Snooker betting tips: UK Championship
2pts Lei Peifan (+2.5) to beat Mark Selby at 11/10 (General)
Selby in for another battle
LEI PEIFAN is certainly not frightened of the big stage, as he demonstrated so well when downing Kyren Wilson in the first match of the latter's world title defence at the Crucible last spring.
Peifan was in inspired form that evening, pulling off a memorable comeback to leave Wilson stunned, and I can see him pushing Mark Selby close in their first-round encounter on Tuesday (1pm).
On the face of it, Peifan hasn’t pulled up any trees so far this season, but a closer look at his results tells a slightly different story.
At the International Championship, Peifan played really well against Zhao Xintong, eventually losing a cracking match 6-5 despite making beaks of 116, 91, 79, 70 and 52.
He then beat Shaun Murphy 4-1 at the Champion of Champions, before losing to Trump in the quarter-finals.
Like last season, when he suddenly clicked into gear to reach the final of the Scottish Open, there could be a deep run incoming from Peifan soon, and he should at least prove a dangerous opponent for Selby.
We shouldn’t forget that Selby was dumped out in the first round of this tournament last year, and also in 2022, so he might not be bulletproof early on.
Match odds of 7/2 about Peifan initially caught the eye, but I’m happier playing the handicaps in this one, with PEIFAN (+2.5) looking good business at 11/10.
Watch out for Wu
2pts Wu Yize (-2.5) to beat Michael Holt at 8/11 (General)
Qualifying was a real boost for the thoroughly likeable Michael Holt, who improved with every match.
Despite his own concerns about his form, he was much better against Yuan Sijun although, in truth, he didn’t meet much resistance from his opponent who could only muster a high break of 58.
Things will be much tougher for Holt on Sunday (1pm), when he comes up against the brilliant Chinese talent WU YIZE.
Wu went close on a couple of occasions last season, notably when runner-up at the English and Scottish Opens.
However, his breakthrough success came at the recent International Championship when he dominated the event, playing out of his skin to beat the likes of Trump, Hawkins and Zhao Xintong, before having far too many guns for John Higgins in the final.
Wu looks every inch a Triple Crown winner in waiting, one of the very best of the new breed of bright stars coming through, and I don’t see Holt living with him here, not if the Chinese finds his range early.
The correct score markets did spike interest, with 11/1 available about the whitewash, but that will be a stretch, so WU (-2.5) on the handicap is the preferred option at 8/11.
Trump vulnerable in York opener
1pt Stephen Maguire to beat Judd Trump at 3/1 (Virgin Bet, BetMGM)
Defending champion Judd Trump opens the show at this year's UK Championship on Saturday (1pm), a sure sign that winter is well and truly here and that Christmas is coming.
Trump was a brilliant winner of this event 12 months ago, holding off Barry Hawkins in an absorbing final and, in many ways, he was righting a few wrongs from previous years in York.
He was a beaten semi-finalist in 2023, but Trump lost in the second and third rounds in the two previous renewals, while in 2019 he was dumped out early by veteran Nigel Bond in one of the biggest shocks in the history of the sport.
Overall, there is a feeling that Trump has been vulnerable in York early in the tournament, so drawing 2004 winner STEPHEN MAGUIRE in the last 32 could make for another banana skin.
Maguire is a class act, a real heavy-hitter when he’s on song, and it was good to hear him talking in recent days about his desire to get back in the top 16, even the top eight. Few would doubt that he’s still good enough.
Maguire won the Championship League earlier the season and has carried that form forward, reaching the last four at the valuable International Championship earlier this month.
The Scot came through qualifying nicely, no surprise given his fine record in York – that victory in 2004 supplemented by two more finals, the most recent of which coming in 2019. He has also reached four more semi-finals here.
Crucially, he’s not one to be intimidated by playing the world number one, as many others are. In fact, Maguire will relish it.
If Trump doesn’t fire, and recent concerns about his cue leave him with a few questions to answer, then Maguire is more than capable of causing what would be a minor shock.
I’m happy to roll the dice on MAGUIRE TO WIN at 11/4 and bigger.
Preview published at 1600 GMT on 28/11/25
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