Snooker Australian Goldfields Open Betting 2011
There has never been a ranking tournament in the world of professional snooker which has been held in Australia. There is a first time for everything and the inaugural Snooker Australian Goldfields Open looks set to be one of the most interesting and unpredictable events on the 2011/2012 calendar.
Snooker Australian Goldfields Open betting 2011 may not necessarily contain the household names when it comes to professional snooker. The logistics of moving around Asia and Australia in mid-July is not easy and this could factor into the minds of many different players.
Favourite for the Australian Goldfields Open
When thinking about Australian players who could have an edge in this sort of tournament, only Neil Robertson comes to mind. Robertson is the favourite for the Australian Goldfields Open because he has proven calibre and won the 2010 World Championship.
Robertson, for once in his career, will be playing a tournament in his own back yard and this will make a tremendous difference for him in terms of the environment he is in and the support he'll receive that he wouldn't enjoy elsewhere in the world.
Big Names at the Australian Goldfields Open
It is a little bit of a lottery at the moment as to who is actually going to participate in this ranking event. The likes of John Higgins, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Williams and more will all feature in the Snooker Betting market for this contest but may choose to pull out due to the pressure of playing in some of the Asian events.
These big names at the Australian Goldfields Open are what is going to help the event go beyond 2013 which is the current length of the agreement. These big names at the Australian Goldfields Open will engage the interest of the Australian public and they will help to raise the profile of snooker in the country.
Underdogs at the Australian Goldfields Open
There will be a few underdogs at the Australian Goldfields Open who will be looking to perform in their own country. This is a tremendous chance for these underdogs to get some ranking points on the board and to earn a little bit of cash in the process.
Two underdogs at the Australian Goldfields Open will be Australians Shawn Budd and Steve Mifsud. Both of these players may have to qualify to play in the event but there is always the chance they may be given a wildcard entry because they are the best of the rest after Robertson.
Concerns about the Australian Goldfields Open
To address how much of a success this inaugural event can be, it is important to also address concerns about the Australian Goldfields Open. This tournament was initially going to be a non-ranking event like a few of the tournaments in Asia.
However, the thinking behind bringing in ranking points and prize money was that it would guarantee the participation of the biggest names in snooker. There will be professionals turning up in Australia who would not have otherwise bothered unless they felt incentivised.
Logistics is one of the biggest concerns about the Australian Goldfields Open because the tournament ends just one day before the BTV Event begins in China. This could create a problem for some players in terms of travelling and there could also be health concerns in terms of time delays.