The European Masters Betting Guide

Given the increasingly international and nomadic nature of the world snooker circuit, it’s incredible to think that there weren’t any ranking events held outside of the UK as recently as 1989. However, there were a number of successful invitational events held outside of the UK at this time, and this inspired the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association to extend the tour through overseas ranking tournaments.

One of the first of these was the European Open, which was initially contested in 1989 and had known five iterations before becoming the European Masters that we know and love today. In this snooker betting guide, we’ll explore this history of this prestigious tournament, while providing some insightful European Masters snooker betting tips.

The Best European Masters Snooker Betting Sites

You can bet on the 2023 European Masters at a number of different sportsbooks, including those listed here at Betinireland. To help you select the best sportsbook and bonus offer for you, however, we’ve shortlisted four of the leading operators and outlined what sets them apart in the marketplace.

Best European Masters Snooker Betting Site – BoyleSports

If there’s one name that’s synonymous with sports betting in Ireland, it’s BoyleSports. Covering 41 different sports and a diverse range of associated betting markets, this much-loved Irish-based site should be your first port of call when betting on European Masters snooker.

Typically, BoyleSports is one of the first to offer ante-post and outright bets on events such as the European Masters, while such prices tend to be among the most competitive too. The operator also boasts a particularly diverse range of in-play bets, while running one of the best and most accessible customer support teams in the business.

When you register with BoyleSports as a new customer (and credit your account with a minimum of €10), you’ll immediately qualify for a free €20 bet. This can be deployed freely on your choice of European Masters markets, so long as you identify outcomes with odds of 2.00 or above.

• www.begambleaware.org

Best European Masters Snooker Free Bet Offer – Bet365

If your choice of sportsbook is solely influenced by the available welcome offer, Bet365 may be your best option in the current market.

With Bet365, new customers qualify for a 100% deposit match up to the value of €50, so the total value of the bonus will depend on how much you credit to your account (between €5 and €50). This enables you to place one or several free bets on European Masters snooker, with the minimum odds requirement of 1.50 also in play here.

This is particularly good news for serious punters or high-rollers, while it’s undoubtedly one of the most generous offers in the Irish sports betting market.

• www.begambleaware.org

Best European Masters Snooker In-Play Betting Site – Betway

Increasingly, snooker and European Masters betting is dominated by in-play markets, which are incredibly diverse in their nature and allow for large amounts of so-called ‘micro wagers’.

Such bets are focused on any number of events that can occur during individual matches, from the winner of the next frame or the identity of the next century maker to determining which coloured ball will be the next to be potted.

Currently, Betway offers the largest selection of in-play snooker wagers and live streams, where you can watch the option unfold and place micro bets in real-time.

At present, Betway’s welcome offer comprises a single free bet up to the value of €30, based on a minimum deposit of €5. The amount that you credit your account with up to €30 will be matched by the operator, and you can deploy your bet on any outcomes with odds of 1.75 or above.

• www.begambleaware.org

Best European Masters Snooker Betting Site for Odds – Ladbrokes

We can also recommend Ladbrokes for European Masters snooker betting, with this popular and longstanding operator also renowned for its competitive odds and excellent live streaming options.

Ladbrokes certainly provides some of the most competitive and enhanced sports and snooker betting odds, particularly on high-profile ranking events such as the European Masters. Ante-post odds are usually published early too at Ladbrokes, so the outright prices for the 2022 European Masters should be available there soon.

When you sign up for a Ladbrokes account, you’ll need to make an initial deposit of €5 to qualify for the current €20 welcome offer. This comprises four free €5 wagers, which can all be deployed on European Masters betting markets so long as you select outcomes with minimum odds of 1.50.

• www.begambleaware.org

Best European Masters Snooker Betting Site for Odds Requests – William Hill

Last but certainly not least on our recommendations for Irish bookies is William Hill. Punters will be able to find all the most competitive odds at William Hill for not just the European Masters, but other tournaments such as the Triple Crown events, the World Championship, or the UK Championship.

William Hill also offer some fantastic in-play betting markets to keep you tuned in to all the action. Additionally, if it’s not possible to find the exact snooker bet you are looking for, William Hill direct punters to send a message to William Hill on Twitter with the hashtag #YourOdds and your request. Their snooker traders can then price something up for you.

New customers to William Hill can enjoy €30 in Free Bets after a qualifying €10 bet with odds of 1.5 (1/2) or higher. The Free Bets will be credited as 2 x €15 to be used within 30 days.

