Snooker: Prize-money at record high

Next year's world champion will be paid a highest-ever prize of £300,000, the game's governing body has confirmed.

In a letter to all Tour players, World Snooker's chairman, Barry Hearn, said prize-money across the season would rise from £6.4m to at least £8m. Hearn has long mooted the removal of the seeding system and the top 128 professional players will now be entered into the first round of seven tournaments.