World Championship 2025: New Crucible king could be richest in snooker history as Shaun Murphy joins Jackson Page in £650,000 title chase
Published 15/04/2025 at 08:53 GMT+1
The World Championship could offer the single biggest prize money in snooker history if the Crucible champion also earns a £147,000 bonus for making two maximums. Shaun Murphy, Zhang Anda and Jackson Page are all in contention to achieve the feat which would see over £650,000 available to the winner. But two 147s during one event is suddenly not an impossible prospect after Page's historic double.
Page completes second 147 of match to make history and scoop £147,000 Triple Crown bonus
Video credit: TNT Sports
Shaun Murphy could set a new record if he manages to lift the world title at the Crucible Theatre 20 years after he became the only third qualifier in history to claim the sport's most coveted prize.
The Masters holder would set a new record for the longest gap between wins if he can emerge victorious on Monday, May 5 in Sheffield, overtaking the previous record set by Mark Williams in 2018, who lifted his third Crucible crown 15 years after his second success.
Murphy famously joined icons Alex Higgins (1972) and Terry Griffiths (1979) as the only qualifiers to win the World Championship when he defeated Matthew Stevens 18-16 in 2005.
But 15th seed Murphy would also like to get on the same page as Jackson.
Welsh player Jackson Page earned a huge £147,000 bonus for becoming the first man in history to make two 147s in the same match in a 10-2 win over Allan Taylor in the third qualifying round on Monday.
But according to event organisers World Snooker Tour, there would be another huge bonus if a player could emulate Page's feat in qualifying at the English Institute of Sport or during the final stages at the Crucible in Sheffield.
Any player producing two 147s at the Saudi Arabia Masters, UK Championship, Masters or World Championship will earn the six-figure sum.
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Watch Murphy's magnificent Masters maximum in full
Video credit: TNT Sports
"Up to three players could win this bonus, for example, if three different players each made two 147s then they would each win £147,000," said World Snooker.
"Or if one player made six maximums then he would bank £441,000!"
Having produced a 147 against Mark Allen during the semi-finals of the Masters, Murphy would earn the £147,000 bonus if he makes a maximum during the 17 days of competition in the final stages of the World Championship.
If he can also lift the title, he would earn a potential £654,500, which would include the £500,000 winner's cheque and a share of the £15,000 highest break prize.
It would also be the single biggest prize picked up in snooker history at any ranking event.
The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship offers £757,000 for compiling a $1 million golden ball 167, but that has not yet been achieved.
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Zhang makes 'perfect' 147 – with O'Sullivan on commentary
Video credit: TNT Sports
Zhang Anda, who is seeded 12th, remains in the frame for the huge bonus if he can emulate his maximum made against Lei Peifan at the UK Championship in York.
Noppon Saengkham produced a 147 at the Saudi Arabia Masters, but saw his hopes of the £147,000 bonus end with a 10-7 defeat to fellow Thai professional Sunny Akani in the third round of qualifying.
The 49th World Championship - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - takes place between April 19 and May 5.
- World Snooker Championship qualifying: How it works, results and schedule
- Page makes history by becoming first player to make two 147s in same match
- When is draw for first round as O'Sullivan, Wilson and Trump chase Crucible glory?
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Watch and stream top snooker action, including the World Championship, live and on demand on Eurosport and discovery+
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