| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 16–28 April 1973 |
| Venue | City Exhibition Halls |
| City | Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Organisation | WPBSA |
| Format | Single elimination |
| Total prize fund | £8,000 |
| Winner's share | £1,500 |
| Highest break |  John Spencer (ENG) (139) |
| Final | |
| Champion |  Ray Reardon (WAL) |
| Runner-up |  Eddie Charlton (AUS) |
| Score | 38–32 |
← 1972 1974 → | |
The 1973 World Snooker Championship (also known as the 1973 Park Drive World Snooker Championship for sponsorship reasons) was a snooker tournament that took place from 16 to 28 April 1973 at the City Exhibition Halls in Manchester, England. The scheduling was a change of practice from championships in the preceding years, which had taken place over several months. The tournament was the 1973 edition of the World Snooker Championship established in 1927. The 1973 tournament was promoted by Peter West and Patrick Nally, and sponsored by tobacco brand Park Drive, with £8,000 prize money. There were 24 entrants, which was a new championship record.
Ray Reardon won the title by defeating Eddie Charlton 38 frames to 32 in the final. It was Reardon's second World Championship win, after his first in 1970. He won a further four titles after the 1973 championship, the last of them in 1978. Defending champion Alex Higgins lost 9–13 to Charlton in the semi-finals. Higgins's quarter-final match against Fred Davis was interrupted when rainwater leaked onto the snooker table they were using. There were six century breaks during the competition, the highest of which was a 139 break compiled by John Spencer.