Premier League VAR Checks Drive £10,000 Donation

Bally Bet Turns Match Moments into Life-Saving Reminders

VAR checks took on added meaning across this weekend’s Premier League action, as Bally Bet turned each intervention into a moment that could help save lives.

As part of its ‘Check Your Bally’s’ awareness drive for Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, Bally Bet used those familiar pauses in play to remind fans to check themselves off the pitch.

From a VAR check that kept Gabriel on the pitch during Arsenal’s top of the table clash against Manchester City, to a review that saw Everton denied a penalty in the Merseyside derby after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall went down in the box, the weekend’s key interventions played their part in turning on-pitch decisions into meaningful impact off it.

Across the weekend, those moments helped drive a £10,000 donation from Bally Bet to The OddBalls Foundation, supporting their work in raising awareness and encouraging men to take action on their health.

‘Check Your Bally’s’ linked VAR, one of football’s most talked-about features with an important message: a quick, regular check can make all the difference. Linking the idea of checking on the pitch with the importance of checking yourself off it. Around 2,400 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year in the UK, but with early detection leading to a survival rate of over 95%, building that habit is vital.

Former Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa midfielder Henri Lansbury, who previously battled testicular cancer, said: “VAR checks are something every player and fan notices during a game. You’re always waiting to see the outcome. This campaign is a great way of using those moments to remind people to check themselves too. It’s quick, it’s simple, and it can genuinely save lives. To see it also result in a £10,000 donation is brilliant and shows the impact it can have.”

Kieran Kelly, Managing Director of The OddBalls Foundation, added: “Every VAR check this weekend represented more than just a decision in football. It was a chance to prompt action and raise awareness. By turning those moments into meaningful support, Bally Bet has helped us continue delivering vital education and encouraging more men to take that simple but important step.”

The ‘Check Your Bally’s’ awareness drive included a matchday takeover at Nottingham Forest vs Burnley, delivering the message across stadium LEDs, big screens and the matchday programme. 

Thousands of fans interacted on the day, with The OddBalls Foundation’s OddPod on site at the City Ground, giving fans the opportunity to chat to trained professionals, raising further awareness on just how to check. 

By tapping into the natural rhythms of football, Bally Bet is encouraging fans to make checking themselves just as routine as checking a scoreline or waiting on a VAR decision.

Because while the game may pause for a check, it only takes 30 seconds to do the same.