**Mark Williams Earns Big at Crucible—But Ronnie O’Sullivan Still Rules Snooker’s Rich List**
Welsh snooker star Mark Williams may have come tantalisingly close to making history at this year’s World Snooker Championship, but the financial spoils from his inspired campaign still leave him trailing behind the sport’s top earners. Williams, a three-time world champion, captured the attention of the snooker community with his run in Sheffield, ultimately earning £200,000 as the tournament’s runner-up.
Despite his impressive display, Williams was denied a record-equalling fourth world title when he lost to China’s Zhao Xintong, 18-12, in the Crucible final. The Welshman, known affectionately as the “Welsh Potting Machine”, was aiming to become the oldest player ever to lift the iconic trophy. Even in defeat, Williams displayed remarkable resilience, claiming four consecutive frames before Zhao finally sealed victory.
Williams’ journey through the tournament was anything but straightforward. His quarter-final encounter against John Higgins, another legend of the game, has already been described as a modern classic—a contest that went right down to the final frame before Williams emerged victorious. He then upset Judd Trump, the world’s number one at the time, in a hard-fought semi-final, underlining his enduring quality at the highest level.
Following this year’s World Championship, Williams’ career earnings have now surpassed £8.5 million, according to recent calculations. This sum places him sixth among snooker’s all-time money leaders. However, he remains a significant distance from the sport’s financial summit—dominated, perhaps unsurprisingly, by English superstar Ronnie O’Sullivan.
O’Sullivan, known to fans as “The Rocket”, is widely regarded as the sport’s greatest-ever player and continues to set records not just on the baize, but also in terms of prize money. He started this year’s World Championship with an eye-watering £14.72 million in career earnings. Even though he fell at the semi-final stage—also at the hands of Zhao—O’Sullivan is on track to break the £15 million barrier in 2025, a figure that stands as testament to both his longevity and enduring commercial appeal.
Trailing O’Sullivan in the snooker rich list is another member of the legendary “Class of ’92”, Scotland’s John Higgins. The four-time world champion boasts £10.52 million in prize money, the second-highest total in the sport. Next on the list is Judd Trump, whose outstanding performances in the 2024/25 season saw him pocket a record single-season haul, bringing his career total to £9.27 million.
Elsewhere in the rankings sits seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry. Despite a trophy cabinet brimming with silverware, the Scottish icon ranks fourth in terms of winnings, with £8.8 million. Observers note that many of Hendry’s greatest triumphs came during a period when the sport offered significantly less in the way of prize money, explaining this apparent discrepancy.
Mark Selby, another household name on the circuit, is marginally ahead of Hendry with £8.55 million in lifetime earnings. Williams occupies the slot just below, his recent runner-up cheque at the Crucible boosting his own total. Always one to enjoy a laugh, the Welshman poked fun at his winnings last year after finishing second at the Saudi Arabia Masters: “£100,000 goes to [my wife] Joanne, and £100,000 goes to the tax man,” he quipped, highlighting the realities of a snooker player’s payday.
Williams’ consistently high-level performances over more than three decades have solidified his status as one of snooker’s legends, though the financial gulf to O’Sullivan and others at the top consoles the reality that commercial reward is not always commensurate with on-table success—especially for players who reached their peaks before the financial boom of recent years.
For now, snooker fans and analysts alike are left to marvel at the achievements of this golden generation, while the sport continues to evolve, promising ever greater rewards for those able to thrive on its grandest stages. As Williams and his peers look to the future, both the game and its prize pot look healthier than ever, offering hope for rising stars aiming to break into the top echelons of the snooker rich list.