Why do snooker players use Beta Blockers?

Question

I just heard someone on Casualty mention it and wandered why?

Answer 1

They slow your heartbeat down enabling you to relax more.

Answer 2

Beta blockers slow the heart rate down and therefore stops the hands from shaking when making shots.

Answer 3

In the 70's and 80's, snooker was known for being a drinking and smoking mans sport, you could rarely see the table for all the cigarette smoke! because of a lot of drinking, many players had the shakes, beta blockers will counter act it, and enable even the most hung over of people to play, You don't hear about it much now because drinking whilst playing has stopped.

Answer 4

the use of beta blockers is to stop the players eyes wavering on a shot.....john spencer of the seventy and eightys fame was the first to use these blockers to stop his eyes mving while he was on a shot but now the sport has banned this because they think that it gives people an unfair advantage....bill werbenuick a great pool player as well as a snooker player drank lots of beer for the same reason but you can imagine he was about 25 stone at the end of his career beta blockers are a relaxent so now have been banned

Answer 5

Maybe it gives them a steadier hand.

Answer 6

It slows their heart making them less likely to feel anxious and removes any tremor from their hand.

Answer 7

because this gives tham a high chance of potting the ball