Need help right now?
UK: call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (free, 24/7). US: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER. Elsewhere, see the help by country list below, or chat online with Gambling Therapy in many languages.
We built LiveScores24x7 for football, not for betting. Plenty of our visitors never bet at all. Some do, and for them a bet is part of watching the game - a bit of extra interest on a Saturday. This page is about keeping it that way.
LiveScores24x7 isn’t a bookmaker and never takes bets. But because we show odds, previews and betting calculators, we think it’s our job to be straight about the risks.
Five things worth knowing before any bet
- The odds are built against you. Bookmakers set prices so that, across all outcomes, they take a margin. Over time, the average bettor loses money. That’s the business model, not bad luck.
- A preview is a probability, not a promise. When we say a team has a 65% chance to win, they still fail to win roughly one game in three. Nobody can predict football reliably - anyone selling “sure” tips is selling you something else.
- Losing streaks are normal. Even sensible bets lose many times in a row. Raising your stakes to “win it back” is how small losses become big ones.
- Live betting is faster - and riskier. In-play markets let you bet every few minutes. Speed makes it easy to lose track of how much you’ve spent.
- Accumulators look cheap but rarely land. Each extra leg multiplies the bookmaker’s edge. They’re a lottery ticket, not a strategy.
Keep it fun: simple rules
Decide in advance what you can spend on betting - money you’d be fine never seeing again - and stop when it’s gone.
Licensed operators let you set deposit, loss and time limits. Set them on day one, while you’re calm.
Not to pay a bill, not to cheer yourself up, not after a drink, and never with borrowed money.
If you can’t enjoy a game unless money is riding on it, that’s a signal worth noticing.
Have weeks with no bets at all. If that feels hard, the break matters even more.
Write down every stake and result. Most people are surprised by the real total.
Is betting becoming a problem? A quick check
Answer honestly. Over the last few months, have you:
- spent more money or time on betting than you meant to?
- needed bigger bets to get the same excitement?
- gone back another day to try to win back money you lost?
- borrowed money, sold something or skipped bills to bet?
- felt restless, irritable or anxious when trying to cut down?
- hidden your betting from family or friends, or lied about it?
- felt guilty about betting, or had arguments because of it?
- bet to escape stress, boredom or low mood?
If you answered yes to even one or two, it’s worth talking to someone. If you answered yes to several, please contact one of the services below - they’re free, confidential and deal with this every day. You don’t have to be “in crisis” to call.
Tools that block gambling
- Self-exclusion with your bookmaker - every licensed operator must let you close your account or exclude yourself for a set period.
- National self-exclusion schemes - for example GAMSTOP in the UK, which blocks you from all UK-licensed gambling sites in one step.
- Blocking software - apps such as Gamban or BetBlocker stop gambling sites and apps opening on your devices.
- Bank gambling blocks - many banks let you block gambling transactions on your card from the banking app.
Free help by country
| Country | Service | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | National Gambling Helpline (GamCare) | 0808 8020 133 · gamcare.org.uk |
| United Kingdom | GambleAware | begambleaware.org |
| United States | National Council on Problem Gambling | 1-800-GAMBLER · ncpgambling.org |
| Canada (Ontario) | ConnexOntario | 1-866-531-2600 · connexontario.ca |
| Canada | Responsible Gambling Council | responsiblegambling.org |
| Australia | Gambling Help Online | 1800 858 858 · gamblinghelponline.org.au |
| Germany | BZgA - Check dein Spiel | 0800 1 37 27 00 · check-dein-spiel.de |
| France | Joueurs Info Service | 09 74 75 13 13 · joueurs-info-service.fr |
| Spain | Jugar Bien | jugarbien.es |
| Italy | Gioca Responsabile | 800 55 88 22 · gioca-responsabile.it |
| Netherlands | AGOG | agog.nl |
| Sweden | Stödlinjen | 020-819 100 · stodlinjen.se |
| Worldwide | Gambling Therapy (online chat, many languages) | gamblingtherapy.org |
| Worldwide | Gamblers Anonymous | gamblersanonymous.org |
Worried about someone else?
If a partner, friend or family member’s betting is affecting you, support is available for you too - not just for them. Gam-Anon runs groups for families, and most national helplines above also advise friends and relatives. Try to talk when things are calm, focus on how it affects you rather than accusing, and avoid lending money to cover losses.
Our commitments
- We only feature operators that hold a gambling licence in the markets they serve.
- Betting content on LiveScores24x7 is intended for adults aged 18+ (or the legal age where you live).
- We never describe a bet as “safe”, “guaranteed” or “sure”.
- Our match alerts are about football - we don’t use notifications to push betting offers.
If you think something on our site falls short of these commitments, please let us know.
