Snooker Rankings 2012/13: Points v Money

With the introduction of a money-based ranking list on the cards from the start of the 2014/15 season, a number of people have in recent months asked me for a copy of a one-year money list for the current 2012/13 season.

It has taken a while, but continue reading for a comparison of how this season looks, with players ranked by points and by prize money won…

Before going any further, I should point out that the money list is not my own handiwork, so a big thanks to fellow snooker fan @JoanneBallantyn, who has very kindly allowed me to reproduce her money list here at PSB below.

The Table

On the left-hand side of the table below, you will find the current one-year ranking list for the 2012/13 season, covering up to and including Ali Carter’s victory at the German Masters last weekend. The points list is taken from the one-year list available at the ever-excellent snookerorg,

On the right-hand side, you will see the players ranked in order of prize money earned to date during the current season. Only money from current ranking events and PTC events is included, as would be the case with any future ‘money list’, meaning that money earned from tournaments such as the Masters, Shoot Out or Championship League is excluded.

It goes without saying that the table is purely for illustrative purposes and an important disclaimer is that due to the lack of available information concerning which exchange rates World Snooker would apply to the European Tour events, the list may not be accurate to the penny. As you will see from some of the very small differences between some players, the exchange rates used could prove important in some cases.

Conclusions

So can we draw any meaningful conclusions from the list below? The first thing that I would say is that with the full ranking events being played this season under the traditional formats, rather than flat 128 draws as is anticipated from next season (more on that later this week here at PSB), it is true to say that a direct comparison cannot be made between this season and when we will have a money list in play.

That said, there are still a few interesting points to note, for example the fact that (perhaps contrary to expectation), players like Luca Brecel and Cao Yupeng would not be significantly higher up on a money-list, than on a points list, despite their heroics in the early rounds of events this season.

Again, the qualification is that with flatter draws, players such as Luca and Yupeng would have had the opportunity to earn money and progress further at an earlier stage, though that can be counter-balanced against the fact that they would probably have had to play higher ranked players at an earlier stage also.

As is to be expected, those players such as Stuart Bingham and Mark Davis, who have performed consistently, without winning major tournaments, find themselves slightly lower down the money list, with the likes of John Higgins and Ricky Walden as event winners, taking the big prizes and moving up the list. The point is also illustrated by Robert Milkins, who having consistently qualified for the venue stages of tournaments this season, is 11th on the points list, but is down 11 to 22nd on a prize-money list.

Ultimately whether that is right or wrong will depend on your point of view, of where the balance is to be struck between success and consistency. Is it right for example that Ronnie O’Sullivan or Stephen Hendry could win the World Championship this May and vault from last to top under a money list? It is a debate that will run and run, but whatever your point of view, it is coming…

2012/13 1-year rankings to the German Masters: points (left), money (right):