Trent Reinsmith
- What: 2023 Duelbits Players Championship Snooker Tournament
- Date: February 20 – February 26, 2023
- Location: Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton, England
- How to Watch: DAZN
The 2023 Players Championship snooker tournament takes place this week at Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton, England. The event features the top 16 ranked snooker players in the world on the one-year ranking list up to and including the 2023 Welsh Open, which wrapped up on February 19 with Robert Milkins defeating Shaun Murphy in the final of that event.
In descending order on the World Snooker Tour one-year ranking list: Mark Allen, Ryan Day, Kyren Wilson, Robert Milkins, Ali Carter, Ding Junhui, Mark Selby, Luca Brecel, Jack Lisowski, Shaun Murphy, Gary Wilson, Judd Trump, Tom Ford, Zhou Yuelong, Chris Wakelin and Joe O’Connor.
The defending champion of the Players Championship, Neil Robertson, did not make the top 16 cut, nor did Ronnie O’Sullivan. Robertson is currently No. 20 on the one-year rankings list. O’Sullivan is one spot behind him at No. 21.
The prize pool for the 2023 Players Championship totals £385,000. The winner earns £125,000, while the runner-up takes home £50,000. This event is the 12th ranking event of the 2022-23 WST season.
Before we look at the betting breakdown, picks, odds and predictions for the 2023 Players Championship, check out our picks for the 2023 World Snooker Championship and the best sports betting apps and mobile options for betting on Snooker and other sports.
Snooker: 2023 Players Championship picks
| To Win 2023 Players Championship |  |  |
| Judd Trump | +250 | +300 |
| Mark Selby | +600 | +650 |
| Ding Junhui | +800 | +800 |
| Kyren Wilson | +900 | +900 |
| Shaun Murphy | +1200 | +1000 |
| Jack Lisowski | +1200 | +900 |
| Luca Brecel | +2000 | +1400 |
| Ali Carter | +2000 | +1800 |
| Ryan Day | +2500 | +1600 |
| Zhou Yuelong | +2800 | +2800 |
| Robert Milkins | +3300 | +2800 |
| Gary Wilson | +4000 | +4000 |
| Tom Ford | +4000 | +3300 |
Judd Trump
The No. 12 player on the one-year rankings list, Judd Trump is the No. 5 player in the WST world rankings following his second-round exit at the Welsh Open. The 33-year-old does not have a ranking tournament win for the 2022-23 WST season, but he has appeared in the finals of one event, losing the 2023 World Grand Prix to Mark Allen by a score of 10-9. Trump won the 2023 Masters and also placed as a runner-up in the Champion of Champions event, losing to Ronnie O’Sullivan in that event.
Trump has two career wins at the Players Championship, winning the event in 2017 and 2020. He has been eliminated in the first round of the event in his past two appearances.
Mark Selby
Mark Selby enters the Players Championship as the No. 7 player on the one-year ranking list. He is the No. 2 player in the overall World Rankings, training only Ronnie O’Sullivan on that list. Selby is coming off a second-round exit at the Welsh Open. He has one ranking tournament win during the 2022-23 season, winning the 2022 English Open in December. Selby topped Neil Robertson in that event by a score of 6-4.
Selby did not qualify for the Players Championship in 2022. His highest finish in the event came in 2011 when Martin Gould eliminated him in the semi-finals.
Ding Junhui
It’s been a long while since Ding Junhui won an event. The No. 6 player on the one-year rankings list, Ding has not won a ranking event since he won the UK Championship in December 2019. However, the 35-year-old has come close to returning the win column this season. In November, Ding once again found himself in the finals of the UK Championship, but he was unable to close out his opponent in that matchup, Mark Allen, losing 10-7.
Ding has one win at the Players Championship. He won the event in 2013. He did not qualify for the tournament in 2022.
Best bet to win the 2023 Players Championship snooker tournament
Joe O’Connor did Judd Trump a favor on the opening day of the 2023 Players Championship. O’Connor, who was the No. 16 seed in the event, upset No. 1 seed Mark Allen by a score of 6-3. With that, O’Connor removed one of the biggest threats in Trump’s section of the bracket. Trump faces Ali Carter in his first-round matchup. Carter is the No. 5 player in the one-year rankings, but he is No. 15 in the world rankings.
By no means do I expect Trump to walk through the event, but he is a favorite for a reason and I think he will win the 2023 Players Championship tournament.
Pick: Judd Trump to win the 2023 Players Championship.
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