• www.begambleaware.org

European Masters Snooker Betting Odds for 2023

The official dates for the 2023 European Masters is yet to be announced, given that the 2022 edition of the tournament has finished rather recently. This of course means it's too early to see the odds from our recommended sportsbooks. However, when they are published, you will be able to find them below.

European Masters Snooker Predictions

European Masters Snooker Betting Markets

If you are intending to wager on the European Masters snooker tournament, it’s important to understand the most popular and rewarding betting markets.

We’ve outlined three of these below, so you can make the most of your bankroll and seek out the best value European Masters bets. Are there any markets below you haven't tried?

1. Outright Betting

While the ante-post odds for the European Masters have yet to be published, there’s no doubt that the event’s outright betting market is one of the most popular among punters.

This straightforward market requires you to wager on the eventual winner, and while you’ll have a nominal field of 64 from which to choose from, only a select few players have a realistic chance of claiming the title.

It’s also worth placing your outright bet as early as possible, as the ante-post prices tend to be little longer and shorten as the event draws closer (particularly among the favourites). So, we’d recommend keeping your eyes on this page until the outright odds have been updated.

2. Accumulator or Combination Betting

With accumulator betting, you’ll be required to include between four and 20 selections in a single wager. The odds of each individual outcome are then multiplied together to create a considerably longer price, while all selections must be successful for the wager to pay out.

This type of betting is particularly popular at the European Masters, especially during the opening round of 64.

This stage of the tournament typically creates a number of mismatches between seeded players and qualifiers, and you can incorporate such contests into a four, five or six-fold acca bet that strikes the ideal balance between potential returns and your probability of winning.

3. The Winner of the Next Frame

If you intend to watch or stream European Masters action as it unfolds, you may be able to profit by placing a number of in-play bets.

As the market for micro bets is particularly large and diverse, however, we’d recommend focusing on simple, even-money wagers that optimise your chances of winning. You should also use your knowledge of the players to make informed in-play selections, while maximising the advantage of watching matches in real-time and observing subtle shifts in momentum.

One of the most popular types of micro bet requires you to wager on the winner of the next frame. This is particularly popular during the tournament’s earlier, best-of-nine frame encounters, especially in contests that pit highly ranked players against lowly qualifiers.

European Masters Snooker Betting Tips

Once you’ve identified the best European Masters betting markets, the next step is to place individual wagers that help you to make the most of your bankroll.

But how can you ensure that you’re placing the right and best value bets? Here are some expert tips to help you on your way!

1. Be Selective When Building Handicap or Acca Bets

If you do choose to build a European Masters accumulator bet at one of our listed sportsbooks, it’s crucial that you’re highly selective when incorporating individual outcomes.

If you look at the 2022 main draw, for example, there were a handful of first round matches that stand out. For example, the contest between world number six John Higgins and the 67th-ranked Jamie Clarke is ideal from the perspective of acca betting, as is the match-up featuring world number five Kyren Wilson and world number 41 Jamie Jones.

By focusing on such match-ups and minimising your total number of selections to no more than six, you can create a generative and well-priced acca that affords you an excellent chance of success.

2. Make Form and Past Performance Your Key Watchwords

Across all of its various iterations, the tournament’s most successful player is Stephen Hendry (with four titles in total). However, several current players have also won one or more European Masters title, and this type of past performance can be insightful when placing outright or match bets.

For example, world number two Judd Trump won two consecutive European Masters titles in 2016 and 2017, while Mark Selby is the defending champion having beaten Martin Gould in a thrilling 2021 final.

Even world number four Neil Robertson prevailed in 2020 following a 9-0 whitewash of Zhou Yuelong in the final, so these players clearly have an affinity with the event and will be widely backed by punters should they win their respective qualifiers.

Recent form is also a key consideration, and in this respect Australia’s Robertson may be the player to watch after his stunning win at the 2022 Masters. He also won the Tour Championship and English Open in 2021, and appears to be peaking ahead of the prestigious European Masters.

3. Always Wager Responsibly on European Masters Snooker

If you’re someone who wagers on snooker tournaments throughout the season, it’s important that you have a clearly defined and well-managed bankroll.

This should determine precisely how much you can wager during each day, week or month, while your bankroll must be managed according to the principles of responsible gambling and should never exceed an amount that you can afford to lose.

