The 2025 Halo World Snooker Championship qualifying rounds are already taking place at the English Institute of Sport. The championship is organized by the World Snooker Tour. The main event has been held at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre in England for the past 48 years. Halo Service Solutions, a technology company, is thrilled to be the Title Partner for the first time. It is exciting to join forces with an event known for the skills of the players and the exciting atmosphere.
Snooker origins and snooker in the US
It was British Army officers in India who invented the game of snooker in the late 19th century. The game is very popular in the UK. It eventually spread to the US but never reached the same level of popularity. Most players gravitated towards the game of pool as it was easier to learn and more accessible.
Snooker may still not be as popular in the US as some other sports, but it is gaining traction. This is due to more exposure to the internet and broadcasting of tournaments. It is also due to the promotion of the sport by organizations such as the United States Snooker Association. The Halo World Snooker Championship will be broadcast in the US so people will be able to watch it.
There are online sportsbooks in the US that offer betting options for snooker tournaments and matches. The legality of betting online varies in the US from state to state. Sports bettors need to check if sports betting is legal in their state.
Qualifying rounds
Qualifying rounds for the tournament have already taken place. They featured 128 professional and amateur snooker players. All the first-round matches were the best of 19 frames over two sessions. In the second and third rounds, the sessions and number of frames increase. Today, the last third round games are underway. The final round is the best of 35 frames over four sessions. This final round will be broadcast for free on WST Play.
Main stage
There is extra pressure on players when they know they are one match away from qualifying for the main stage. There is a different atmosphere because the Crucible is such a special place to play snooker. Players need to conquer their nerves to play their best. They know the importance of self-care and mental health to control any stress. The main stage of the tournament will feature 16 players from the qualifying rounds and 16 players at the top of the snooker world rankings after the 2025 Tour Championship.
Snooker champions
Defending champion Kyren Wilson is back this year. He will try to beat the ‘Crucible curse’ and win again. He won his first world title against Jak Jones in the 2024 final. If he wins again this year, it will be the first time a player has accomplished this since 1977. If he wins the event, he will receive £500,000 out of a total prize fund of almost £2,400,000. The runner-up receives a prize of £200,000.
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry have each won the tournament seven times. They jointly hold the record for the most world titles in the modern era. Watching players like this play makes others want to learn to play snooker. Steve Davis and Ray Reardon have each won six titles. Mark Selby and John Higgins have won four titles.
Famous US snooker players
Despite snooker’s relatively low profile in the US, the country has some world-class snooker players who have made their mark on the world stage. In the late 20th century, Jim Rempe and Lou Butera were successful in snooker tournaments, but Tom Kollins is probably the most recognized US snooker player. He won a record five US National Snooker Championships and was runner-up twice. Ahmed Aly Elsayed won the US National Championship six times. Corey Deuel and Steve Mizerak are other prominent American snooker players.
