Judd Trump vs. Ronnie O’Sullivan Prediction on January 12-19, 2025

Match info

Alexandra Palace, a sports and entertainment venue in North London, England, UK, is getting ready to host the 51st edition of The Masters (Johnstone’s Paint Masters 2025 for sponsorship reasons), the second “Triple Crown” event of the current professional men’s snooker season. As the season generally ends in the spring, the first major snooker competition of 2025 also marks the start of the journey to the World Snooker Championship.

After the UK Championship at the end of 2024, the top 16 players in the world rankings are invited to compete in the Masters 2025 over four knockout rounds starting on Sunday, January 12, when the competition kicks off with the two best-of-11 frames Round-of-16 matches, with the first one beginning at 1 p.m. local time. These 16 players will compete for a record-breaking £350,000 Masters winner’s prize until next Sunday, January 19.

Meeting statistics

Judd Trump defeated Barry Hawkins in the final to win the UK Championship 2024 and cap the last year in style. Hawkins, on the other hand, defeated reigning champion Ronnie O’Sullivan in the opening round at the York Barbican, and “The Rocket” and his devoted following will be hoping for a longer championship defense when The Masters 2024 winner takes on fellow former world champion John Higgins at Alexandra Palace in the 2025 event. The Masters this year will begin precisely with the match between O’Sullivan and Higgins.

After rallying from behind to defeat Ali Carter 10-7 in the previous year’s final, O’Sullivan enters the competition as the defending champion. As said, he faces Higgins, whom he defeated to win his first Masters in 1995, in a thrilling first-round match to start the event. In what looks to be the most unpredictable Masters event in years, O’Sullivan is now aiming to win a record-breaking ninth title, but that’s undoubtedly easier said than done. The experienced Englishman isn’t the clear favorite to win the competition, though. When you look at this year’s Masters draw, it’s difficult to predict who’ll win.

Trump is the snooker betting sites’ favorite, on the one hand. His form is highlighted by his recent victory in the UK Championship and his progress to the quarterfinals in Riyadh. But, in a potential quarterfinal, the 35-year-old Englishman is headed for a confrontation with either Mark Williams or Ding Junhui after a challenging opening encounter against Hawkins.

Although he again has a risky draw, O’Sullivan is the bookmakers’ second favorite. If “The Rocket” defeats Higgins, he’ll face Shaun Murphy or Gary Wilson in the Round of 8. Currently ranked as third, fourth, and fifth favorites, respectively, are Wilson, Mark Selby, and Mark Allen, all of whom will be vying for the title.

Match analytics

Although it’s difficult to predict this year’s Masters, you have a strong chance of upsetting the bookmakers if you choose between Trump and O’Sullivan. We’d support O’Sullivan, who advanced to the semifinals in Riyadh the previous time, if we had to choose one. The 49-year-old provides slightly greater value than Trump and feels at home at this event.

Tip: The Masters 2025 – To Win Outright – Ronnie O’Sullivan, with odds of 4.50 on Bet365.