How much do snooker referees get paid?

SNOOKER referees are professionals who officiate snooker matches to ensure players abide by the rules.

The role of a referee is crucial at both professional and amateur level. But how much do they get paid? Here’s everything you need to know.

GettySnooker referees officiate matches to ensure players follow the rules[/caption]

How much do snooker referees get paid?

The salary of a snooker referee will often depend on the level of competition in which they officiate.

How much they take home will also vary on whether they are entry-level or professional referees.

At entry level, a snooker referee can expect to earn between £35 to £70 per match.

According to 888 sport, if you qualify as a World Snooker professional referee, you will earn a base salary of $25,000 (£20,750.33) per season. 

Some officials choose to do this as their full-time job.

However, others take on part time snooker referee roles alongside other professions. 

How do you become a snooker referee?

The process to become a licensed or certified snooker referee varies somewhat according to your country, but typically always involves registering with the sport’s national governing board.

The first step is to establish who your NGB is.

Once you have done this, you can then contact them and request further information as to the procedure in your country.

In the UK, the national governing body is the English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards (EPSB). 

According to the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), those interested in becoming a snooker referee should spend at least two years working their way up from local league level to refereeing for your NGB.

Once you feel ready to take the next steps in your career, you can register your interest with your national governing body and the course they provide.

To do this, simply visit the WPBSA website and express your interest via the site’s online contact form.

In England, the WPBSA Class 3 Referee course is aimed at prospective new referees who wish to gain their first formal qualification in the sport.

Those who make it onto the course will be required to meet set pre-course eligibility criteria, including providing a basic disclosure criminal record check.

All training is delivered online, providing trainees with match experience, safeguarding and child protection training and post training referring.

Trainees will then gain match experience supported by mentoring from qualified referees.

Part of the final assessment will be a match held at a WPBSA recognised event.

The cost of the course is £149.99.

Once you pass the course, there is then opportunity to work your way up the ladder and gain more qualifications.

Who is the best snooker referee?

There are a number of referees who have become household names within the sport.

One of those is referee Michaela Tabb, who helped put female snooker referees on the map, officiating at the top level of the sport for over a decade.

Marcel Eckardt is also regarded as one of the best snooker referees, after being selected to officiate the 2020 Snooker World Championship.

A third referee to leave his mark on the world of snooker was John Williams.

The retired snooker referee resided over eleven World Snooker Championship finals, nine of which took place at the Crucible Theatre.

He was the man responsible for officiating the 1985 final between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis – the most watched snooker match in history.

Other notable referees include, Desislava Bozhilova, Erik Amberg, and Terry Camilleri.