skysports.com takes you through the highs and lows as Ronnie O'Sullivan ruled the world again.
O'Sullivan rules the world, but new challengers emerge in 2008.
Love him or hate him, Ronnie O'Sullivan again dominated the headlines for good and bad reasons during 2008, but he remains the main man to beat in snooker - although a number of new challengers have emerged in the past 12 months.
'The Rocket' added a third world title at the Crucible and again looked unbeatable in the Premier League finals, but off the table he caused huge controversy with some ill-advised jokes in China.
Mark Selby confirmed his potential as he backed up his 2007 World Championship final appearance with two major victories - in the high-profile Masters in January and in the following Welsh Open.
Stephen Maguire grabbed another ranking event victory with the China Open, while Neil Robertson added to his trophy cabinet by bagging the inaugural Bahrain Championship.
Shaun Murphy was consistent and took the Malta Cup before ending the year in style with victory at the UK Championship, the second-biggest ranking event, in December.
Of those emerging talents, Ricky Walden won his maiden ranking event by beating O'Sullivan in Shanghai, while Ryan Day made the Grand Prix final.
Talented teenager Judd Trump continued his progression with some upset victories as he continued to qualify for the big events.
Player of the Year - Ronnie O'Sullivan
A third world title at the Crucible, a fifth Premier League crown on the spin and a Northern Ireland Trophy success, but yet again O'Sullivan hit the headlines for the wrong reasons.
Regardless of his bad press though, 'The Rocket' continues to show us all that he is the most naturally gifted player in snooker - and again it seems the only person capable of stopping him in his tracks is himself.
His third Crucible success in the World Championship came in great style, including a 147 and a ruthless semi-final demolition of Stephen Hendry. Other players look like they could come with a challenge to the world number one - but they will have to do something special to catch the man from Chigwell.
Most Improved - Mark Selby
The 'Jester from Leicester' was a surprise Crucible finalist in 2007, but he took that form on and really improved during 2008 to become one of the best around.
Moving up to number four in the world, Selby's first major title came in January with the prestigious Masters at Wembley.
Selby then went on to win the Welsh Open, and although he made a first-round exit at the Crucible this time around, his debut Premier League appearance saw him top the table and make the final. Selby is a future world champion in the making.
Big Shock - Judd Trump
Bristol teenager Trump has been touted as a future star for a couple of years, but 2008 saw his breakthrough as he really raised his game.
The 19-year-old qualified for the first four ranking events of the season, and made the prestigious Masters tournament to regularly mix it with the big boys.
The Grand Prix saw his career highlight as Trump overcame Ronnie O'Sullivan to make the semi-finals, confirming his status as a star of the future.
With another big win, over Mark Williams, to make Bahrain, Trump continues to go from strength to strength.
Performance - Ronnie's Premier dominance
O'Sullivan's reign as Premier League champion looked in doubt as he just managed to scrape into the finals - with debutants Mark Selby and Joe Perry leading the way in the final table.
Selby smashed in three centuries during his semi-final whitewash over Stephen Hendry - but even he could not get a look-in in the final.
O'Sullivan comes alive with the 25-second shot clock format and he defeated Selby 7-2, with consistent break building, to claim a remarkable fifth Premier League title on the spin - and an eighth in total.
Maximum Men - 147s
2008 was a great year for break-building fans with seven maximum 147s recorded, one in qualifying and the six others in the full ranking events. The top breaks have been notched far and wide throughout the globe - with Stephen Maguire and Jamie Cope both filling their boots in China, while Marcus Campbell hit one in the inaugural Bahrain Championship.
The Crucible witnessed two 147s in two days in April, with finalists Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ali Carter achieving the feat 24 hours apart en route to their big showdown.
The talented Ding Junhui also showcased his talents with a blinding 147 at the UK Championship that closed out 2008 in Telford.
Low point of 08 - O'Sullivan outburst
The main sour note of the year came in Beijing, with O'Sullivan yet again proving to be a real wildcard with his post-match antics after a first round defeat at the China Open.
At a routine press conference, O'Sullivan was overheard making lewd comments and gestures with his microphone - actions that stunned the snooker world.
O'Sullivan was docked ranking points and fined by the snooker authorities - who perhaps went a little easy on the sport's brightest star.
Controversy - Betting probe
Hopefully it was just a coincidence, but as the year closes snooker chiefs are investigating irregular betting patterns surrounding a match at the UK Championship.
Stephen Maguire beat Jamie Burnett 9-3 in Telford - a scoreline that had attracted an unusually large amount of money on it.
To make matters worse, Burnett missed the final black in a frame that would have given him a fourth and scuppered the bet - attracting even more attention on the outcome.
The WPSBA are currently investigating the events and no accusations have been made at either player - with Burnett admitting he was aware of the betting when missing the black, saying the pressure got to him.
