Who is snooker player Gary Wilson and what is his net worth?
GARY Wilson is one of the finest cueists on the planet and is currently ranked No.16 in the world.
He's gone deep in the 2024 Welsh Open — Gary will face off against Martin O'Donnell in the tournamentat thrilling conclusion.
Who is Gary Wilson?
Gary Wilson, born August 11 1985, is an English professional snooker player from Wallsend, Tyneside.
He started playing for a local team by the age of eight, making his first century break a year later.
In 1995, Gary appeared on BBC One's Junior Big Break: Stars of the Future for the first time.
Speaking about his appearance on the show, he said: “That obviously set me up well for the future.
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“I was only nine years old and my feet were swinging off the chair.
“Being on TV at that age, I didn’t know what was going on.
“I just wanted to get on the table and play. All the bright lights and massive crowds were a bit much at the time.
“On my first appearance, I got through the first round and then got beaten in the Pocket Money round.
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“I was on again in 1997 and 1998, but always went out at the same stage.
“The first series was a big one because the age limit was 16 and there were other players older than me, like Paul Hunter and Michael Holt, who were verging on turning pro at that time.
“By the third series I was getting a bit annoyed at not doing better — but it was a great experience for a kid.”
He was something of a child prodigy, winning exhibition frames against Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jimmy White aged just 12.
Everybody loves the crispy pancakes. If you had any of them, it was me making them
Gary Wilson
As an amateur Gary — whose nickname is the 'Tyneside Terror' — won titles including the UK Under-18 Championship twice, as well as the World Under-21 and English Amateur Championship.
But after turning pro in 2004, poor form caused him to drop off the circuit in 2006.
And he got a job at the Findus frozen food factory, where he worked on the production of their popular crispy pancakes.
Wilson recalled: “Everybody loves the crispy pancakes. If you had any of them, it was me making them.
“You would have pancakes coming along the line, and you’d be folding them, next fold, next fold.
“It was monotonous — day in, day out, doing the same thing over and over.
“Sometimes I would even be in the minus-18 freezer packaging food up.
“It was horrible, but at the same time it was good memories with the people I used to work with. I miss a bit of that.”
Gary won his place back on the World Snooker Tour in 2013, but wouldn't win a ranking title for another nine years.
Before getting his hands on a trophy, he had fine runs in a number of tournaments.
During the 2019 World Championship, in only his second appearance at the Crucible Theatre, he defeated Luca Brecel, Mark Selby and Ali Carter — before losing to eventual champion Judd Trump 17-11 in semis.
Gary also reached the final of the 2015 China Open and 2021 British Open, before lifting his fist ranking silverware by overcoming Ronnie on his way to becoming the 2022 Scottish Open champion, beating Joe O'Connor in the final.
Seeming to love the Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh, he successfully defended his title in 2023, beating first-time ranking finalist Noppon Saengkham 9–5 in the final to win the second ranking title of his career.
Gary's gone deep in the 2024 Welsh Open, reaching yet another final, where he will face off against Martin O'Donnell — guaranteeing a new winner of the tournament.
He has made five maximum (147) breaks in the course of his career, most recently against John Higgins in the last four of the 2024 Welsh Open.
What is Gary Wilson's net worth?
Reports of Gary's net worth vary, but not dramatically.
At the bottom end of the scale, BuzzLearn puts it at around $1-2million (£794,000-1.5million).
Whereas at the top end, PopularNetWorth estimates his fortune to be roughly $4-6million (£3.2-4.8million).
When is the Welsh Open final?
The final of the 2024 Welsh Open is on Sunday, February 18.
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Gary Wilson and Martin O'Donnell will compete for the £80,000 top prize, as well as the Ray Reardon Trophy, in the best-of-17 frame match.
The conclusion of the tournament will be played over two sessions — 13:00-16:30 & 19:00-22:00.