The sport of snooker certainly has a rich history of players known just as much for their drinking as for their performances on the green baize.

With the sport's greatest drinkers come legendary tales of a staggering ability to put them away, with the likes of 'Big' Bill Werbeniuk allegedly sinking a pint per frame, and the infamous yarns about Alex Higgins and Jimmy White's boozing and drug-fuelled exploits embedded into the lore of the game.

While snooker has since cleaned up its act, it isn't without the odd drinking confession as during last year's World Snooker Championship, reigning champion Luca Brecel admitting to being "drunk as hell" during his victory against Mark Williams, the Daily Star reports.

The Belgian's admission was a throwback to the different age of snooker, as Daily Star Sport analyses who the sport's biggest boozers were and what has since happened to the legendary guzzlers.

Luca Brecel

To set up a quarter-final clash with 'The Rocket' O'Sullivan, Belgian ace Luca Brecel had secured a victory over Mark Williams whilst "drunk as hell". He then made an even more dramatic comeback from a 10-6 overnight deficit to beat O'Sullivan, leaving fans in complete awe.

The 28-year-old is not just testing his opponents at the Crucible but also seems to be testing his own liver during breaks between games in Sheffield. Quite the tribute to the past snooker giants, who were famed not only for their skill but also for their indulgence.

"Before the tournament I was just out partying, staying up late, 6, 7am, playing FIFA with my friends, having drinks, not practising," he confessed to the BBC after his victory over O'Sullivan. "Even after I beat Mark Williams, I went home, got home at 7am, went out the same day until 5 or 6 in the morning, drunk as hell."

The Belgian went on to score the biggest title of his career at the Crucible after defeating four-time champion Mark Selby in the final 18-15.

'Big' Bill Werbeniuk

When it comes to snooker's boozy era, 'Big' Bill Werbeniuk is a name that often pops up. The Canadian was a larger-than-life character in every sense - be it his hefty frame, vibrant personality or impressive drinking prowess.

The tales tell us that 'Big Bill' would knock back between 40 and 50 pints of beer daily, including six as a pre-match warm-up and at least one per frame. Perhaps the most jaw-dropping story linked to the four-time World Championship quarter-finalist claims he once guzzled down 76 cans of lager during a match against John Spencer.

Eddie Sinclair

One of the few snooker legends who could boast about surviving a booze battle with Big Bill, Eddie Sinclair stepped up to the oche for a legendary drinking duel-come-snooker game. The tale tells that Sinclair was knocked out cold after necking the 42nd pint, leading Werbeniuk to quip: "I'm away to the bar now for a proper drink."

It's mind-boggling to think someone could hit the deck in a drinking match after 42 pints, but the Scottish player Sinclair learned the hard way just how deep Big Bill's thirst went.

Alex Higgins

Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins is one of the more tragic tales of talent derailed by substance abuse in the world of sport. The twice world champ could've had even more titles under his belt if not for the bottle getting in the way.

His former manager Harvey Lisberg spills the beans in his new tell-all book 'I'm Into Something Good', saying: "Alcohol was an ever-present part of his life," and "He was rarely without a drink. I never saw him taking drugs but I had strong suspicions he was doing that too. He was also an insane gambler. He would blow thousands on the horses. He was a man of addictions, none of which were helping him on the snooker table."

His addictions to booze and smoking saw the Northern Irishman be diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998 before passing in 2010 at the age of 61.

Jimmy White

Jimmy 'Whirlwind' White, still potting balls at 61, is a testament to survival despite living life in the fast lane. He embodies the snooker scene's old-school era of 'sex, drugs and rock 'n roll'.

He wasn't shy about causing a stir back in the day, and his off-table antics were just as notorious as his talent with the cue. White's vices weren't limited to the bottle; the man himself admitted to blowing a whopping £35,000 on crack cocaine. "It was like the devil's dandruff, but crack it's evil," he confessed during Louis Theroux's 'Gods of Snooker' documentary.

"I tried smoking it and got completely addicted." Yet, it might have been the booze that spurred on one of White's most infamous episodes. In a move that sounds straight out of a movie, he nicked his deceased brother Martin from the undertaker's for a final night on the town before the funeral in 1996 a feat less likely to be attempted stone-cold sober.

Mark Williams

Mark Williams, the snooker legend known for his laid-back approach to life and love of a good party, recently opened up about changing his ways.

The Welsh wizard, who famously celebrated his 2018 World Championship win by appearing 'naked' at a press conference, admitted he's had to put the brakes on his wild lifestyle.

"I haven't had a drink for about a month," confessed the three-time world champ, after a health scare at the 2019 World Snooker Championship left him with chest pains. "I've been eating healthily and lost a bit of weight coming in here to give myself the best chance. Maybe I need to get back on the beers and kebabs to give myself the best chance."

Ronnie O'Sullivan

Meanwhile, Ronnie O'Sullivan, once dubbed snooker's enfant terrible, has come a long way since his turbulent younger days. It's been over two decades since the Rocket sought help for drug and alcohol addiction, a time when he was grappling with the pressures of burgeoning fame.

Reflecting on his journey and personal growth, the six-time world champion shared with The Sun: "You know, seeing my kids are doing great and they're growing into little adults.

"If you'd asked me, I'd have said, 'Nah. There's no way,'" adding poignantly, "A lot of the emotion was reflecting back on, 'OK, I've made it'. And I don't mean winning a tournament. I mean I've made it to 47, not f***ing in some nuthouse or a f***ing drug-den looking for my next fix."