Chris Wakelin [10]

It is often perceived that the Tour Championship serves as an ideal preparation for the World Championship; however, historical data suggests this is not consistently reflected in outcomes.

In fact, participating in deep rounds of the Tour Championship may lead to mental fatigue, adversely affecting a player's prospects at the World Championship. Additionally, there are several nuanced considerations relating to the World Championship that require careful attention throughout this week, which distinctly influences our approach to the Tour Championship.

Tour Championship Odds

Quarter 1

Neil Robertson v Barry Hawkins or Thepchaiya Un-Nooh

1 unit Barry Hawkins to win Quarter 1 @ 10/3

0.5 units Barry Hawkins each-way @ 20/1

Barry Hawkins faces Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the opening match, holding a dominant 7-0 record in their previous encounters. While I initially thought Thepchaiya might carry momentum from his captivating World Open victory in Yushan—his preferred venue—the head-to-head statistics give me pause.

Neil Robertson, the seeded player, remains sharp and in good form but has appeared unmotivated since his major win in Saudi Arabia at the very start of this campaign. It is reasonable to imagine he would not be upset by an early exit, as historically, strong performances in this event have sometimes led to disappointment at the Crucible.

This approach to assessing value feels unconventional and less than ideal, but with the season over, many top players are already looking ahead to the World Championship.

If you are considering placing a bet before the tournament starts, Barry Hawkins stands out as the best option; he is thoroughly professional and recently claimed the Welsh Open title, defeating Robertson along the way.

Quarter 2

Shaun Murphy v Judd Trump or Mark Allen

2 units Mark Allen to win Quarter 2 @ 11/2

0.5 units Mark Allen 0.5 each-way @ 20/1

Whenever Mark Allen faces Judd Trump, it is always a valuable match to watch. Interestingly, Allen has an impressive record against the world number one, leading their head-to-head 19-16. If you consider Trump's struggles at the Tour Championship—he has not even reached a final—Allen stands out as a strong option as the second favourite in their first-round meeting.

Should Allen win, he will meet Shaun Murphy next. Murphy, like Robertson, has played well all season but only collected one title, making his campaign feel lacking unless he succeeds here or goes deep at the Crucible.

With odds of 5/1 or higher, Mark Allen clearly offers the best value bet in this quarter of the tournament.

Quarter 3

Mark Selby v Mark Williams or John Higgins

This section highlights an impressive total of eleven world titles—more than the combined achievements of the other nine Tour Champs competitors. Mark Selby, one of the seeds, has had a modest record at this event and only reached the final for the first time last year. However, given his consistently robust performance throughout the season, it is reasonable to believe he, like Robertson and Murphy, is in contention for the world title.

The preliminary match between Mark Williams and John Higgins is particularly notable because its outcome could influence Ronnie O’Sullivan’s path in the World Championship draw. While Higgins might not be too concerned, Williams may have some reservations; if Williams advances far, he will face “the Rocket” in the last 16—a prospect that offers little motivation due to O’Sullivan’s dominant head-to-head record against him.

Consequently, if you are seeking a pick for quarter three, attention turns back to Higgins, last year’s champion, who defeated Mark Selby in the final.

Quarter 4

Zhao Xintong v Wu Yize or Chris Wakelin

1 unit Wu Yize to win Quarter 4 @ 9/4

1 units Wu Yize each way @ 11/1

Motivation fluctuates across the first three sections, but it does not seem to be an issue in quarter four, where three newcomers to the event are participating.

It is unwise to underestimate the Nuneaton player, though Chris Wakelin may face tough challenges this week from his young Chinese competitors, who are likely to thrive in this longer match format. In fact, if this event boosts the Crucible prospects for any players, it could very well be these two.

Both debuting prodigies are in excellent form and could pose serious threats in extended matches; notably, Wu Yize holds a considerable head-to-head advantage over his rivals, making him a compelling pick—especially given the presence of World Champion Zhao Xintong whose price is very prohibitive.

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