Snooker

Scottish Open Predictions & Betting Tips (2025)

5 hours ago

| BY Sam Cox

Betting tips Players Championship Snooker

The Scottish Open begins on 15th December and runs until 21st December, with Lei Peifan bidding to defend his crown.

Fresh off defeating Judd Trump in the UK Championship final, Mark Selby is among the snooker betting favourites to win in Edinburgh. The Jester from Leicester is a two-time winner of this event.

Selby begins the event against Robert McGuigan and has a potential last 16 matchup against John Higgins. Kyren Wilson will likely be the man Selby meets in the quarters if he gets that far.

Despite the honour of being the tournament’s top seed, Peifan is in the same half of the draw as Mark Williams, Neil Robertson, and Shaun Murphy. The reigning champion won’t face a major challenge until a probable contest with Xiao Guodong in the last eight.

Early Upsets Possible

There are clear favourites in the first couple of rounds, but the Scottish Open has provided plenty of surprises in the past. There’s no guarantee Peifan and Guodong meet in the last eight, and it’s possible Williams, Robertson, and Murphy are eliminated before the semis.

Top seed Gary Wilson lost in the first round in 2024. Selby, Kyren Wilson, Higgins, Shaun Murphy, and Robertson fell in the second round. Mark Allen and Luca Brecel were the only players in the top 17 seeds to reach the quarterfinals 12 months ago.

There were early surprises aplenty, too, even with Gary Wilson winning the second of back-to-back titles. The first three rounds being played as best-of-seven frames gives little margin for error – even a rank outsider can get hot and book their place in the best-of-nine quarterfinals.

Trump Sits Out

Trump’s loss to Selby in the UK Championship was his final appearance of 2025. The world number one won’t be taking part in the Scottish Open.

Selby becomes the headline attraction in Edinburgh. Playing near his unstoppable best at the UK Championship, he is enjoying his snooker again and will be desperate to build on his recent success.

Speaking after his triumph in York, Selby said, “I’ve always said the time I stop enjoying it is the time I stop playing and, for a while, I wasn’t enjoying it. I was performing poorly and not enjoying the challenge.

“Winning breeds confidence. The last two tournaments I have won I have played Judd, who is an unbelievable player.”

Retirement seems a long way off for Selby – he’s the man to beat in this event.

Leading Contenders

Kyren Wilson’s form will put bettors off. He’s not made a semi-final since winning the Shanghai Masters in August and lost 6-4 to Elliot Slessor in the UK Championship.

Robertson reached the last four in York and got to the final in Riyadh, but his break-building hasn’t been at its best of late. Centuries have been hard to come by.

The winner in Riyadh, and a semi-finalist at the Champion of Champions, second seed Zhao Xintong should attract some betting interest. The draw is pretty favourable on paper with a decent run to the quarters.

Winner of two of the last three tournaments (before the Shoot Out in Blackpool), it’s hard to look past Selby. The quick-fire nature of the first three rounds does make it a bit of a lottery, though, so don’t be afraid to back an outsider or two.

Barry Hawkins could be worth a wager given how consistently he makes it into the latter rounds.