World’s richest ever snooker player is worth £6.5m more than millionaire Ronnie O’Sullivan

Ronnie O’Sullivan might be the biggest name in snooker, but he isn’t the wealthiest. That honour goes to Steve Davis, whose fortune is roughly a third larger than The Rocket’s – even though Davis retired before the sport’s financial boom of the 2010s. O’Sullivan, whose net worth stands at roughly £20million, collected four of his seven world titles during that lucrative era.

Davis, who is worth an estimated £26.5m, dominated snooker throughout the 1980s. He reached eight World Championship finals in nine years, winning six and held the world No. 1 spot for seven straight seasons. However, only a small share of his wealth – £5.6m – came from prize money. The bulk was amassed through mega endorsement deals, a relentless entrepreneurial spirit and a long-running media career that has spanned decades.

Despite his no-nonsense, conservative playing style – and the “most boring player in the world” tag that sometimes followed him – Davis became arguably snooker’s first modern superstar thanks to his sheer dominance on the table. With the guidance of his manager, Barry Hearn, he secured a string of highly lucrative endorsement deals that made him the UK’s highest-paid sportsman in the late 1980s.

After stepping away from competitive play, Davis remained a familiar presence on TV, working as a commentator and pundit for the BBC’s snooker coverage. He also branched out into a variety of other ventures, from writing books to cultivating an unexpected side career as a DJ.

The 68-year-old has also written several books, starred in multiple video games and has enjoyed notable success in other disciplines, including nine-ball pool, chess and poker.

O’Sullivan, meanwhile, has earned around £13m in prize money over the course of his extraordinary career. The 50-year-old’s overall net worth is the result of both his unparalleled success on the table and a series of savvy ventures away from it.

Seven world titles, multiple Triple Crown triumphs and a record-breaking tally of ranking-event victories have cemented his status as arguably the greatest player ever to pick up a cue – ensuring sizeable endorsements, sponsorships and media deals flowed his way effortlessly.

Like Davis, O’Sullivan has also pursued various business interests and investments. He has authored several books, appeared in video games and expanded his profile well beyond the confines of the sport.

Standing between O’Sullivan and Davis in terms of net worth is Stephen Hendry, whose fortune is estimated at around £25m. Hendry, who shares O’Sullivan’s record of seven world titles, has also carved out a successful media career since his years at the top of the sport came to an end.