Barry Hearn ups stakes in attempt to solve mystery of the missing maximums | Paul MacInnes
The 2018 snooker world championship has gone off like a rocket. Mark Selby, the champion of the past two years, has been comprehensively beaten in the first round, 10-4 by Joe Perry. Ronnie O’Sullivan had to mount a mighty comeback himself, winning seven of the final eight frames to knock out Stephen Maguire 10-7. The opening weekend has already made the matter of who will claim the title an open one but it is not the only intriguing question at the Crucible this year.
Two weeks ago the sporting impresario Barry Hearn, who among other things has a controlling interest in the commercial operations of snooker’s governing body, announced he would be raising the prize money for a 147 maximum at the Crucible this year. The bonus, which had been based on a slightly complicated rollover system with a minimum reward of £5,000, will now default to £40,000. It is a big raise to counter a striking anomaly: in recent years snooker has gone 147‑loopy everywhere bar the world championship.
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