Ronnie O’Sullivan’s staggering net worth £6.5m smaller than world’s richest snooker player
Ronnie O’Sullivan has amassed a huge fortune over the course of his illustrious snooker career – but it pales in comparison to the net worth of another former world champion
Harry Brent Senior Sports Writer
12:00, 06 Dec 2025
Ronnie O’Sullivan is arguably the best snooker player of all time – but not the wealthiest(Image: Getty Images)
Ronnie O’Sullivan may be the most recognisable figure in snooker, but he isn’t the richest.
That distinction belongs to Steve Davis, whose wealth is roughly a third higher than The Rocket’s – even though Davis retired before snooker experienced the financial boom of the 2010s. O’Sullivan, with a net worth estimated at around £20million, claimed four of his seven world titles during that profitable period.
Davis, currently valued at about £26.5m, was the dominant force in snooker throughout the 1980s. He reached eight World Championship finals in just nine years, winning six of them and occupied the world No. 1 spot for seven consecutive seasons.
However, only a fraction of his fortune – £5.6m – came from prize winnings. Most of it came from major endorsement agreements, a tireless entrepreneurial drive and a long-standing media career spanning decades.
Even with his pragmatic, cautious playing style – and the “most boring player in the world” label he occasionally received – Davis arguably became snooker’s first modern superstar due to his sheer dominance.
Guided by his manager, Barry Hearn, he secured a series of highly lucrative endorsements that made him the UK’s top-earning sportsman in the late 1980s.
Steve Davis is the wealthiest snooker in the history of the sport(Image: Getty)
After leaving competitive snooker, Davis continued to be a familiar face on television, serving as a commentator and analyst for the BBC’s snooker coverage. He also explored multiple other ventures, including authoring books and developing an unexpected sideline as a DJ.
The 68-year-old has penned several books, appeared in numerous video games and achieved notable success in other areas such as nine-ball pool, chess and poker.
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan has earned roughly £13m from prize money across his remarkable career. The 50-year-old’s net worth stems from both his unparalleled achievements on the table and a range of shrewd off-table ventures.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is still gunning for a record eighth world title(Image: Getty)
His seven world titles, numerous Triple Crown victories and record-breaking number of ranking-event wins have solidified his position as arguably the finest player ever to wield a cue – attracting significant endorsements, sponsorships and media deals along the way.
Like Davis, O’Sullivan has explored business opportunities and investments. He has written several books, been featured in video games and broadened his profile far beyond the sport.
Between O’Sullivan and Davis in terms of wealth stands Stephen Hendry, whose net worth is estimated at £25m. Hendry, who shares O’Sullivan’s seven world title record, has also built a successful media career following the conclusion of his top-level playing days.
