SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry 
Warrington-based bookmaker Betfred has announced it will continue as title sponsor of the World Snooker Championship until at least 2021.
The deal was completed at the tournaments home, The Crucible in Sheffield, and World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn expressed his delight in the continuation of the partnership.
Hearn said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with Betfred for at least another two years. This is our biggest event and it is fitting that we are working alongside a fantastic sponsor.
“Half a billion people across the planet will be fixed to the action over the coming days as the 2019 Championship reaches its conclusion.”
The Betfred World Championship is considered the biggest event in snooker and is watched by 500 million people in over 120 countries around the globe.
Betfred first sponsored the tournament in 2009 with the 17-day event featuring 32 of snooker’s top players battling for the trophy – won last year by Mark Williams.
Mark Williams said he would do his press conference naked if he won the World Snooker Championship…
He’s a man of his word! pic.twitter.com/6zYZL9ksr6
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 8, 2018
Betfred’s Fred Done added: “At Betfred we absolutely love sponsoring the World Snooker Championship.
“It’s a fabulous event which receives massive exposure around the world. And The Crucible is a very special place. We look forward to working with World Snooker for years to come.”
