What is a 147 break in snooker? All the World Snooker Championship players to hit one - prize money explained

Making a 147 break in snooker is widely regarded as one of the most difficult feats to accomplish in the sport, often touted alongside the likes of a hole-in-one in golf, a nine-darter in darts and the perfect game in bowling, to name but a few. It is an accolade that very few can boast - especially when it comes to the sport's biggest event at Sheffield's World Snooker Championships.

Often referred to as a maximum break, making one is so rare that players who have the talent and skill to do so are awarded a lump sum of prize money to mark the occasion. Though this number has gone down in years gone by, at its peak in the 1990s, a player could walk away with £147,000.

At this year's tournament - the World Snooker Championship 2023 - the crowd have already been graced with a perfect game on two occasions after England's Kyren Wilson struck gold against Ryan Day in the opening round. But nothing more so jaw-dropping than Mark Selby making the first-ever 147 break in a World Snooker Championship final before he lost out to Luca Brecel.

Here is everything you need to know. Including what is a 147 break and who else has hit one at The Crucible.

What is a 147 break in snooker and who hit the first one?

A 147 break in snooker, known as a maximum break, is the highest possible break a player can make in a single frame. It involves potting all 15 reds with 15 blacks, which amounts to 120 points, before sinking all six coloured balls for the remaining 27 points.

Hampshire's finest Joe Davis is the first recognised player in snooker to make a 147 break. He hit it at an exhibition match in London back in 1955.

What is the quickest ever 147 break in snooker?

In what is widely known throughout snooker as one of the most memorable moments in the sport, Ronnie O'Sullivan hit the quickest-ever maximum break. During his first round game against Mick Price at the 1997 World Snooker Championship, a 21-year-old The Rocket completed the perfect frame in just five minutes and eight seconds.

Ronnie averaged a mind-boggling 8.5 seconds per shot and he was soundly rewarded. He banked a hefty £165,000, which is £535.71p for each second.

As it stands, O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry tie the record for the most 147 breaks at The Crucible.

How much prize money do you get for making a 147 break in snooker?

Even though it definitely has plummeted from its 90s levels given the quality of the field and that they are more frequently hit these days, players are still awarded a nice wad of cash for hitting perfection in snooker.

The World Professional Billiard and Snooker Association (WPBSA) currently award £40,000 prize money for making a 147 break at the World Snooker Championship 2023, not including the £15,000 reward for the highest brake at the tournament.

Who has made a 147 break at the World Snooker Championship? Full list

• Cliff Thorburn (1983) 
• Jimmy White (1992) 
• Stephen Hendry (1995) 
• Ronnie O’Sullivan (1997) 
• Ronnie O’Sullivan (2003) 
• Mark Williams (2005) 
• Ronnie O’Sullivan (2008) 
• Ali Carter (2008) 
• Stephen Hendry (2009) 
• Stephen Hendry (2012) 
• John Higgins (2020) 
• Neil Robertson (2022) 
• Kyren Wilson (2023)
• Mark Selby (2023)