The infamous subreddit has left a trail of copycat websites in its wake
Until three years ago, Reddit Soccer Streams was the place to be for football fans desperate for free live streams. The now infamous reddit page amassed over 400,000 subscribers during that time and became the go-to on matchday for many people.
Websites like Buffstreams were able to post their links on the page and fans could even interact with them to tell others how reliable the streams were, in terms of quality, stability and a number of other factors.
As the prices of TV packages for watching football got more expensive, more and more fans resorted to watching streams on dodgy websites and Reddit Soccer Streams became the Mecca of this movement.
R/soccerstreams attracted the most users during the 2018 World Cup, with Google searches for 'Reddit Soccer Streams' shockingly beating those for the president of the United States.
That all changed three years ago when the subreddit was banned by Reddit admins, under pressure from British police and the Premier League. Overnight the page became dormant and thousands of people were left wondering how they would continue watching football.
After reviewing the links posted on the subreddit, almost all of them were found to be illegal. After subsequent pressure from various parties, a moderator for the page shut down all activity and gave this statement:
"We've officially reached critical mass."
"I regret to inform you all that a few days ago, the Reddit Admins got in touch with us about an impeding ban of this subreddit if changes weren't made."
"The only way to save it, from our perspective, was to cease all user related activity here."
Later that same year, a High Court order gave broadcasters even more rights to shut down illegal live streams on the internet.
The new world after Reddit Soccer Streams
Reddit Soccer Streams and the websites that have appeared in its wake are and were a vital source of live streaming for people unwilling or unable to pay the hefty prices for TV packages from the likes of Sky Sports and BT Sport to watch the English top flight and other major football leagues.
Since its demise, numerous websites have emerged using the brand name in their domains to attract the attention of fans who still search for the popular keyword on Google. Some of these sites are more reliable than others but they are all illegal.
Why you should stop watching football on illegal live streams
The dangers of using such illegal live streams are manyfold. These sites often contain tonnes of annoying pop-ups which misdirect the user to other dodgy websites. They can even be the host for viruses and malware. Then there's the issue of legality with the police, major leagues, broadcasters and other stakeholders increasingly clamping down on such content.
British police in particular are getting tougher and tougher with the illegal live streaming space and hosts, as well as users, can now face serious ramifications for providing or viewing such content.
How to watch football legally via live stream
Fans can still watch football from the world's most famous leagues but without the risks involved in using something like Reddit Soccer Streams.
With bet365, you can make an account, make a minumum deposit and watch live football from La Liga, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A and many more leagues in a totally legal manner.
bet365 offer live streams for thousands of matches every year from all across the world. You can enjoy this content on your desktop or a multitude of mobile devices.
You can even enjoy some fantastic signup offers like "bet £10 and get £50 in free bets" when you sign up.
