Barry Hawkins 
Mark Williams Barry Hawkins and Mark Williams meet in the second round at the Crucible, and it is a match that carries genuine weight for both men. Hawkins has finally broken his Crucible curse, reaching the second round for the first time, and now faces a three-time world champion who knows this venue as well as anyone alive. For Williams, it is another chapter in a Sheffield career that has already produced three titles. For Hawkins, it is uncharted territory, and that cuts both ways.
Barry Hawkins
Ranked tenth in the world, Hawkins has been a fixture in the top sixteen for over a decade, and his record speaks to a player who turns up at the Crucible every year and rarely embarrasses himself. Two world final appearances, in 2013 and 2023, confirm he belongs at this level. His 390 career centuries show consistent potting quality, and a highest break of 141 tells you the firepower is there. Getting through his first-round match to reach this stage is significant. The narrative around his Crucible curse lifting may sound like sentiment, but momentum in a long-format tournament is real, and Hawkins will arrive for this one with belief.
Mark Williams
Williams is ranked eleventh, one place below Hawkins, but the ranking table does not begin to capture what the Welshman represents. Twenty-three ranking titles and three world championships, the most recent in 2018, make him one of the greatest players in the sport's history. His 568 career centuries and a 147 maximum underline a potting game that has never really declined, even if the wins come less frequently now. He has won two of his last three Crucible matches this fortnight and looks focused. Williams at the Crucible is a different animal entirely to Williams at a standard ranking event. The place suits his direct, uncompromising style.
Betting Verdict
The market has Williams at 1.67, which reflects his pedigree correctly. He is the heavier favourite and the logic is sound. Three world titles, 23 ranking titles, and a player who visibly raises his level on the Crucible stage. Hawkins at 2.2 is the value question. He is in form, he has the big-match experience those two finals bring, and he is through the first-round barrier that had haunted him.
The problem for Hawkins is the format. Best-of-25 frames over two sessions gives Williams plenty of time to impose his game, and experienced Crucible operators tend to find their rhythm in these longer matches. Hawkins has shown he can reach finals, but Williams has shown he can win them. At 1.67, Williams is not a generous price, but it reflects the reality of what you are backing.
Mark Williams to Win
1.67
Williams is a three-time champion who consistently elevates his game at the Crucible, and the best-of-25 format suits a player of his experience and composure. Hawkins has heart and form, but backing a man with 23 ranking titles and a proven record of winning in Sheffield at this stage is hard to argue against. The price is fair for the quality on offer.