This is especially important when placing micro bets and exploring in-play betting markets, which often feature relatively small wagers that can be repeated during individual games and tournaments. As a result, you can wager deceptively large amounts within relatively short periods of time when betting in-play, particularly without a calculated bankroll and a keen sense of discipline.

The European Masters Snooker Format

This ranking event started out life as the European Open at the beginning of the 1988/89 season, in order to capitalise on the burgeoning snooker audience that existed outside of the UK.

Initially held in France, Belgium and Malta between 1989 and 1997, the event was then rebranded as the Irish Open before enduring a three-year hiatus. It returned in 2001 as the European Open once again, before becoming the Malta Cup for four years between 2005 and 2008 (for the latter of which it ran as a non-ranking event).

It was discontinued for eight years after becoming an invitational event, before being revived as the European Masters in 2016. It has retained the same branding, status and format to this day, with participation in the 2022 main event determined by an open qualifying round that took place between 27th and 31st October.

The open nature of qualifying has already seen a number of top-16 ranked players eliminated before the main draw, including Zhao Xintong (ranked 9), Stephen Maguire (8) and Mark Allen (13).

Still, a large number of top-ranked players will make the trip to Milton Keynes for the 2022 European Masters, which is scheduled to run between February 21st and 27th. The opening two days will see the four remaining qualifiers and round-of-64 matches completed, with the winners progressing to the last 32.

The tournament then continues along the line of a straight knockout event, culminating when the semi-finals are settled and the two halves of the draw are bought together in a best-of-19 frames final.

The winner on February 27th will bank a cheque for £80,000, with the runner-up earning £35,000 from a total prize fund of £407,000. The losing semi and quarter-finalists will bank £17,500 and £11,000 respectively, while players eliminated in the last 16 will be remunerated with £6,000.

Players can earn additional £5,000 for making the tournament’s highest break, with no further money awarded for making a 147. This may explain why we’ve only seen one maximum break during the tournament’s history, complied by Canadian Alain Robidoux against Jim Meadowcroft in the initial 1989 event.

The 2022 Tournament Results

Here’s the 2022 tournament results in full, complete with frames won.

Held-Over Qualifiers:

First Round (Round of 64)

Second Round (Round of 32)

Third Round (Round of 16)

Quarter-Finals

Semi-Finals

Final

European Masters Snooker Top Players

While the world’s top four players have yet to contest their 2022 European Masters qualifiers, there remain a number of top-16 competitors who have already confirmed their place at the event.

With this in mind, here’s a glimpse at three of the key European Masters contenders and the players most likely to prevail in 2022.

1. Kyren Wilson

While he may not be a household name, Kyren Wilson remains one of the most consistent and reliable players on the world snooker tour. To this end, he’s currently ranked number five in the world, having reached a peak of fourth in the world back in 2020. Wilson has four ranking event titles to his name (and two invitational crowns), including the German Masters in 2019. So, while he has never made it past the quarters at the European Masters, he travels well and is one to watch in 2022.

2. John Higgins

World number six John Higgins has been a staple of the tour since 1992, while his remarkable consistency has seen him remain in the top 16 and a serial tournament winner to this day. In fact, Higgins is the third most successful players of all-time with 31 ranking event titles to his name, including four World Championships, three UK championships and two Masters for a total of nine Triple Crown wins. Also, he has already reached three finals in 2021/22, at the England, Scotland and Northern Ireland Opens.

3. Shaun Murphy

Ranked seventh in the world, Shaun Murphy shot to fame in 2005, when he became only the third qualifier to win the World Championship. Since then, he has earned £4 million in prize money during his career and won a total of 24 career titles, including 13 ranking and minor-ranking events. He has also gone on to reach a further three World Championship finals and has a knack of performing on the biggest stages, although his last ranking event triumph came at the Welsh Open in the midst of the 2019/20 season.

The Previous Winners

Interestingly, two of Murphy’s title wins came in the Malta Cup in 2007 and 2008, while he has the distinction of being the last man to lift the trophy before the event was rebranded as the European Masters in 2016.

But which players have dominated the tournament in its current guise? Here’s a quick glance at the winners from the previous five European Masters event.

Your FAQs Answered

At this stage, you should have a greater understanding of European Masters snooker and its most popular betting markets.

So, all that’s really left is to answer some of your most frequently-asked questions, pertaining to the 2022 event and how you should wager your hard-earned cash!