Trailing Luca Brecel 9-6 towards the end of the second session, the four-time champion became the 10th different player to score a maximum at snooker's spiritual home and the second in this year's edition after Kyren Wilson managed the feat in the opening week.
Ronnie O'Sullivan (1997, 2003, 2008) and Stephen Hendry (1995, 2009, 2012) have both made three apiece at previous World Championships while the others are Thorburn (1983), Jimmy White (1992), Mark Williams (2005), Ali Carter (2008), John Higgins (2020) and Neil Robertson (2022). Click here to watch them all.
His Belgian opponent had left a long red dangling over the pocket at the start of the frame and Selby stepped up to nervelessly wrap up his fifth career 147 before receiving big hugs from Brecel and the referee.
Selby, who only finished his semi-final at almost 1am the previous evening, couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he conducted the crowd in fantastic scenes of celebration.