John Higgins World Snooker Championship 2024: When is the Scot playing, career record, suspension and earnings

Last year saw a surprise champion in the form of Belgian Luca Brecel, who beat Mark Selby 18-15 in the final.

The year before saw a more familiar name on the trophy, as world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan claimed a record-equalling seventh World Championship.

This year only two Scots have made it into the competition - former champion John Higgins and qualifier Stephen Macguire.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Wizard of Wishaw - and his World Championships journey.

When is John Higgins playing his next game in the World Snooker Championships?

John Higgins beat Jamie Jones in his first round match and is now playing Mark Allen for a place in the quarter finals.

Higgins is currently trailing Jones 9-7 and the match will be played to a conclusion from 7pm on Monday, April 29.

How many World Championships has John Higgins won?

Higgins has been world champion four times – in 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011.

He beat Judd Trump 18–15 in the final to win his last title, having defeated Ronnie O’Sullivan in a tight quarter final 13–10.

Overall he has won 31 career ranking titles, placing him in third position on the all-time list behind Ronnie O'Sullivan (41) and Stephen Hendry (36).

Why was John Higgins suspended from snooker?

In 2010 John Higgins was the subject of match-fixing allegations after a sting operation by the News of the World Sunday newspaper.

An investigative reporter met Higgins in Kyiv posing as somebody trying to organise a series of snooker events. It was alleged that Higgins (and his manager Pat Mooney) had agreed to lose frames in exchange for a payment of €300,000. Higgins issued a statement explaining that he had simply "played along" after suspecting his safety was at risk from the involvement of the Russian Mafia. An independent tribunal withdrew the match-fixing charges, but found him guilty of "giving the impression" that he would breach rules. He received a six-month ban and was fined £75,000.

How much has John Higgins won in his snooker career to date?

During his successful career, Higgins has won prize money of around £9.7million. If he win’s this year’s World Championship, he’ll bank a further £500,000.

Has John Higgins made a 147 break at the World Championship?

Higgins is one of only nine players to have recorded a maximum at the World Championship – with Kyren Wilson becoming the latest member of the 147 club last year.

The Scot’s perfect break came in 2020 in his second round match against Kurt Maflin.