Cybercrime is a major problem worldwide, and growing every year. It’s projected to cost companies $10.5 trillion (£8.4 trillion) worldwide in 2025. 

There are around 4000 new cyber attacks every day, and a company is targeted by a ransomware attack every 14 seconds. 

It’s no wonder that of the 8.2 billion people in the world, 1.5 billion use a VPN—that’s almost 1 in 5.

In the UK, VPN usage is even higher, with a quarter of internet users surveyed in 2023 saying they used a VPN at least some of the time. This means it’s quite likely that you’ll use a VPN yourself, or are thinking of using one. 

This guide will explain what a VPN is, what it can and can’t do, and if you should use one for your Matched Betting.

What Is A VPN?

A VPN is a virtual private network, which gives you safe and private access to the internet. It does this by passing your internet traffic through a VPN tunnel - a secure internet connection between your device and a VPN server.  

VPNs also mask your online identity, so your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and third-party sites can’t see which sites you visit or the data you send online. This is achieved by hiding your IP address by redirecting it through a remote server operated by a VPN host. 

Because your data is encrypted, it would be useless to a hacker or other cybercriminal if they could intercept it. 

If you use a VPN, you’ll also be able to disguise your location by selecting a VPN server in another part of your country, or another country entirely.

Reasons For Using A VPN 

Online Anonymity

Using a VPN gives you a level of online anonymity, protecting your identity and hiding your personal information and browsing activity. 

Secure Connection

Another key reason for using one is to give you a secure internet connection. The private Wi-Fi connections used by individuals and companies are secure and encrypted.

Mobile network technologies like 4G and 5G are also securely encrypted, providing a decent level of protection. 

The same can’t be said for public Wi-Fi hotspots though, which are prone to being targeted by hackers. 

A VPN will make your connection more secure no matter what sort of network you’re using, but is particularly helpful when using public networks. 

Access Overseas Websites and Content

VPNs can spoof your location, allowing access to content from other countries which is blocked when using your regular internet connection. 

Some Matched Bettors use this feature of VPNs to access UK websites when travelling abroad. 

How Does A VPN Protect You?

When using a VPN, you’re protected in several ways. 

Encryption

A VPN encrypts your data and passes it through a secure VPN tunnel. To maximise this protection, it’s best to choose a VPN that uses the strongest encryption, for example, AES-256 (used by military organisations and governments). 

If a hacker managed to intercept your internet traffic, it would just appear as gibberish and be of no use to them. 

Kill Switch

Virtual private networks often come with a kill switch, which suspends your internet connection if the VPN connection drops. 

This prevents your unencrypted data from being exposed. 

No-Log Policy

Many VPNs feature a no-log policy, which means they don’t track or store your browsing activity. Even if a hacker gains access to the VPN, they won’t be able to read any of your personal data.   

Cyber Attacks That VPNs Help Protect Against

We’ll see in the next section that a VPN can’t protect you against every online threat, but here are some types of cyber attacks they can help with. 

DDoS Attacks

A DDos (Distributed Denial of Service) attack floods a target with an overwhelming amount of data, which can overload servers and crash websites. 

Remote Network Hacking

This is where a hacker gains access to a system from a remote location. One way to do this is by using your IP address. Since the VPN hides your IP address , this type of attack is made more difficult.

Man-In-The-Middle Attacks

Man-in-the-middle attacks involve hackers intercepting internet connections and viewing or tampering with a user’s data. 

Session Hijacking

Logging into a website creates a session ID, which gives a convenient way to remain logged in for some time. However, if a hacker discovers your session ID, they might have the opportunity to hijack this session and access your account. 

By encrypting your connection, VPNs make it very difficult for a hacker to discover your session ID.

Fake Wi-Fi Hotspots

A particularly sneaky strategy adopted by some hackers is to set up hotspots that appear to be the Wi-Fi provided by legitimate businesses. 

Using a VPN will protect your data even if you inadvertently connect to a fake hotspot. 

What Can’t a VPN Protect You From?

VPNs aren’t a complete security solution in themselves, and it’s important to be aware of their limitations.

Here’s a list of what VPNs can’t protect you from.

Human Error

A VPN offers no protection if you leave your antivirus off whilst navigating high-risk sites or click on malicious links. 

