Richard Mann has two bets in his outright preview of the English Open, as the snooker season cranks up another gear in Brentwood.
Snooker betting tips: English Open
2pts Neil Robertson to win the English Open at 9/1 (Betway)
1pt e.w. Joe O'Connor to win the English Open at 40/1 (General 1/2 1,2)
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NEIL ROBERTSON has built a formidable English Open record over the years, and the defending champion is backed to make a successful title defence in Brentwood in the next week or so.
Robertson is already confirmed as one of the modern-day greats, but after an unusually quiet couple of seasons, the Australian roared back to form in this very tournament last year, dominating from start to finish before defeating Wu Yize in the final.
And Robertson has previous in this event. He was also crowned champion in 2021, having reached the final a year earlier, before again progressing to the last-four stage in 2022. Robertson was absent in 2023, and then barely broke sweat here 12 months ago.
That’s quite the record, and all the signs point to another deep run – making the currently 17/2 available in the outright market very appealing.
Robertson red-hot for title defence
Perhaps more important is the current well-being and form of Robertson. It’s an odd thing to say, but I’m not sure he was still at his absolute best when champion last year, but he most certainly was when winning the Saudi Arabia Masters just a matter of weeks ago.
Whatever snooker fans think about snooker in Saudi Arabia, there can be no doubting that was a proper tournament, one which took plenty of winning.
Robertson beat Mark Selby and a red-hot Ali Carter that week, a dogged Eliot Slessor in the semi-finals, before getting the better of Ronnie O’Sullivan an absorbing, high-quality final.
We shouldn’t forget that O’Sullivan had knocked in two maximum breaks in his semi-final victory over Chris Wakelin. To steal a racing term, that form looks strong.
There is no O’Sullivan to worry about in Brentwood, and with Judd Trump berthed in the opposite half of the draw, things look good for Robertson, for all Kyren Wilson and Selby also sit in the top section.
I have the utmost respect for both, and Wilson is a title winner himself this season having won the Shanghai Masters. Selby has started brightly, too, but both are shorter than Robertson in the betting and, for my money, neither has produced the same level of form that Robertson did in the Middle East.
Trump still searching for his best
As ever, Trump heads the betting (7/2), but nor he or world champion Zhao Xintong have really got going yet this season, and I can’t get excited about either at the current prices.
I thought Gary Wilson played terrifically well to finish runner-up in Wuhan most recently, and the former dual Scottish Open winner could very easily back up at 40/1, though he is drawn in around the likes of Trump, Slessor and Mark Allen.
O'Connor has claims at big odds
Lower down the bottom half, I’m going to chance my arm with JOE O’CONNOR each-way at 40/1.
Regular readers of these pages will know I’ve long rated O’Connor, and I like the way he has started the new campaign – reaching the final of the Championship League, only to bump into O’Sullivan and Mark Williams since.
The Championship League isn’t an event we usually pay that much attention to, but at this stage of the season it does confirm who is sharp and who is not, and in O’Connor’s case, it ensures he has won plenty of matches as the campaign begins to hot up.
Moreover, O’Connor is no stranger to success in Home Nations tournaments, having finished runner-up at the 2022 Scottish Open and reached the last eight or better of the Welsh Open on three occasions.
I’m convinced O’Connor is capable of winning tournaments, and at the age of 29, he really should be approaching his peak now. With a few near misses under his belt, he has plenty of experience to call upon, and I’m happy to roll the dice.
Preview published at 1415 BST on 10/09/25
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