What is First Ball Potted? First Ball Potted Explained in 2 minutes

Bets on the first colour potted are placed on snooker matches and, as the name suggests, take the form of a bet on which colour ball will be the first to be potted after a red has been potted. In one sense a bet of this kind is something of a lottery, in that the first colour chosen will be based on the position of the cue ball following the break. There are a few factors to bear in mind when making a bet of this kind, however.

How is First Colour Potted used in Sports Betting?

In the majority of cases, the player potting the first ball will opt to go for the black, as it offers the highest points total, and the blue is generally seen as the second favourite due to the relatively open position it occupies on the table. One factor which may impact upon the colour of the first ball potted is the speed of the table. On a fast table, the cue ball will be slightly harder to control, and so is more likely to run back to where it came from, near the bottom cushion, in which case a bet on the brown, green or yellow is more likely to be successful. As with many sports bets, research will pay dividends, allowing bettors to establish how fast the tables are running and whether individual players take an aggressive or more defensive stance.

Did You Know…

Although the maximum break in snooker is generally regarded as being 147, it is possible to score more if an opponent plays a foul shot, missing the red and snookering the other player before a ball has been potted. In this scenario, the player next at the table could nominate another colour as the red, pot it, and then pot the black. If they then go on to score a standard 147 break, the final total score will be 155.

See Also:

Maximum break

147 Break