This post was originally published on June 22, 2016.
We all know how annoying it is to find live sports streams online. Searching for a working link, worrying about random pop-ups, and dealing with the onslaught of cookies that stick to your browser like bubblegum on a shoe are all steps we take when we stream free content online.
According to researchers at Stony Brook University, as much as 50% of free streaming sports sites contain malicious ads.
Is it worth the risk? Of course not. But that doesn’t mean we don’t still do it.
Luckily, there are safer ways to live-stream sports. Here are three reasons why it’s always better to stream with a VPN.
[Watch football live streams with a VPN to enjoy every match securely—and often for free]Stream straight from the source
If you’re reading this, then you probably already know what a VPN is. What you may not know is how VPNs make it easier to bypass sketchy live streams altogether and stream directly from the source.
Because a VPN lets you mask your IP address with one in another country, you can access legitimate streaming sites all over the world!
With ExpressVPN’s Stream Sports directory, you can read detailed guides on how to live stream the world’s biggest sporting events without ever having to open a sketchy link.
Add more security to your network
Although free streaming sites are growing in popularity, they carry a host of privacy risks. Malware, viruses, and nefarious web trackers are all threats you willingly accept when you decide to stream content from these sites.
Grainy videos, annoying pop-ups, third-party trackers—these are just a few of the headaches you deal with when you use live streaming sites.
When you use a VPN, you’re able to encrypt your network traffic and mask your location, not to mention you’re also able to stream from legitimate websites as opposed to random links.
It’s a win-win.
Even watch in HD
Video quality is rarely the norm when it comes to third-party sites. When you stream from external sources you’re not only risking your privacy, you’re watching a sub-par stream.
Because VPNs let you stream from the source, the video quality is way better, and the loading times are next to nil.
You can even use the Speed Test to see which VPN server locations offer the best speeds.
Face it, folks: If you’re going to look for sports streams online, make sure you use a VPN.
