The World Snooker Championship will continue to be sponsored by Betfred until at least 2022 thanks to an extended agreement.

Betfred and WST have announced the extension on the final day of the 2020 tournament at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, as Ronnie O’Sullivan and Kyren Wilson battle for the trophy.

The Betfred World Championship is snooker’s biggest tournament and one of the greatest sporting events on the planet, with an international audience of 500 million.

It brings together the world’s top 16 players, plus 16 more who battle through the qualifying rounds. The final stages run for 17 days at the famous Crucible.

Betfred first sponsored the tournament in 2009.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said “We have worked with Betfred on the World Championship for many years and we are delighted to extend the agreement. Over that time it has developed into a truly global event with a vast audience, and its reach continues to grow. More and more fans in an increasing number of countries tune in each year to watch history in the making. This year’s Championship has been one of the best. We look forward to working with the fantastic Betfred team for many years to come.”

Fred Done, Boss of Betfred, added: “I’m delighted to extend my association with the World Snooker Championship and I would like to take this opportunity to thank WST, the Crucible, BBC, Eurosport and especially the players for putting this event on in such challenging times.”