I asked ChatGPT to help me save on sports streaming — the results surprised me

These days, I don't get a lot of free time to do the things I truly enjoy. I have a beautiful one-year-old at home, which means my schedule revolves around her. I'm at the mercy of a little girl who doesn't want to sit around all day watching sport. She desperately wants to read a book about farm animals, and I'm not going to say no to that face.

But when I do get a rare moment of peace, you best believe I'm sitting back, relaxing, and tuning into whatever sport is on offer.

But here's the problem: It's extremely difficult (and expensive) to stream live games legally without stacking up subscriptions. All sports fans know the struggle. Some games are on Sky, others are on TNT Sports. This tournament is on DAZN, the next is on Prime Video. And then pay-per-view events are another frustrating layer on top of everything else. Keeping up with everything would cost a small fortune, and nursery isn't free.

What I really need is a way to stream top-quality sport for free, but legitimate channels are few and far between. Highlights are great, but there's nothing quite like live action.

With so few options on offer, I started to wonder whether there was a smarter way to stream sports without breaking the bank. Curiosity and a little desperation led me to ChatGPT. I asked if there were any free or cheaper ways to watch live sports. Initially, ChatGPT suggested free UK-based platforms like ITVX and BBC iPlayer. Don't you think I've tried these services, ChatGPT? I watched Wimbledon on BBC iPlayer. I'm watching the Tour de France on ITVX. I've exhausted everything on offer.

Seeking more, I asked ChatGPT if there were other legal streaming options in other countries. That’s when it suggested using a VPN to significantly boost my content offering. By connecting to a server in another country with a VPN, I could access free platforms in other countries — like RTÉ Player in Ireland or SBS in Australia — to watch all the live sports that they host.

I know that the best VPNs aren't free, but I'm already equipped with a streaming-friendly VPN, sports fans. And even if you're not already subscribed, most services offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free streaming services without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream a wide range of live events before recovering your investment.

Of course, the important detail here is that you need to use a reputable VPN and you should always double check the legality of access in your country — but this simple process opens up a whole new world of possibilities. I've gone from a very limited selection of live sport to everything the world has to offer.

With this new hack in hand, I asked ChatGPT to list out all the live sport taking place this weekend that you can watch for free. Here are the best suggestions for this weekend:

Anyone from around the world can access these free live streams with a VPN. These tools can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can bypass geo-restrictions to access free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world.

Unblock free streaming platforms by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in location with access to live sport

4. Visit streaming service of choice

5. Live stream sport for free from anywhere in the world

The process is simple, but picking a VPN is not.

ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN, but it's not going to be for everyone (just ask my colleague). In my opinion, it's the best choice for streaming live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

In a world where everything seems to be costing more and more, I'm going to take all the help I can get.