Mark Allen compiles rare 147 break at snooker worlds and earns lucky fan $33,000

SHEFFIELD, England (AP) — A rare perfect break of 147 at the world snooker championship earned a lucky fan 25,000 pounds ($33,000) on Friday.

The experience for Brian Nicholls came with a twist, however.

For this year’s championship at the Crucible Theatre, a random member of the audience gets picked each session to be the recipient of the cash prize should a player complete a maximum break — 15 reds, each followed by 15 blacks, and then all the colors.

Nicholls was the chosen fan but he was sitting on one side of the Crucible, watching a match between Mark Williams and Hossein Vafaei, while Mark Allen was compiling his 147 on the other table.

With the two tables separated by a partition, Nicholls had to watch on one of the screens inside the arena as Allen finished off his maximum. TV footage showed Nicholls celebrating after the 39-year-old from Northern Ireland potted the final black to record only the 15th 147 made at the Crucible.

The money earned by Nicholls is more than is given to the first-round losers at the world championship. They receive 20,000 pounds ($26,600) each.

As for Allen, he is in line to get nearly $60,000 for making a 147.

According to the BBC, which is broadcasting the tournament, Nicholls had never been to the Crucible before and was bought a ticket by his son as a present for his 75th birthday.

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