There are a number of reasons you may not have access to the top competitive billiards matches. You may not have the right cable channels. Alternatively, you may be traveling in or live in a part of the world where billiards is not screened.
In 2021, that shouldn’t matter. We have reached a point of globalisation at which most streaming services have massive libraries across the world and signing up is cheap. However, there are still outdated distribution rights laws that make it difficult for sites to air certain broadcasts even if no one else in the country is doing so.
The good news is that these problems shouldn’t prevent you from streaming billiards online. Whether you live in the US or elsewhere, there are ways to stream online billiards games, like VPN services that let you access blocked sites.
Here’s how it works.
What is a VPN?
A virtual private network (VPN) is a piece of security software that routes your connection through an external server in order to hide your IP address and encrypt your data. A VPN is necessary in this day and age because all of your online activity can be tracked, even if you are using Incognito Mode or Private Browsing.
With a VPN, you are protected from both surveillance and potential hacks. It is crucial for safe browsing, even in the most usual sense. However, it also has added benefits for those of us who need to access blocked streaming services.
Using a VPN to stream billiards
There are a couple of ways that a VPN helps you stream billiards games. The first is that it hides who you are if you are using sites that aren’t technically legal. This way, you won’t be warned or fined for watching games you otherwise have no access to.
The other way is useful for those living in countries which don’t have access to channels that show these games. In these countries, even if you sign up legally on a US sports streaming site, you won’t be able to watch without a VPN.
Since a VPN routes you through an external server, masking your location, you can choose a server in the US and you will look like you are in the US. Then, when you try to stream billiards games online, you will be given access.
Paid services
If you are not living in the US, you may have trouble getting access to some paid services even with a VPN. They may require you to sign up for an account with an American address and means of payment. You can find a sample American address by searching online for this purpose. In terms of payment, you can create a US PayPal or Payoneer account.
Added VPN benefits
You may not be convinced that the ten bucks you need to spend every month on a VPN are worth the service. This may be especially true if you have to spend another sum of money on a billiards streaming site. Paying double just to watch games you should have access to anyway is a particular punch in the gut.
For that reason, it is important that we mention the other benefits of subscribing to a VPN service. As explained, a VPN keeps you anonymous online. This protects you from identity theft, which can have severe consequences both to your finances and your reputation. The information in your IP address alone is enough to compromise you, and without a VPN, that data is passed to every website you visit.
A VPN becomes particularly useful if you live in a country where government surveillance and censorship are rife. Government surveillance is unfortunately becoming more and more accepted – and even expected – around the world. But in certain countries, it is dangerous, especially if you do not conform to all the values of the ruling party.
Your VPN will protect you from getting on their radar. It will also unblock any sites they do not want you to see, either because they challenge the political party or because they show you content deemed immoral by them. This makes ten dollars a month not only worth the investment, but absolutely necessary.
In terms of watching billiards, should it really be this difficult? Certainly not. There is no reason content should be unavailable in countries where it is not broadcast anyway. However, with a VPN available, you have increased access so that these concerns are no longer yours, and you are protected from common privacy and security threats.