Snooker fans are in for a treat next year, with the professional circuit now boasting numerous players capable of winning major tournaments.
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Neil Robertson were amongst the big names who enjoyed a successful 2022, delivering the goods for snooker bettors on several occasions.
The pair will be popular with punters in 2023, and may well cost Irish betting sites plenty of money with their exploits on the green baize over the next 12 months.
While the big guns often dominate the outright markets in the top tournaments, some of the lower-ranked events offer other players a genuine chance of winning silverware.
With that in mind, we take a look at four players worth watching in 2023, starting with a rising Irish star who has sparkled at junior level.
Ross Bulman
Ross Bulman initially sprang to prominence as a teenager, winning Irish titles in four different age groups during the same season.
The Youghal snooker ace is the current number one player in the Irish amateur rankings and it is likely to be just a matter of time before he secures his professional tour card.
The 21-year-old has registered several impressive wins during his career including a victory over World Championship finalist Barry Hawkins in a tournament in Germany.
Bulman’s early season target is the European Amateur Championships in Malta during March and he looks a good bet to lift the title.
Ben Mertens
Talented Belgian youngster Ben Mertens demonstrated his potential with a fine performance against O’Sullivan at the 2022 English Open.
The seven-time world champion raced into a 3-0 lead, but the 18-year-old refused to lie down and rattled off three successive frames to level the match.
After keeping his nerve to seal a 4-3 victory, O’Sullivan praised Mertens by saying ‘the sky is the limit for him’ over the coming years.
Mertens has plenty of time to make a name for himself in snooker and he is well worth monitoring as he bids to climbs the ranks in the sport.
Sam Craigie
Sam Craigie has climbed up to 35 in the world rankings and looks on course to go much higher given some of his performances during 2022.
He reached the quarter-finals of the UK Championship in York, and was on course to reach the last four before Mark Allen produced a stirring comeback.
Craigie took a 4–2 lead before Allen rattled off four frames in a row to secure a 6-4 win. Despite the result, the 28-year-old showed he could compete at the top level.
O’Sullivan has tipped Craigie to win a tournament in the next year and he is undoubtedly worth watching over the coming months.
Adam Duffy
Adam Duffy will be determined to make his mark at professional level after securing a two-year tour card earlier this year by winning at Q School.
The 33-year-old has been off the circuit for four years, but returns to the top level with a point to prove after failing to take his chance first time around.
Duffy believes he can reach the top 32 in the world and has quit his bricklaying job to focus on playing snooker full time.
Having defeated Mark Selby earlier in his career, Duffy clearly has the ability to make his mark as a professional if he puts his mind to it.