Ronnie O'Sullivan at the World Snooker Championship 2025: Route to the final, next game, 147s, centuries and records

Ronnie O'Sullivan is aiming to win a record eighth world title. | Getty Images

Taking place over 17 days in the run up to the two-day final, concluding on the May Bank Holiday Monday, the World Snooker Championship has long been a favourite fixture on the British sporting calendar for armchair potters.

It’s been two years since the then world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan claimed a record-equalling seventh World Championship - tying with Stephen Hendry.

The Rocket arrived in Sheffield this year having pulled out of the majority of tournaments in 2025 due to his mental health - he hadn’t played competitively since January.

But he rolled back the years with an impressive 10-4 win over great rival Ali Carter in the first round and has now been installed as the bookies’ favourite for the title.

Here are the facts and figures of his incredible career to date, when he’s next playing and how he could get to the final.

When is Ronnie O’Sullivan next playing in the World Snooker Championships?

Ronnie O'Sullivan’s second round match against Pang Junxu gets underway at 2.30pm on Saturday, April 26.

What is Ronnie O’Sullivan’s route to the final of the World Snooker Championship?

If O’Sullivan can triumph against Pang Junxu, he’ll face either Ji Siahui or Ben Woollaston in the quarter finals.

The most likely semi-final opponent would then appear to be Zhao Xintong, but Mark Allen, Chris Wakelin or Lei Peifan could also lie in wait.

It’s anyone’s guess who he’ll then meet in the final, with most of the remaining top seeds in the bottom half of the draw. It’ll be one of Judd Trump, John Higgins, Mark Williams, Xiou Guodong, Luca Brecel, Ding Junhui, Hossein Vafaei, or Shaun Murphy.

Who has won the most World Championships?

After his 2022 triumph Ronnie O’Sullivan now shares the record for the most world titles in the modern era with Scotland’s Stephen Hendry, having both won the tournament seven times. Hendry remains the youngest ever winner, having been only 21 when he claimed his first title in 1990.

Ray Reardon, Steve Davis, and Ronnie O'Sullivan have each won six titles, while John Higgins and Mark Selby have won four, with John Spencer and Mark Williams having claimed three.

So, if Ronnie O’Sullivan wins this year’s tournament he’ll move in front of Stephen Hendry on his own for the most titles – and there could still be more to come.

How many 147s has Ronnie O’Sullivan achieved?

There have only ever been 12 maximum breaks in the history of the World Snooker Championship, with Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry recording three each.

Mark Allen joined the club in his second round match at the 2025 championship.

The other players to have achieved the ultimate snooker feat are John Higgins, Ali Carter, Mark Williams, Jimmy White, Neil Robertson and Cliff Thorburn.

O’Sullivan already holds the record for most maximum breaks in professional tournament snooker with 15 and he has also completed the feat in the shortest time – with his maiden 147 at the 1997 World Championship taking just five minutes and 20 seconds.

How many century breaks has Ronnie O’Sullivan recorded?

In 2015, O’Sullivan beat Stephen Hendry's record 775 century breaks in professional competition before becoming the first player to make 1,000 century breaks in 2019, and has now scored 1,286 - as of the end of the first round of the 2025 World Snooker Championships.

What other records does Ronnie O’Sullivan hold?

Ronnie O’Sullivan has won a record 41 ranking titles and has also won more Triple Crown titles than any other player – 23, made up of seven World Championships, eight Masters and eight UK Championships.

O'Sullivan was the youngest player to win a professional ranking event, triumphing at the 1993 UK Championship aged 17 years and 358 days.

He’s also made a record 34 consecutive World Championship appearances, from 1993-202.

What records could Ronnie O’Sullivan break at this year’s championship?

In addition to beating Stephen Hendry for the most World Championship wins, should O’Sullivan win he will also become the oldest ever winner of the title, beating the record he set in 2022.

He will also extend his record of most ranking event wins and Triple Crown titles.

How much prize money has Ronnie O’Sullivan won?

Ronnie O’Sullivan has amassed prize money of £14,625,634 during his glittering career – and will earn another £500,000 if he triumphs at this year’s World Snooker Championship. He is the highest-earning snooker player in history, ahead of John Higgins in second place.

Is Ronnie O’Sullivan’s married?

Ronnie O’Sullivan had been with partner Laila Rouass since 2012. She is a British actress best known for her portrayals of Amber Gates in Footballers' Wives and Sahira Shah in Holby City. She has also starred in Primeval and Spooks and been a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, where she finished fourth.

The couple are reportedly broke up in 2024 and Ronnie is currently understood to be single.