Snooker
Scottish Open: Chris Wakelin vs Scott Donaldson Odds, Tips and Prediction
Chris Wakelin and Scott Donaldson meet again for the second time this snooker season in the first round of the 2024 Scottish Open. Their first-round match in the Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh is a best-of-seven-frames contest, as Donaldson is one of six home-nation Scots participating in the week-long tournament. The winner books their place in the last 32 and will play either Zhang Anda or Stan Moody. SportsBoom preview will provide a detailed analysis of both players. Don’t forget to explore the various snooker betting sportsbooks and platforms to place your bets and potentially win big.
Chris Wakelin of England//Getty Images
Match Details: Chris Wakelin vs Scott Donaldson
Date: Monday 9th December
Start time: 3 pm local time
Venue: Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland
Last meeting: 29th June – 2024 Championship League semi-final Group 1, Donaldson won 3-1
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
A tight contest is expected in this clash.
Chris Wakelin: 5/6 (1.83) – 54.6%
Scott Donaldson: 11/2 (2.10) – 45.4%
*Forecast Odds (Betting available closer to event)
Head-to-Head Record
Chris Wakelin and Scott Donaldson meet for the second time in the 2024/25 snooker season in the first round of the Scottish Open.
The last time the pair played on the green baize was in Leicester for the 2024 Championship League, where Donaldson produced a 3-1 victory.
Donaldson sought revenge after a matchup in the same competition in 2020, which saw the pair draw 2-2.
Wakelin and Donaldson have only played each other five times in their careers. Still, the home favourite, Donaldson, has the edge over Wakelin, having won three matches against the world number 15 at the European Masters 2016, the China Open in 2017, and their recent contest in Leicester.
Last Five Matches
| Tournament | Stage | Score line |
| 2024 Championship League | Semi-Final Group 1 | Scott Donaldson 3-1 Chris Wakelin |
| 2021 WST Pro Series | Group 3 | Chris Wakelin 2-0 Scott Donaldson |
| 2020 Championship League | Group 22 | Scott Donaldson 2-2 Chris Wakelin |
| 2017 China Open | Last 128 | Scott Donaldson 5-2 Chris Wakelin |
| 2016 European Masters | Last 128 | Scott Donaldson 4-0 Chris Wakelin |
Player Career Timeline
Chris Wakelin
Current Ranking: 15
After missing out at the 2024 World Snooker Championship, Chris Wakelin has bounced back and is currently having his best season on the tour this 2024/25 season.
The Englishman reached the fourth round of the Saudi Arabia Masters and the semi-finals of the English Open. However, he has displayed some of his best staff in China by reaching the quarterfinals in Wuhan before an appearance in the final at the International Championship only a month ago.
The former Snooker Shoot-Out winner will be looking to emulate his quarterfinal run from last year's Scottish Open, but it must be remembered that he has yet to reach further in a Home Nations Series event.
Last 5 Ranking Tournament Runs:
- 2024 UK Championship – 2nd Round
- 2024 International Championship – Finalist
- 2024 Northern Ireland Open – 2nd Round
- 2024 Wuhan Open – Quarterfinalist
- 2024 British Open – 3rd Round
Scott Donaldson
Current Ranking: 44
In contrast to Wakelin, Scott Donaldson has only participated in three tournaments during the 2024/25 season.
The Scotsman arrives at his home event looking to string together a consistent run-in in front of his home crowd. He reached the quarterfinals in 2019 but has not bettered a run since.
Donaldson, also known as ‘The Perthshire Potting Prince’, reached the sixth round of the Saudi Arabia Masters earlier this year. Still, his game has stagnated due to a lack of match practice since his impressive run in September, as he has only competed in one ranking tournament.
Last 5 Ranking Tournament runs:
- 2024 Northern Ireland Open – 1st Round
- 2024 Saudi Arabia Masters – 6th Round
- 2024 Championship League – 3rd Round
- 2023 German Masters – 1st Round
- 2023 Scottish Open – 1st Round
Scott Donaldson of Scotland//Getty Images
Value Bets
Total Frames – Under 6.5: The form of Wakelin implies that this game could be over in quick succession. Seven frames are there to be won, but it shows that any burst of momentum can swing in either player's favour.
Total Frames Even/Odd – Even: Four of their previous five encounters have ended on an even number, irrespective of the result and format. We expect a duplicate result in this clash.
Either Player to Win Successive Frames – Chris Wakelin: Wakelin’s probability of compiling successive frames is in his favour due to his consistent form in televised ranking tournaments this season.
Prediction and Conclusion – Prediction: 4-2 Wakelin
Despite Donaldson holding a 3-1-1 advantage in the head-to-head, Wakelin will likely be the favourite to take victory in Scotland’s capital. Wakelin is arguably playing the best standard of snooker in his career at present time, but his opponent’s lack of match practice these last few months could prove decisive, too.
Donaldson could use the short format to his advantage if he gets off to a strong start. However, the match is likely to go in the favour of the Englishman.
SportsBoom predicts a 4-2 victory for Wakelin and a first win over the Scot in nearly four years.
Henry Cheal is a versatile freelance sports journalist with extensive experience in the industry. Henry has previously worked at the 2024 World Snooker Championship and earned a Multimedia Sports Journalism degree from UCFB in 2023.