World Grand Prix 2026 Betting Tips: Murphy to work magic in Hong Kong?
The World Grand Prix is the first of a series of three tournaments that reward players on the one-year ranking with 32 travelling to Hong Kong, followed by the top 16 at the Players Championship and the top 8 at the Tour Championship.
Betfred's snooker tipster and ex-professional Craig Edwards (@EdwardsTips) is back with his World Grand Prix 2026 Predictions, including three players he fancies to go well in the Far East.
World Grand Prix 2026 Betting Tips
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History, Location and Format
The snooker season gathers pace as it moves from Germany to Hong Kong, with several players having only a day off in between.
The World Grand Prix is the 12th running of this event, having been first held in 2015 as a non-ranking tournament. Since then it's become a ranking event for the top 32 players on the one year ranking list and moved to Hong Kong in 2025.
Kai Tak Arena in Kowloon, Hong Kong is the host venue, with the tournament running from Tuesday 3rd February through to Sunday 8th February , with the action being broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+ in the UK.
There have been three multiple winners of this event, with Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump three-time winners, while Neil Robertson has picked up the title twice.
The defending champion is Robertson, who whitewashed Stuart Bingham 10-0 in the 2025 final.
World Grand Prix Draw
Neil Robertson v Jak Jones
Zhou Yuelong v Stephen Maguire
Mark Allen v Ali Carter
Judd Trump v Yuan Sijun
Wu Yize v Anthony McGill
Jack Lisowski v Chang Bingyu
Barry Hawkins v Ding Junhui
Mark J Williams v Zhang Anda
Shaun Murphy v Pang Junxu
Gary Wilson v Si Jiahu
Xiao Guodong v Kyren Wilson
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Joe O'Connor
Chris Wakelin v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Elliot Slessor v Stuart Bingham
John Higgins v Zhao Xintong
Mark Selby v Aaron Hill
Prize Money
| Position | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Winner | £180,000 |
| Runner-Up | £80,000 |
| Semi-Final | £35,000 |
| Quarter-Final | £20,000 |
| Last 16 | £15,000 |
| Last 32 | £10,000 |
| Highest Break | £10,000 |
| Total | £700,000 |
Quarter 1
The first quarter looks rammed full of top players, with the defending champion, Neil Robertson, the No.1 seed at the top of the draw.
The Aussie is going for a third World Grand Prix and has a respectable record when defending titles, and after last week’s impressive displays in Berlin, where he made the semi-finals, he will be the man to beat.
However, with former champions Judd Trump and Mark Allen lurking in the bottom half of the quarter, it will take some winning, and for betting purposes, the opening quarter is easily passed over despite leaning toward Neil Robertson’s chances.
Quarter 2
0.5 pts Zhang Anda each way (1/2 - 2 Places) @ 40/1
The second quarter looks wide open, and Zhang Anda looks like an interesting sleeper in Hong Kong this week.
Despite Anda’s results not being as good as two years ago, his stats are still those of a top 16 player, and indeed, there have been recent flashes of his brilliance, like last week’s Garman Masters, where he destroyed Barry Hawkins with a maximum 147 in the opening frame at his first visit.
Interestingly, if Anda beats Mark Williams in the opening round, he will again play Hawkins if he can see off Ding Junhui.
And the top four players in the section, have only one top 16 player been Wu Yize, this section looks there for the winning by an in-form player.
Zhang Anda looks the value each-way play at Betfred
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Quarter 3
1 pt Shaun Murphy each-way (1/2 - 2 Places) @ 7/1
Quarter 3 has Shaun Murphy firmly as the player to beat on current form after his superb displays at the Tempodrom in Germany last week, when he lost in the final to Judd Trump.
There has been a historical precedent for Murphy rebounding: in the Players Series a couple of years ago, after losing to Rob Milkins in the Players Championship final, he rallied the week after to blow the field away in the Tour Championship.
A kind opener against Pang Junxu, followed by the winner of Gary Wilson and Si Jiahui, looks “just what the doctor ordered” for Murphy.
“The Magician” has never looked back since employing former world champion Peter Ebdon as a mentor. Ebdon was an explosive competitor, and there is no doubt he has instilled another level of steal into Murphy’s character.
Currently, it could be argued that over the last 13 months, Murphy has been the best snooker player in the world as his confidence and consistency levels have soared to new heights, illustrated not only by tournament wins and performances but also by his break-building stats that are the best of any player during those 13 months.
Shaun Murphy looks like the solid option from quarter 3 for Betfred readers, and it has been a decade since he won the World Grand Prix.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Quarter 4
0.5 pts Stuart Bingham each way (1/2 - 2 Places) @ 33/1
Stuart Bingham is once again among the most competitive ranking event winners. The 2015 World Champion still looks technically lacking at times, but his competitive spirit remains undiminished. illustrated again last week in Germany, where he reached the quarter finals.
Bingham has always resurfaced in recent years despite his advancing years, and his last major was the 2020 Masters, where he won without a century break, displaying his class, grit, and snooker acumen.
Last year, here in Hong Kong, he was the surprise finalist, losing to Neil Robertson when he looked out of form, which does not seem to be the case this year. If there is an easier quarter in such a high-profile elite limited event, it is the fourth or second quarter, where Bingham faces Elliott Slessor to face Thepchaiya Un-Nooh or Chris Wakelin for a quarter-final berth.
In an era when the older generation of snooker players keep pushing the boundaries, it would not be out of place if Stuart Bingham won the World Grand Prix.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Check out the rest of our Snooker Betting Tips over at Betfred Insights.
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