We’ve Gone All In On a Midnite Green Cue Ball for the World Champs

150 years is a good run.

But this year? We’re not here to just clap politely and carry on.

We’re here to shake things up.

At the Halo World Snooker Championship, we’ve got one goal; drag snooker firmly into the modern day and put it back where it belongs: front and centre.

Because let’s be honest… If you’re flicking between Match of the Day and whatever sun-soaked, six-pack-heavy reality show is doing the rounds, snooker probably isn’t winning that battle right now.

And that’s exactly the point.

We’re not naive, we know it won’t change overnight. But look at cricket. Look at golf. They’ve evolved, experimented, and ultimately pulled in a whole new generation.

So… we thought we’d have a go ourselves.

Don’t worry, we’re not re-writing the rulebook. No banning chalk. No garish Midnite-branded waistcoats (tempting, though).

We’re just making sure every moment, of every game, feels a bit more… Midnite.

Starting with the cue ball.

Yeah. We did it.

We’ve turned it neon green.

Every break. Every 147. Every ridiculous trick shot. All glowing a very familiar shade.

Now, when we first floated this to WST… let’s just say there were questions.

“Can you even do that?”

“What about the cameras?”

“What happens to all the white balls we have in the back?”

That's fair.

But as the official UK betting and casino partner, we thought, if you’re going to do it… go all in.

And that’s exactly what we’ve done.

Three weeks. The Crucible. Something genuinely different.

And we got the nod from the top dog, Jason Ferguson, who is Chairman of snooker’s global governing body WPBSA:

"Tradition and heritage are so important in our sport but we are also excited by innovation. Fans and players will love this new cue ball which is exclusive to the World Championship.

“This is one of the biggest changes to the equipment in the 150-year history of our sport and it will be fascinating to see this in action at the Crucible."

Getting there, though? Not exactly straightforward.

Turns out, getting hold of a Midnite-green cue ball isn’t easy.

We spoke to suppliers from Birmingham to Belgium. The general response?

You’re out of your mind. Come back in five months.

Helpful.

But… here we are. Five months of blood, sweat, and more than a few tears… Balls made. Lights ready. Crucible incoming.

And the players? We expected a bit of scepticism.

But when World Number 2 Kyren Wilson’s on board, you start to feel pretty good about it.

“We’ve got such a proud history, especially at the World Snooker Championship, but evolution is key if we want to keep growing and bringing in a new generation of fans.

From a player’s perspective, it’ll be really interesting as well. The visuals are such a big part of how we read the game, so having that bright green cue ball under the lights at the Crucible could actually enhance it.

You’ve got to be open-minded about these changes. If it helps showcase the sport in a new way and makes people stop and watch, then that’s a win for everyone. Personally, I’m really excited by it.”

Cheers Kyren, we’ll take that.

We’re not pretending this is small… but this is snooker, built different.

And it’s just the start.

The Halo World Snooker Championship runs from 18 April – 4 May at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, and we’ve got plenty more lined up around it.

And who knows…

You might even get your hands on one of those neon green balls and take home a little piece of history.