In the golden age of snooker, few players were as unforgettable — or as unbelievable — as Bill Werbeniuk, the Canadian powerhouse known as much for his cueing skill as for his legendary drinking habit.
Werbeniuk wasn’t your typical athlete.
Before and during matches, he was known to drink between 40 and 50 pints of beer a day — yes, every single day.
Even during televised championships, he could be seen calmly downing pints between frames, leaving the audience stunned.
But this wasn’t mere indulgence. It was doctor’s orders.
Bill suffered from a genetic hand tremor, a condition that caused his hands to shake uncontrollably.
According to his doctor, alcohol was the only way to steady his cue and stop the tremors during play.
So, beer became part of his training routine.
When asked how much he drank before a match, Bill famously replied:
“About six pints to steady the nerves — and one more for luck.”
Standing 6’3″ and weighing over 120kg, Bill was both imposing and endearing.
Despite his larger-than-life presence and endless bar tab, he was loved by fans and fellow players alike for his humor, warmth, and sportsmanship.
He once joked,
“I don’t drink for pleasure. I drink to keep myself straight.”
And somehow, with a belly full of beer, he could still make century breaks that left sober opponents speechless.
In the late 1980s, new sports regulations banned alcohol during professional play — effectively ending Werbeniuk’s career.
Without his “medicine,” he struggled both personally and financially.
He passed away in 2003 at the age of 56, but his name remains etched in the folklore of snooker.
To this day, stories of Bill’s pint count echo through every snooker hall:
The man who drank beer like water…
The man who fought genetics with Guinness…
And somehow, between laughter, shaking hands, and a mountain of empty pints — still managed to play brilliant snooker.