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Everything you ever wanted to know about how to bet on snooker (but were afraid to ask)

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When betting on snooker research is key, "live" scoreboards are dangerous, the draw is essential and the player's body language is a dead giveaway, says Tareq Quiroz

Snooker is an ideal sport for the betting in-play connoisseur, one pot or one bad shot and the markets can change dramatically. Despite the snooker season running alongside the Soccer one from August to May it most certainly does not find the players complaining of tiredness and airing their discontent about the amount of snooker they are being made to play throughout the season! There are only 8 major tournaments during the year and with the fields being largely restricted to the same players, form can be pretty easy to follow.

Getting Started

If you are new to snooker or just new to betting on snooker then never fear because although the research facilities are poor in comparison to most other sports it is very easy to get up to scratch with current form and thus put you on a par with your fellow betfairians.

The only real place to get quality information about the players and the game in general is http://www.worldsnooker.com. This is the official website for the professional game and although much of the information is basic and in many ways not in the kind of format you would like for betting analysis it is easy to navigate and given some time and effort you can get a comfortable grasp on the current snooker scene.

Making It Pay

With all the information at hand you can now make an informed bet. Pre-play bets should be placed following an assessment of the player's current form.

The Draw: When betting on the Outright Winner market the draw is a vital piece of information that should be analysed thoroughly. Regardless of whether you fancy one of the outsiders or the favourites you need to plot the route your chosen player will potentially have to travel.

If you like Ronnie O'Sullivan to secure his 4th Masters title then you may wish to avoid 'tactical' players that Ronnie notoriously struggles to play against, so if his path is likely to involve the likes of Peter Ebdon, it may influence your decision markedly. The Masters is a limited field event and as such the potential for a shock winner is diminished. Total dominance of the sport that we witnessed in the 80's and 90's by Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry has not been replicated in the 21st Century despite Ronnie's clear advantage talent wise over his opponents. Ronnie will always start favourite but betting on snooker is about much more than Ronnie O'Sullivan.

IP Betting

Whether you are playing the Match markets or the innovative frame-by-frame markets it is important to be prepared for all possible eventualities and react accordingly. All rounds up to the final are the best of 11 frames and in such a short format every frame will make a dramatic difference to the match odds market.

Keeping Score: Always try and follow the score during each frame and work as far in advance as possible as you try to evaluate the situation if a player is at the table. Are there any reds safe on the cushion, will the player need to go into the pack at any point, are the black and pink in potable positions? If the frame is in its advanced stages then consider if there are any colours safe that will still be required to win the frame for the player at the table. You will see quite large movements in the market depending on who is at the table so gaining a clear picture of how the frame may develop is imperative if you are to make it pay.

Be aware that using scoreboards for betting on in-play markets is a dangerous game if the match is being televised. Seeing the scoreboard tick up one point next to a player's name means far less to the scoreboard watcher than the TV viewer who can clearly see if the player is now on a colour or will have to play a safety. If you play off scoreboards then at least take certain precautions like noting down each red as it is potted so you can work out how many are left on the table at any point and thus what is required for each player to win the frame. A simple scoreline of 22-6 can be very misleading if you don't know how it has been achieved.

Reading the players: Try and keep an eye on the players' body language where possible, snooker is a sport with a fine skill base and it is very difficult to play the game if you are not in the correct frame of mind. Many players over the years have let matches slip away as a result of this, most notably players like Ronnie himself, Michael Holt, the now retired Quentin Hann and even the poker-faced Ding Junhui appeared to give-up during a UK final. Give away signs like slamming the cue down, muttering to themselves, taking on over ambitious shots and playing their shots very quickly are just some to look out for.

With all the information now at hand you can make informed pre-tournament outright picks, play the Match Odds in-play and even the frame by frame markets through your ability to read a game. Has betting on snooker ever been more exciting?

The intimidating Wembley arena is sure to bring out the best in these players and I can see no good reason not to side with the players in form. For my money Maguire is the player of the season and will be world number one in the very near future. He is a bigger price to win the Masters than he is to win the World Champs in 3 months time. Get on Maguire in both tournaments as his odds are set to tumble.