Neil Robertson secured a noteworthy victory against Chris Wakelin at the Masters, potentially leading to a massive 17 million to one payout for a fortunate bettor. The 43-year-old advanced to the second round of the competition with a 6-2 win on Wednesday.
The unusual occurrence unfolded as all eight opening matches in the tournament ended with the same 6-2 scoreline, creating a rare sequence of results. Notable wins included Chinese players Xiao Guodong and Wu Yize defeating Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy, respectively. Zhao Xintong also progressed by defeating Gary Wilson, while Mark Allen triumphed over Mark Williams with a 6-2 scoreline.
The streak of identical results continued with John Higgins overcoming Barry Hawkins and Kyren Wilson defeating Si Jiahui. Neil Robertson reflected on his victory, expressing astonishment at the series of matching scores and speculating about a potential multi-millionaire created by the outcomes.
Bookmakers reported offering odds exceeding 17 million to one for correctly predicting all match scores. Judd Trump maintained the trend with his victory over Ding Junhui and expressed confidence in his form and performance leading up to the tournament.
Former world champion Stephen Hendry expressed amazement at the string of results, noting the rarity of such consistent outcomes in a tournament known for close matches. The Masters tournament progresses with upcoming quarter-final matches featuring John Higgins against Zhao Xintong and Trump facing Allen in the evening session.
Reigning champion Shaun Murphy’s title defense bid was cut short in the initial round. Ladbrokes provided odds of 400/1 for all quarter-final matches ending with a 6-2 scoreline, adding to the intrigue of the ongoing competition.