The European Open Pool Championship takes place in Fulda, Germany from August 6-11 as a mixture of seasoned professionals and amateur qualifiers compete for $200,000 in prize money.
Pool writer Ben Hudd returns with his best bets and analysis ahead of the third staging of the tournament, with the previous editions having been won by Austria’s Albin Ouschan and Spain’s David Alcaide.
European Open Pool Championship 2024 betting tips
• Eklent Kaci to win the European Open – 16/1 E/W Bet365 1/2
• Pijus Labutis to win the European Open – 80/1 E/W Bet365 1/2
• Mickey Krause to win the European Open – 100/1 E/W Bet365 1/2
There were still lingering elements of uncertainty surrounding Eklent Kaci’s game heading into last month’s World Pool Championship, although the Albanian shattered those doubts by manoeuvring his way through a world class field in Saudi Arabia. He did so in majestic fashion, only being stopped by the imperious eventual champion in Fedor Gorst.
Kaci was regarded as arguably the best player on the planet before his freak accident twelve months ago, but the 2023 UK Open winner reaffirmed himself as one of the very elite last month. His mistakes were minimal throughout, with one of those few errors ironically costing him the title in a deciding rack epic against Gorst. However, stakes were high and a quarter-of-a-million dollars was on the line.
There will be a selection of considerable favourites to snap off success in Germany and Kaci will undoubtedly be in the company of that group. He will be amongst a formidable pack including the likes of world number one and 13/2 favourite Gorst, US Open champion Ko Ping-Chung, Shane van Boening and Joshua Filler, the latter of who continues his search for an elusive triumph on home soil.
In terms of outsiders who could upset the apple cart in the second of four open championships this year, Derby City Classic runner-up Pijus Labutis remains someone to be highlighted at 80/1. Having been selected on these pages for both the UK Open and the World Championship, the Lithuanian offered backers a run for their money when reaching the semi-finals in England.
Dealing with the occasion proved a difficulty for Labutis at the UK Open and he ultimately blinked under pressure, although having that experience – as well as his run to last year’s Spanish Open semi-finals – behind him will be of significant value to cast his mind back on going forward.
Another contender with dark horse potential comes in the shape of 100/1-shot Mickey Krause, the great Dane who snapped off the Bucharest Open in Romania last month. Krause is someone who has attracted attention on tour this year, but you feel his best is still just around the corner.
Krause has reached the last 16 of both the UK Open and the World Championship in recent months, notably beating Francisco Sanchez Ruiz in Saudi Arabia. He’s amongst a handful of players awaiting their first real breakthrough and that quantum leap could arrive this week in Germany.
Other dark horses who earned a second glance but were ultimately decided against include the likes of Duong Quoc Hoang and Sanjin Pehlivanovic at 66/1 and Moritz Neuhausen at 100/1.
