Although snooker originated in the second half of the nineteenth century and grew in popularity in the twentieth century, it gained popularity mainly in the late 1960s with the development of colour television.  In 1969, the Pot Black snooker tournament was commissioned by the BBC to demonstrate the advantages of colour television.  The decision was to take the sport from its traditional setting in the halls and pubs into living rooms across the country.

Wales has produced several world-class snooker players over the years.  Doug Mountjoy, Ray Reardon and Terry Griffiths were all well-known sportsmen in their time.

At the turn of the 21st century, Mark Williams of Ebbw Vale and Matthew Stevens of Carmarthen ranked among the world's best players.  They faced each other in an all-Welsh World Championship final in 2000, which Williams won by 18 frames to 16.