Snooker
Scottish Open: John Higgins vs Ian Burns Odds, Tips and Prediction
Home nation hero John Higgins starts his Scottish Open campaign with an encounter againstEnglishman Ian Burns. SportsBoom details all the essential information regarding these two before the match commences on the 9th of December. Then, head over to your preferred snooker betting platforms to place your bets and potentially win big.
John Higgins of Scotland//Getty Images
Match Details: John Higgins vs Ian Burns
Date: Monday 9th December
Start time: 1 pm local time
Venue: Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland
Last meeting: 2019 UK Championship last 32, Higgins won 6-1
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
John Higgins the firm favourite for this match.
John Higgins: 2/7 (1.29) – 78%
Ian Burns: 5/2 (3.50) – 22%
Forecast odds*
Head-to-Head Record
John Higgins and Ian Burns meet for the first time in over five years, as the pair last met at the Barbican Theatre for the UK Championship in 2019.
Their respective head-to-head record has seen only four encounters over the past 13 years, with three matches dominating one-sided wins for Higgins at the UK Championship, China Open and PTC.
Burns sealed a win over the four-time champion at the 2016 German Masters but lost to Michael Holt in the following round despite the game going to a decider.
Last Four Matches
| Tournament | Stage | Score line |
| 2019 UK Championship | Last 32 | John Higgins 6-1 Ian Burns |
| 2017 China Open | Last 64 | John Higgins 5-1 Ian Burns |
| 2016 German Masters | Last 64 | Ian Burns 5-3 John Higgins |
| 2011 PTC – Event 8 | Last 128 | John Higgins 4-1 Ian Burns |
Player Career Timeline
John Higgins
Current Ranking: 14
John Higgins has had a successful 2024/25 season on the tour thus far, reaching yet another ranking final at the British Open and becoming the second player in snooker history to pot 1000+ century breaks.
The Scotsman has avoided early first-round exits in his last seven tournaments but will be looking to end a nearly three-decade streak of not winning in his capital city. His previous two wins came in the 1990s.
He has since reached three finals, two of which arrived in 2017 and 2022 and based on his current form, Higgins will always be one to watch and string together consistent runs.
Last 5 Ranking Tournament Runs:
- 2024 UK Championship – 2nd Round
- 2024 International Championship – Quarterfinalist
- 2024 Northern Ireland Open – 2nd Round
- 2024 Wuhan Open – 3rd Round
- 2024 British Open – Finalist
Ian Burns
Current Ranking: 83
Based on recent form, Ian Burns is under threat of falling off the tour altogether. The Englishman has played in only three tournaments this year and five throughout the whole of the 2023/24 season.
The 39-year-old’s career-best run arrived in the 2017 Paul Hunter Classic and 2018 Welsh Open, reaching the quarterfinals on both occasions. To this day, however, he has not been able to match these runs and has since tumbled down the rankings by failing to qualify for the vast majority of events.
Burns’ three appearances on the tour this season saw him be knocked out in the first round of the English Open and the second round of the Saudi Arabia Masters. He also couldn’t progress further than the round-robin of the Championship League.
Last 5 Ranking Tournament runs:
- 2024 English Open – 1st Round
- 2024 Saudi Arabia Masters – 2nd Round
- 2024 Championship League – Round Robin
- 2023 Welsh Open– 1st Round2023 Shoot Out – 1st Round
Ian Burns of England//Getty Images
Value Bets
Total Frames – Under 5.5: Given the fact that the Scot has more match practice, Higgins will be expected to progress relatively easily based on the current form and the head-to-head records. SportsBoom fancies a repeat of three previous matches where Higgins has conceded only one frame at the maximum.
Total Frames Even/Odd – Odd: In their previous four meetings, two games ended with a total frame number that was an even number, and two games ended with a total number of an odd number of frames. The nature of the format means it is a quicker game, but Higgins should sail through from the off.
Either Player to Win Successive Frames – John Higgins: Higgins’ probability of compiling successive frames is in his favour due to his ability to shut his opponent off when he is on song. If Burns doesn’t put a foothold in the game right from the off, he will find it hard to compete against one of the sport’s all-time greats.
Prediction and Conclusion – Prediction: 4-1 Higgins
SportsBoom predicts Higgins will win 4-1 over Burns, repeating their 2011 match in Ireland.
Higgins is favoured in the head-to-head record; his form is unanimously better than his opponent's, and he will also want to impress his home crowd.
In each of his three wins, he conceded only one frame against Burns, and we predict the same will happen in Edinburgh.
However, Burns' appearance at the tournament alone will earn him some much-needed prize money, which he will use to attempt to re-climb the rankings.
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.