Snooker / Paul Krishnamurty / 30 November 2011 /

The UK Championship begins in York on Saturday with 32 of the world's best in action over nine days on the green, green baize. Betfair offers plenty of ways of playing the odds but here are two approaches to betting on individual matches...

There are two particularly popular ways of betting in-play on snooker, where good liquidity is pretty much guaranteed during televised events. First, by betting on the winner of each match or, in the case of one-sided affairs, the pre-set handicap). Secondly, if you need a more instant rush, individual frame betting. Here are four clues to help make them pay.

Always monitor the position of the balls
Whoever is playing, the golden rule of in-play snooker betting is to keep an eye on the position of the balls. The market often over-reacts in favour of the player who gets the opening chance of a decent break, assuming a potentially frame-winning contribution. In reality, much depends on whether the high-scoring colours are available, whether the pack is open, how many balls are tied up and eventually, how many points are needed to secure a frame.
This sounds elementary, but quick evaluation and doing the maths offers a significant advantage in a fast-moving market.

Identify poor break-builders and lay them mid-frame
An important distinction lies between the odds available before and during frames. For instance, where a match begun with both players trading at [2.0], if the scoreline is 3-3 at the start of the seventh frame, it stands to reason that the odds will still be roughly level.
However, once the frame is under way, and a player is 'in the balls', calculating the odds becomes much more subjective. At this stage, knowledge really becomes power, because the clued-up punter will have a superior understanding of the players concerned, particularly the likelihood of a clearance, based on the breakbuilding qualities of the player in question.
Take the following two contrasting examples. Ronnie O'Sullivan plays John Higgins, and the odds about each is [2.0]. Alternatively, Steve Davis takes on Rory McLeod, again with both at identical odds. The market will respond similarly during both matches because the players are equally well-matched, yet the likelihood of frames being won in one visit are incomparable.
Whereas only the brave would bet against Ronnie or Higgins clearing up when in the balls, a poor breakbuilder like McLeod or Davis will more often than not miss or lose position. If and when somebody misses, the frame odds change dramatically, especially if leaving their opponent a chance. Such a strategy works equally well for individual frames or in the match markets.
Besides a few elite players - O'Sullivan, Higgins, Judd Trump, Mark Williams - most need at least two visits to win a frame, so this is a good strategy in most matches. Even world number one Mark Selby can make hard work of winning frames.
However, the very best plan is to look out for either generally substandard breakbuilders like Davis and Mcleod, or players who struggled to score heavily in their previous matches.

Back proven battlers at big odds when behind
Anyone familiar with snooker will know that no game is over until it really is over, having witnessed countless incredible comebacks over the years. The lesson for punters is to never be afraid of laying leaders at very short odds, because momentum can change very quickly in this sport.
Some players seem to take on a wholly different persona when knowing they can't afford any more mistakes. Higgins ruthlessly cutting down Trump's lead in the world final remains fresh in the memory, but the Wizard of Wishaw has been on the receiving end himself before, most memorably at the hands of fellow legend Williams. Selby is another star to have made a habit of overturning deficits, as O'Sullivan has found to his cost in a couple of big finals.
Any of this superstar trio are well worth chancing at big odds if they find themselves with their backs against the wall.

Lay renowned bottlers at short odds when they hit the front
Alternatively, there are others who really struggle to get over the line. It pains me to say this about one of my all-time favourite players, but if Matthew Stevens were a horse he'd have been awarded the Timeform squiggle years ago. It still hurts to recall him losing a 13-7 lead to Williams in the 2000 World final. More recently, his 10-9 defeat to Mark Allen in last year's World Championship first round was a classic example of bottling. In the space of a few minutes, Stevens went from bone-fide contender for the world crown, to bad club player, unable to pot four consecutive balls. If Stevens goes heavily odds-on in any of his matches, hit the lay button!
Another dodgy character well worth taking on is Stephen Maguire. Here is one of the most talented players ever to pick up a cue, yet unless he achieves something big soon, Maguire will be remembered for the matches he threw away. I'll never forget how he had O'Sullivan on the rack at Sheffield in 2005, needing black/red/black from ideal position to cause a massive first round upset, before capitulating.
More famously two years later, Maguire traded odds-on to become world champion when leading Higgins 14-8 in the semi-final, before losing nine of the next ten frames.

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