Snooker Betting Rules

The exciting world of snooker offers a wealth of entertainment, whether you like to play it, bet on it, or both! But to truly enjoy the game and its various betting markets, you need to be familiar with snooker betting rules.

Today, we’re going to take a look at some basic snooker rules, as well as popular snooker betting markets and how to get the most out of your experience.

If you’ve never played snooker before, let us break down the rules for you. Once you know the basics, you’ll be able to bet on snooker at the leading sports betting sites.

The objective of snooker is for players to score more points than their competitor by potting balls in a specific order and accumulating points through successful shots.

Snooker setup

In snooker, there’s a set of 22 balls. There are 15 red balls, worth 1 point each, and 7 coloured balls with different values:

• Yellow (2 points)
• Green (3 points)
• Brown (4 points)
• Blue (5 points)
• Pink (6 points)
• Black (7 points)
• White (cue ball)

The game begins with one player performing the opening break by hitting the cue ball from behind the baulk line. The aim is to pot a red ball.

Scoring

After potting a red ball, the player alternates between potting red balls and coloured balls. Each red ball potted earns the player 1 point, followed by potting a coloured ball that remains off the table until the next turn.

Re-spotting coloured balls

Once all red balls have been potted, players must then pot the coloured balls in ascending order of their value. After potting a coloured ball, it is re-spotted on its designated spot until all colours have been potted.

Clearance

Once all reds and coloured balls have been potted, players attempt to pot the colours in sequence again, starting with the yellow ball and moving up to the black ball.

Winning the frame

The player with the most points at the end of a frame wins. A match typically consists of several frames, with the player winning the most frames declared the overall winner.

Now that you know the basic rules of snooker, it’s time to take a look at some popular ways to bet on this popular sport. 

Matched betting

Probably the most straightforward betting market, matched betting is when you wager on the outcome of a particular snooker match. This means predicting which player will win the match outright.

If your selected player wins, your bet is successful, and you receive a payout based on the odds offered by the bookmaker.

Handicap betting

Handicap betting is where one player is given a virtual advantage over their opponent to level the playing field.

For example, if one player is the favourite, he or she may be given a handicap disadvantage of starting the match with a certain number of frames down.

Bettors then predict whether the player with the handicap advantage will still win after the handicap is applied.

Frame betting

Here, you predict the outcome of individual frames within a match. You can bet on which player will win a specific frame or whether the frame will end in a draw (tie).

This type of bet allows for more granular wagering within a match.

Tournament outright betting

If you want to bet on more than just one snooker match, you can place bets on the overall winner of the tournament.

Before the competition begins, you can bet on which player you think will come out on top. This bet remains active throughout the tournament until a winner is determined.

Dead heat rules

In the event of a tie or ‘dead heat’, where two or more players finish with the same score, dead heat rules may apply.

These rules vary by bookmaker but often result in the splitting of winnings among tied selections.

Betting on snooker can be fun, but you should know not only snooker betting rules, but also some basic strategies.

With that in mind, here are some tips and tricks for betting on snooker. 

Do some research!

Analyze each player's form, including their performance in recent tournaments and matches. Look for trends such as winning streaks or slumps.

Also consider the head-to-head records between the two players competing in a match. Some players may have a psychological advantage over others based on past encounters.

Understand tournaments and conditions

Different snooker tournaments have varying formats, such as knockout, round-robin, or best-of series. Understand how these formats may impact player performance and adapt your betting strategy accordingly.

You should also take into account factors such as the venue, table conditions, and playing surface. Some players may perform better in certain environments or under specific conditions, such as the World Championship. 

Look into player styles and strengths

Each player has a unique approach to the game. Think about how these styles match up against each other and how they may influence the outcome of a match.

Furthermore, assess each player's strengths and weaknesses, such as potting ability, safety play, break-building, and mental resilience. Look for matchups where one player's strengths may exploit the other's weaknesses.

Pay attention to betting markets and odds

If you’re new to the world of snooker betting, it’s best to stick with simple wagers like matched betting. However, if you’re more experienced and want to broaden your horizons, then explore other markets, such as frame betting, handicap betting, tournament outrights, or even each way betting to find value and diversify your betting portfolio.

You should also compare odds from multiple bookmakers to find the best value. Look for discrepancies in odds between bookmakers that may indicate potential value bets.

If you’re looking for more information on snooker and other popular sports, be sure to come to us here at SportsBoom for the latest news, reviews, and guides.