Ronnie gets Ding in World Champ first round

With favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan drawn against possibly his toughest opponent, Ding Junhui, in the first round of the World Snooker Championship, bookmakers William Hill are offering 25/1 that either player will walk out of the game at any point before it ends, and 25/1 that O'Sullivan wins it 10-3 as he did last time the pair met. O'Sullivan is 8/15 favourite to win the match with Hills who make Junhui 11/8. One William Hill client - Dr You Sen Huang from Beijing - has a special interest in the outcome of the match - as he stands to win £100,000 from Hills should Ding Junhui win the World Title before 2010 after staking £200 at odds of 500/1 that a Chinese born player would become World Champion before 2010, several years ago, in May 1997. 'This bet has begun to concern us since Ding Junhui began to make an impression on the game, so we are delighted that if he is to win the Title this year he will have to get past Ronnie first!' said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe. Ronnie O'Sullivan has been installed as 11/4 favourite to win the Snooker World Championship by William Hill who also offer 8/1 John Higgins; Ding Junhui; 9/1 Murphy; 11/1 Ebdon; 12/1 Robertson; 20/1 Doherty; Maguire; 25/1 Dott, Stevens, Williams; 40/1 Day, Lee, Selby; 50/1 Hawkins; 66/1 Allen; Carter; Trump; 80/1 McCulloch; 100/1 Davis, Fu, Perry; 125 Holt; O'Brien; Swail; 150 Hamilton;Hicks; 200 Bond; 300 Delaney; Gilbert; 350 Parrott.