Phishing

A phishing attack is where a hacker sends an e-mail that appears to be from a legitimate business. The phishing emails they send have links, and clicking the link either downloads malware onto your device or reveals your login details. 

Malware

Malware is malicious software that's downloaded onto your device if you click on a malicious link. It allows a hacker to view your data even if it was transmitted securely through a VPN tunnel. 

Theft of Devices

If your device is stolen, a VPN offers no protection to any data stored on it. 

Threats from Insiders

An insider is a family member, work colleague, or contractor with access to your network. The threat could result from a deliberate action or inadvertently clicking on a malicious link.  

Additional Protection

Whilst powerful security tools, there’s only so much a VPN can do. Therefore, it’s important to take other precautions to increase your online security. Here are a few points to consider.

Ensure Your Software is Updated

Security issues sometimes occur with software, which could be exploited by hackers. For this reason, it’s important to ensure you apply patches and other software updates as they become available. 

Enable 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication)

Two-factor authentication involves using two different methods to secure your accounts. This will normally be your password and something like a fingerprint or face scan, or a one-time code. 

Use Anti-Malware and Anti-Virus Software

This is software designed to detect viruses, worms, and viruses and prevent your system from being infected. It also includes tools to remove them if your device becomes infected.  

Use a Password Manager

Password managers give an easy way to securely store your passwords. This allows you to use different strong passwords for the sites you log into, making it much harder for hackers to crack your password. 

Should You Use VPN for Matched Betting?

Many bookmakers and casinos prohibit the use of VPNs, so it’s generally not a good idea to use one when matched betting. 

Here’s a section from Bet365’s terms and conditions which makes their policy clear: 

You might also find you can’t log into a bookmaker or casino when using a VPN. Here’s the error message I get when trying to access the Bet365 site with my VPN switched on, for example:

Sometimes, you might be able to log into a site, but some of the functionality won’t work when using a VPN. 

An example of this is if I try to access the Blue Wizard slot by Playtech on Betfred, which leads to this error message:

A reason for bookmakers to prohibit VPNs is that they’re sometimes used by Matched Bettors to sign up with multiple identities. This is known as multi-accounting or gnoming. This allows them to take advantage of sign-up and reload offers more than once.

Even if you don’t multi-account, using a VPN might raise suspicion with the bookmaker. This could lead to them restricting your account by removing offers (known as gubbing in the Matched Betting community). Worse still, they might close your account or withhold winnings from you. 

For these reasons, not using a VPN when accessing bookmakers and casinos is a good way to try to avoid account restrictions. 

Matched Betting When Abroad

As you’ve seen, many VPNs can be used to spoof your location. For this reason, Matched Bettors sometimes use them to do Matched Betting from abroad, when travelling, working, or if they’ve relocated overseas. 

Even though it’s often possible to access UK or Irish sites from other countries by using a VPN, this comes with risks. This is partly for the reasons mentioned in the previous section. 

In addition to this, you could end up in trouble if you access bookmakers or casinos from a country where gambling is prohibited. 

Whilst it’s tempting to use a VPN to continue doing offers when you’re overseas, it’s probably better to take a break from Matched Betting and enjoy your time abroad!

Which VPN Should You Use?

Using a VPN is a great way to increase your online security and protect you from hackers, even if you’re probably best to switch it off when accessing bookmakers and casinos. 

It’s not difficult to find several online reviews of the best VPNs, especially on tech websites. The tried and trusted method of typing ‘best VPN’ into your search engine of choice is also sure to get you plenty of results. 

As you’d expect, paid VPNs tend to have more features and better security than free versions. However, some of them have favourable reviews, particularly PrivadoVPN Free, Proton VPN Free, and Windscribe Free. All three have paid upgraded plans if you want more features. 

When it comes to paid VPNs, you’ll often see NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN receiving plenty of praise. It’s best to do your own research though, as there are lots of options, each with their own pros and cons. 

Summary

As you’ve seen, VPNs offer a layer of protection when using the internet, helping to keep you safe from hackers and cybercrime.

When it comes to Matched Betting though, using a VPN can raise suspicion with bookmakers. This could lead to account restrictions, closures, or even having your winnings withheld. 

For this reason, you should avoid using a VPN when accessing bookmaker and casino sites. It’s also best to resist the temptation of using one when you’re overseas, however much you might want to continue to make money from your Matched Betting.