George Weyham Wuhan Open Snooker Odds & Betting Tips

There are only a select few players in snooker’s modern era (since 1969) who have won the same ranking title three years on the spin. You will be surprised to know it’s a feat that not even Ronnie O’Sullivan can say he’s done. The dominant forces of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s are of course there (though they had a lack of events in that period):

Steve Davis has done the feat on three occasions, Stephen Hendry has done so twice with the late great Ray Reardon conquering the Worlds four years on the spin between 1973 and 1976. In recent times, and probably most impressively in the toughest era since 1969, Judd Trump won three Northern Ireland Open’s in 2018, 2019 and 2020. 

Who is the Betting Favourite to Win Wuhan Open?

According to recent odds at Oddschecker, Judd Trump is the betting favourite to win the Wuhan Open, with an implied win probability of around 23%, while Zhao Xintong is second-best at roughly 22% to win.

Xiao Guodong is aiming to become number five for a three-peat in Wuhan following back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025. I do wonder if this task will be a bridge too far for Xiao, much like it was the case for players like the aforementioned O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, Mark Williams, and John Higgins who all have won a ranking title twice in a row, not three. Mark Allen gave it a hell of a go out in China in 2014 following back-to-back World Open’s before bowing out gracefully in the semi-final. 

Though Xiao did brilliantly to retain last season in a pulsating 10-9 win over Gary Wilson, overall his form naturally dropped off from the 24/25 season when he made two finals and three semis. He’s in a fairly weak looking first quarter where only Mark Williams is above him in the quarter betting. I’m happy to take that pair on. 

He’s nowhere near the price he was in the China Open however I can’t overlook Jackson Page in this open quarter - with a softer draw, he definitely can do some damage. It’s likely to be Xiao first up for ‘Action’ Jackson.

Page will see the loss in Taiyuan to O’Sullivan as a big missed opportunity considering after that win, O’Sullivan lost to Noppon Saengkham, who went onto make the final. That could easily have been Page. 

He’s not the first or the last to have no answers to O’Sullivan, though Page did lead 2-0, he proceeded to lose the next six frames. In all fairness, he barely got a shot after frame two scoring just 70 points. 

I can’t believe Page will be feeling particularly down after that as he’s had a strong start to the season - that loss being his first outside of the Championship league. He’s previously made a ranking semi-final out in China at the 2024 World Open plus a quarter-final berth in the same years International Championship in Nanjing so likes this part of the world. 

Page is one of a number of players who could easily gatecrash a final of this type, just like Saengkham did last week. 

It’s a bit of deja-vu as like the China Open where I plumped for Page, I’m more than happy to come back to Chang Bingyu as well. 

Chang, a former World amateur champion, remains one of the brightest prospects in world snooker. There’s no doubt in my mind he will get not just his place in the sun this season, but for many seasons ahead. He is as exciting as Zhao Xintong and Wu Yize. 

Chang’s downfall in Taiyuan losing to Neil Robertson in his opener was in the tactical game. Robertson just toyed with him in the first four frames and trailing 4-0 to any of the top jollies in best-of-11 is a mountain even Chang’s talent couldn’t climb. He did show some fight from 5-0 down to bring the arrears to 5-3 but Robertson stamped his authority to close out the win.  

Chang will have to learn fast how to adapt to different types of matches much like Zhao did. He is yet to reach a quarter-final in his own countries events, and I do worry slightly the pressure gets to the new breed of players over there. Wu has won once over here whereas Zhao is still trophy less in China. 

Nevertheless, Chang has so much ammunition armed in that cue of his. On any day, he’s capable of pulverising people. Like Page, he’s had a strong start qualifying for every event and though he’s likely to face John Higgins first up here in Wuhan, it could be the test he needs to make up for the China Open. 

Chang practises at Ding Junhui’s Academy in Sheffield and the great man won his first title in 2005 in China - his protege could do similar next weekend 21 years on. 

Outright Tips:

TIP 1: Chang Bingyu - 0.5pt EW

Best odds of 16/1 at William Hill at the time of writing.

TIP 2: Jackson Page - 0.25pt EW

Best odds of 35/1 at AK Bets at the time of publishing.