World Snooker Champions

Becoming world snooker champion is the pinnacle of the sport. While other sports might be focused on the Olympics or their own international competitions, the Snooker World Championships at the Crucible are what every young snooker player dreams of winning.

With a rich history and an evolving format, snooker’s premier event has inevitably changed throughout its almost 100-year existence.

World Snooker Championship History

First played in 1927, the World Snooker Championship was a 10-player tournament initially and was played on a challenge basis. Joe Davis was dominant throughout the first decade-plus of the competition, but this was aided by a format which benefited the defending champion considerably.

In the mid-1950s, the World Championship became a matchplay tournament. There was a seven-year gap from 1957 to 1964 without a World Championship, when it again returned as a challenge tournament.

A knockout structure was used from 1969, which is when the “modern era” began. In 1970, there was a group phase introduced, and a few years later, the decision was made to play the tournament over a two-week period.

In 1977, the World Championships finally named a permanent home in Sheffield. Ray Reardon claimed his sixth title in 1978 before a new generation of players broke through in the 1980s.

Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry dominated the 1980s and 1990s, respectively. Ronnie O’Sullivan established himself as the world’s best player throughout the 2000s, and 2010s, while Mark Selby and John Higgins also claimed multiple titles.

Snooker World Championship Location

From 1927 to 1956, the Snooker World Championship was held in different venues around the UK. Nottingham, London, Blackpool, and Chesterfield were among the hosts.

Jersey held the competition for the first and only time in 1957. Between 1957 and 1977, various places in the UK held the World Championships, along with editions in South Africa and Australia.

The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield became the event’s permanent home in 1977.

Snooker World Champions Prize Money

The total prize fund for the 2024 Snooker World Championship was £2.395 million. There was a £40,000 prize available for the player with the highest break.

• Winner: £500,000
• Runner-up: £200,000
• Semi-finalists: £100,000
• Quarter-finalists: £50,000
• Last 16: £30,000
• Last 32: £20,000
• Last 48: £15,000
• Last 80: £10,000
• Last 112: £5,000
• Highest break (qualifying stage included): £15,000

Most Successful Snooker Players

Joe and Fred Davis, with 15 and eight titles respectively, are the most successful snooker players of all-time. Both played before the start of the “modern era”, however, with Fred Davis claiming five of his titles during the matchplay era.

Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry are tied for the record in the tournament’s current format with seven titles apiece. Hendry’s seventh and final title in 1999 saw him overtake the iconic duo of Ray Reardon and Steve Davis.

John Higgins and Mark Selby trail O’Sullivan, Hendry, Reardon, and Davis with four World Championships apiece.

Snooker World Champions List

• 1927 – Joe Davis
• 1928 – Joe Davis
• 1929 – Joe Davis
• 1930 – Joe Davis
• 1931 – Joe Davis
• 1932 – Joe Davis
• 1933 – Joe Davis
• 1934 – Joe Davis
• 1935 – Joe Davis
• 1936 – Joe Davis
• 1937 – Joe Davis
• 1938 – Joe Davis
• 1939 – Joe Davis
• 1940 – Joe Davis
• 1941-1945 – No Tournament
• 1946 – Joe Davis
• 1947 – Walter Donaldson
• 1948 – Fred Davis
• 1949 – Fred Davis
• 1950 – Walter Donaldson
• 1951 – Fred Davis
• 1952 – Horace Lindrum
• 1952 – Fred Davis
• 1953 – Fred Davis
• 1954 – Fred Davis
• 1955 – Fred Davis
• 1956 – Fred Davis
• 1957 – John Pulman
• 1958-1963 – No Tournament
• 1964 – John Pulman
• 1964 – John Pulman
• 1965 – John Pulman
• 1965 – John Pulman
• 1965 – John Pulman
• 1966 – John Pulman
• 1968 – John Pulman
• 1969 – John Spencer
• 1970 – Ray Reardon
• 1971 – John Spencer
• 1972 – Alex Higgins
• 1973 – Ray Reardon
• 1974 – Ray Reardon
• 1975 – Ray Reardon
• 1976 – Ray Reardon
• 1977 – John Spencer
• 1978 – Ray Reardon
• 1979 – Terry Griffiths
• 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
• 1981 – Steve Davis
• 1982 – Alex Higgins
• 1983 – Steve Davis
• 1984 – Steve Davis
• 1985 – Dennis Taylor
• 1986 – Joe Johnson
• 1987 – Steve Davis
• 1988 – Steve Davis
• 1989 – Steve Davis
• 1990 – Stephen Hendry
• 1991 – John Parrott
• 1992 – Stephen Hendry
• 1993 – Stephen Hendry
• 1994 – Stephen Hendry
• 1995 – Stephen Hendry
• 1996 – Stephen Hendry
• 1997 – Ken Doherty
• 1998 – John Higgins
• 1999 – Stephen Hendry
• 2000 – Mark Williams
• 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
• 2002 – Peter Ebdon
• 2003 – Mark Williams
• 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
• 2005 – Shaun Murphy
• 2006 – Graeme Dott
• 2007 – John Higgins
• 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
• 2009 – John Higgins
• 2010 – Neil Robertson
• 2011 – John Higgins
• 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
• 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
• 2014 – Mark Selby
• 2015 – Stuart Bingham
• 2016 – Mark Selby
• 2017 – Mark Selby
• 2018 – Mark Williams
• 2019 – Judd Trump
• 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
• 2021 – Mark Selby
• 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
• 2023 – Luca Brecel
• 2024 – Kyren Wilson