The UK Championship is snooker’s second most prestigious ranking tournament after the World Championship, contested annually by the world’s elite snooker players.
Established in 1977 at Tower Circus in Blackpool, the championship has crowned champions competing for the prestigious title and substantial prize money.
The tournament features snooker’s strongest competitors in one of the sport’s most demanding competitions, now held at the Barbican in York.
This guide covers the complete UK Championship snooker winners list from 1977 through 2025, including dominant champions, records, and the evolution of professional snooker at the highest competitive level.
UK Championship Snooker Winners: Recent Champions 2020-2025
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Score | Prize Money |
| 2025 | Mark Selby | Judd Trump | 10-8 | £250,000 |
| 2024 | Judd Trump | Barry Hawkins | 10-8 | £250,000 |
| 2023 | Ronnie O’Sullivan | Ding Junhui | 10-7 | £250,000 |
| 2022 | Mark Allen | Judd Trump | 10-5 | £250,000 |
| 2021 | Yan Bingtao | Luca Brecel | 10-9 | £250,000 |
| 2020 | Mark Allen | Gary Wilson | 10-5 | £165,000 |
Most UK Championship Snooker Wins: Dominant Players and Champions
Ronnie O’Sullivan holds the record with 8 UK Championship titles, establishing himself as snooker’s most successful player in this prestigious tournament.
O’Sullivan won his titles spanning three decades, from 1993 when he became the youngest ever winner at 17 years old, to 2023 when he became the oldest winner at nearly 48.
Steve Davis won 6 UK Championship titles during the 1980s, establishing himself as snooker’s dominant force during that competitive era.
Stephen Hendry claimed 5 titles, making him one of snooker’s all-time greats. John Higgins achieved 3 UK Championship victories throughout his legendary career.
UK Championship Champions with Multiple Wins
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: 8 titles
- Steve Davis: 6 titles
- Stephen Hendry: 5 titles
- John Higgins: 3 titles
- Neil Robertson: 3 titles
- Ding Junhui: 3 titles
- Mark Selby: 3 titles
- Mark Allen: 3 titles
Recent UK Championship Snooker Champions: 2023-2025
Mark Selby won the 2025 UK Championship by defeating Judd Trump 10-8 in a thrilling final at the Barbican Centre in York. The victory marked Selby’s third UK Championship title, coming nine years after his previous triumph in 2016.
Trump, the defending champion from 2024, mounted a brave comeback from 7-2 down but ultimately fell short in a dramatic final.
Judd Trump won the 2024 UK Championship by defeating Barry Hawkins 10-8, claiming his second title in the tournament after previously winning in 2011.
Trump’s victory demonstrated his consistency at snooker’s highest level and positioned him as one of the sport’s elite competitors.
Ronnie O’Sullivan secured his record eighth UK Championship title in 2023 by defeating Ding Junhui 10-7 in the final.
The 48-year-old victory cemented O’Sullivan’s place as snooker’s greatest player, becoming both the oldest and youngest winner of the tournament across his career spanning three decades.
Championship Format and Venues
The UK Championship features a knockout format with best-of-19-frame matches in the final, testing snooker’s highest skill levels while maintaining television entertainment across multiple hours of professional competition.
Early rounds feature shorter matches while the championship finals extend to longer formats, requiring players to win 10 frames before their opponent.
The tournament is usually held at the Barbican Centre in York, England, which has hosted the championship since 1997.
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Before that, the event moved between various UK venues including Tower Circus in Blackpool (1977), Guild Hall in Preston (1978-1997), and other locations.
The consistent York venue has created a tradition and prestige for the championship across modern snooker history.
Prize Money Growth: From £2,000 to £250,000
The UK Championship snooker prize money has increased dramatically since the tournament’s inception in 1977.
When Patsy Fagan won the inaugural championship, the winner’s prize was only £2,000, reflecting snooker’s different financial landscape decades ago.
By the 1990s, UK Championship snooker prize money grew significantly as the sport gained television coverage and sponsorship deals.
Modern UK Championship snooker offers £250,000 to the winner, representing more than 125 times the inaugural prize money in nominal terms.
This dramatic increase reflects snooker’s growing global audience and increased broadcast rights fees, making the tournament a genuinely lucrative competition for professional players.
Legendary UK Championship Snooker Performers
Ronnie O’Sullivan won his first UK Championship in 1993 at just 17 years old, becoming the youngest ever winner of a ranking event—a record he still holds.
O’Sullivan displayed his dominant attacking snooker play that would define his legendary career. He went on to win eight titles across the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s, demonstrating remarkable longevity at snooker’s highest level.
Steve Davis dominated snooker during the 1980s, winning the UK Championship multiple times while establishing snooker as mainstream entertainment.
Davis’s consistent victories across multiple ranking tournaments made him snooker’s biggest star during that era of professional competition, with six UK Championship titles cementing his legacy.
Stephen Hendry established himself as snooker’s elite performer during the 1990s, claiming five UK Championship titles and multiple World Championship victories.
John Higgins emerged as a force during the 1990s and 2000s, claiming 3 UK Championship titles and establishing himself as one of snooker’s all-time greats through consistent performances across ranking tournaments.
Chinese Players Rising in UK Championship Snooker
Ding Junhui became the first Chinese player to achieve significant success at the UK Championship, winning the tournament three times and reaching multiple finals.
Yan Bingtao claimed the 2021 UK Championship title, establishing Chinese players as legitimate contenders for snooker’s most prestigious tournaments. Liang Wenbo reached the final in 2015, demonstrating the emerging talent pool from Asia.
China’s investment in snooker training facilities and professional development programs has produced exceptional talent competing successfully against established snooker powers.
The rise of Chinese players reflects broader changes in professional snooker as the sport becomes increasingly international and competitive across multiple continents.
Triple Crown Recognition
The UK Championship is one of snooker’s three prestigious Triple Crown events, alongside the World Championship and The Masters.
Winning all three in a single season represents one of snooker’s rarest achievements, requiring extraordinary skill, consistency, and mental resilience.
Players who win multiple Triple Crown titles establish themselves among snooker’s greatest champions, with O’Sullivan’s 23 Triple Crown victories standing as an all-time record.
FAQs
What is the UK Championship in snooker?
The UK Championship snooker is the sport’s second most prestigious ranking tournament held annually, featuring the world’s elite snooker players competing for the championship title and substantial prize money as one of snooker’s three Triple Crown events.
Who has won UK Championship snooker most?
Ronnie O’Sullivan holds the record with 8 UK Championship titles, followed by Steve Davis with 6 titles and Stephen Hendry with 5 titles, establishing them among snooker’s greatest champions.
Which player won the 2025 UK Championship snooker?
Mark Selby won the 2025 UK Championship snooker by defeating Judd Trump 10-8 in the final at the Barbican Centre in York, claiming his third UK Championship title after a nine-year drought.
How much prize money does UK Championship snooker offer?
The 2025 UK Championship snooker offers £250,000 to the champion, representing snooker’s significant financial commitment to ranking tournaments and making it one of the richest events on the professional snooker calendar.
When was the UK Championship snooker first played?
The inaugural UK Championship was held in 1977 at Tower Circus in Blackpool, where Patsy Fagan won the title by defeating Doug Mountjoy 12-9 in the final, establishing the tournament’s rich history.
How does UK Championship snooker format work?
The UK Championship snooker uses a knockout format with matches determined by best-of-frame scoring, with finals typically featuring first-to-10-frames matches that test snooker’s highest skill levels and player endurance.
