Alexandra Palace (or Ally Pally to you and me) is back in the sporting spotlight this January. The darting stars have departed following the PDC World Championship, and the green baize brigade has replaced them in readiness for the Johnstone’s Paint Masters. We had a pre-Christmas snooker invitational event in the form of the Riyadh Championship, and now another exclusive band of players line up once again for this annual highly regarded tournament in North London. A rip-roaring atmosphere is always guaranteed, with the prestigious Paul Hunter Trophy up for grabs along with a stellar cheque for £350,000, which is a £100,000 increase on previous years.
Although not a ranking event, the Masters is seen by players and the public alike as one of the elite tournaments in the sport. Alongside the UK and World Championship, it makes up snooker’s Triple Crown. The event's first edition was staged in 1975 with ten players involved. It’s been played every year since, making it the second-longest-running snooker tournament after the World Championship. The tournament would be expanded in 1984, and the world’s top 16 players were invited to the potting party.
Ronnie O'Sullivan further extended his lead at the top of the Masters all-time roll of honour when claiming an 8th crown at Ally Pally last year. Despite being a dominant force in the tournament, it was the first time since 2017 that 'The Rocket' had reigned supreme in his local event that he loves so much. Amazingly, this year's edition will mark the 30th anniversary since O'Sullivan claimed his maiden Masters crown.
Others who claimed their first Masters titles in the 1990s and are still gunning for further success this year are Mark Williams and John Higgins. Including those two and O’Sullivan, there is a total of 8 previous winners (i.e., half the field) with their eyes firmly focused on the 2025 Masters prize. Another former champion, Judd Trump, who picked up his second UK Championship crown on December 1, aims to follow O’Sullivan’s example from last year. ‘The Rocket’ ruled the roost in York en route to claiming the Masters crown twelve months ago.
Let GOAL bring you all the vital information you need ahead of the 2025 Johnstone’s Paint Masters, including when it’s taking place and how to watch and stream each and every single match.
When is the Johnstone’s Paint Masters Snooker?
Getty ImagesThe 2025 Johnstone’s Paint Masters starts on Sunday, January 12, and the tournament runs for a week until Sunday, January 19, with the final taking place on that day (and night).
Johnstone’s Paint Masters Snooker - Session times
Johnstone’s Paint Masters matches are played during both afternoon sessions (starting from 1pm) and evening sessions (starting from 7pm) all week long. There's a one-table set-up in place from start to finish, so the first Round 1 match gets underway at 1pm on Sunday, January 12, and the eighth and final match of the opening phase is completed during the night session on Wednesday, January 15. The four quarter-finals occur on Thursday and Friday, with the semi-finals playing on Saturday. The opening session of the final gets underway on Sunday, January 19, from 1pm and concludes during the evening session.
Johnstone’s Paint Masters Snooker - Venue & location
Getty ImagesThe Masters has been played in a variety of venues since its inception in 1975, with all but one situated in London. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 edition was held behind closed doors at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes. Wembley staged the Masters for over 30 years, but Alexandra Palace has now been the mainstay location since 2012. It’s a venue capable of hosting up to 2,000 snooker spectators.
Opened in 1873 and intended as a 'palace for the people,' Alexandra Palace's (Ally Pally) original purpose was to serve as a public centre of recreation, education, and entertainment and North London's equivalent of Crystal Palace in South London. Aside from the Masters, the Alexandra Palace has staged the PDC World Darts Championship annually every December/January since 2008.
How to watch the Johnstone’s Paint Masters Snooker
The Masters will be extensively shown live on BBC and Eurosport platforms. For viewers wanting to keep up with the action across a range of devices, they can stream the action online via the BBC Sport and BBC iPlayer websites and apps (for free with a valid TV licence), as well as the Eurosport and Discovery+ website and apps.
You can sign up for discovery+ Standard, which features full access to snooker coverage, via Eurosport, on the platform. The Standard Pass costs £6.99 per month and has no annual option. There’s also a Premium pass, which costs £30.99 a month (it also has no annual option). As well as all the features of the Standard Pass, the Premium package includes TNT Sports.
What is the format for the Johnstone’s Paint Masters Snooker?
Getty ImagesThe round 1, quarter-finals, and semi-finals matches are all best of 11 frames. The final is the best of 19 frames and is played over two sessions on Sunday, January 19.
What's the prize money for Johnstone’s Paint Masters Snooker?
The total prize money on offer for the 2025 Johnstone’s Paint Masters is £1,015,000, and that is broken down as follows:
- Winner - £350,000
- Runner-up - £140,000
- Losing semi-finalist - £75,000
- Losing quarter-finalist - £40,000
- First Round losers - £25,000
There is also a £15,000 prize for the highest break during the tournament.
