Snooker’s Elite Battle for Riyadh Payday and Gold Ball Jackpot

Snooker’s top players will compete in the 2024 Riyadh Season Snooker Championship, scheduled for December 18-20 at Boulevard City, Riyadh. The event, part of the ongoing partnership between the World Snooker Tour (WST) and Saudi Arabian chairman Turki Alalshikh, invites the top 10 players in the world rankings as of December 1. This announcement boosts excitement for the remaining events, fueling a “Race to Riyadh” as players fight for a coveted spot.

A unique feature of the tournament is the “gold ball,” which players can pot only after achieving a 147 maximum break. Potting the gold ball adds 20 points and awards a substantial cash bonus. During the inaugural event in March 2024, no player managed to pot the gold ball. However, Turki Alalshikh has now promised to double the prize to $1 million (£770,000) for this year.

Coupled with the event’s prize money, a player could potentially walk away with over £1 million. Ronnie O’Sullivan triumphed at the first Riyadh Season Snooker Championship defeating Luca Brecel 5-2 in the final and taking home a £250,000 prize. O’Sullivan, who joked about claiming the gold ball next time is likely to return as a favorite this December.

The event’s success reflects the growing popularity of snooker in Saudi Arabia. Turki Alalshikh eagerly anticipates welcoming the world’s best players back while WST Chairman Steve Dawson emphasized the rapid growth of snooker in the region. He also highlighted the significant incentive for players to secure a top-10 ranking.

Overall, the tournament promises three days of high-quality snooker action and at the right moment, one of snooker’s players could make history by potting the elusive gold ball.