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    Spain 5 France 4: Lamine Yamal stakes Ballon d’Or claim to set up Ronaldo clash as Spaniards see off epic late fightback

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    LAMINE YAMAL won the Battle of the Ballon d’Or as Spain sneaked into the Nations League final after a nine-goal thriller against France.All eyes in Stuttgart were on the mouthwatering duel between La Roja sensation Yamal, 17, and Les Bleus star Ousmane Dembele, 28.Lamine Yamal won the battle of the Ballon d’OrCredit: GettySpain survived a late comeback against France to get into their third Uefa Nations League final in a rowCredit: EPAOusmane Dembele blanked on a potentially crucial night for Ballon d’Or judgementCredit: AFPThe win sets up a final clash with Cristiano Ronaldo and PortugalCredit: Shutterstock EditorialBoth are in with a shout of winning the Ballon d’Or in three months time with 51 club goals in all competitions between them for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain this term.Yet it was the Barca teenage superstar who grabbed the headlines with a stunning second-half double – now with 48 goal contributions in 57 games for club and country this campaign – alongside impressive strikes from Nico Williams, Mikel Merino and Pedri.Kylian Mbappe netted a 59th-minute spot-kick and a late comeback looked on the cards thanks to debutant Rayan Cherki’s 79th-minute attempt, an 84th-minute Daniel Vivian own goal and Randal Kolo Muani’s injury-time header.But Spain held on, facing Portugal in Munich on Sunday – their third Nations League final on the spin – and sets up a clash between Yamal and Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt also extends their unbeaten competitive run to 24 games, last losing in March 2023 – their longest streak for 15 years, back when they were world champions.France, meanwhile, were woeful, despite a fine attacking quartet of PSG Champions League-winning pair Dembele and Desire Doue alongside Real Madrid’s Mbappe and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.Both Yamal and Dembele were lively early on before Williams stung the roof of the net in the 22nd minute from a cute pass by Mikel Oyarzabal.Three minutes later, Oyarzabal was at the heart of things again as a one-two put Arsenal’s Merino through and he slotted past Chelsea target Mike Maignan.Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKIt could have been 3-0 before the break but for Dean Huijsen’s volley being ruled out for offside. Yamal added the third in the 54th minute, hauled down by Adrien Rabiot in the box.I sold Lamine Yamal trading card for life changing amount – my wife doesn’t think it’s a silly hobby nowAnother Barca starlet Pedri, 22, made it four less than a minute later with a dink over Maignan as Didier Deschamps’ men crumbled.Mbappe converted from the spot in the 59th minute following a tangle with Tottenham’s Pedro Porro, but it was short-lived thanks to a world-class finish from a tight angle by Yamal in the 67th minute – his sixth goal in 20 Spain caps. More

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      ‘No chance now’ – Arsenal fans terrified Arteta will scrap striker transfer chase after Nations League semi-final

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      ARSENAL fans are worried that Mikel Arteta could call off their striker search this summer after Mikel Merino continued his fine form in front of goal.Merino, 28, scored once again as he helped Spain reach the Nations League final with an astonishing 5-4 victory over France.Mikel Merino continued his goalscoring formCredit: GettyMerino tucked away a delightful weak-footed finish as Spain ran riot over France in the Nations LeagueCredit: ReutersThe Gunners are crying out for a centre-forward this summer and reports suggest that they will be bringing in a new frontman over the coming months.Arteta’s injury ravaged side forced him to put central midfielder Merino up top for the latter stages of the season.And the former Real Sociedad star, who had never played as a striker before, took the opportunity with both hands – scoring seven goals and registering four assists from February onwards.Now Merino has continued that form with Spain, scoring with a delightful finish on his week foot to help his nation to a dramatic win over France on Thursday night.READ MORE ON ARSENALAs well taken as the goal was, Arsenal fans have been left concerned by the performance – worrying Mikel Arteta will ditch his plans to sign one of Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres in favour of using Merino.On social media, one wrote: “Merino scoring again for Spain. Yeah there’s no chance Arteta buys a striker this summer…”While another added: “I’m happy Merino is scoring… but then again, I don’t want Arteta to start getting any ideas”.A third joked: “What is Mikel Merino doing? Now Mikel Arteta won’t buy a striker.”Most read in FootballMikel Arteta is looking for a new striker for the Gunners this summerCredit: AFPMerino had a superb end to the campaign as a striker for ArsenalJoin SUN CLUB for the Arsenal Files every Friday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from The EmiratesAnd a fourth posted: “Who needs Gyokeres?”Reports have suggested that one of Sesko or Gyokeres will be Emirates bound come the end of the summer window.Ex-Arsenal starlet jailed over plot to smuggle £600k of cannabis into UKAs for Merino’s contribution to Spain, he was one of four different scorers for the European champions in a crazy semi-final.A Lamine Yamal brace, and goals from Pedri and Nico Williams piled misery on France who put up a late comeback, but still fell short of Spain’s class.Real Madrid newbie Dean Huijsen was almost on the scoresheet too, but saw his spectacular acrobatic effort ruled out for offside – robbing the 20-year-old of a memorable first goal for the national team.France managed to force a Dani Vivian own goal, a Kylian Mbappe penalty and a jaw-dropping long-range debut goal from Man City-bound Rayan Cherki.While Randal Kolo Muani made it 5-4 in injury time, but it wasn’t enough to undo the damage caused by Spain earlier in the game.Spain will now face Portugal in the Nations League final on Sunday.That match, hosted at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena, will see a match up of the past vs the future when Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, and Lamine Yamal, 17, face off for the first ever time.Nico Williams opened the scoring for SpainCredit: GettyPedri was also on the scoresheetCredit: ReutersLamine Yamal bagged a brace for SpainCredit: AFPKylian Mbappe converted from the spot for FranceCredit: AFPRayan Cherki scored a stunning long-range effort on his debut for the French national teamCredit: Reuters More

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      Finland women accidentally call up long-retired 51-YEAR-OLD for international clash with 23-year-old pro now banned

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      FINLAND accidentally called up a retired 51-YEAR-OLD for international duty. And it meant her namesake missed out on a crucial Nations League match.Nanne Ruuskanen was supposed to be named in the Finland team for the Nations LeagueCredit: AlamyInstead the Finland manager named her 51-year-old namesake who last played for her country 29 years agoCredit: AlamyFinland women’s manager Outi Saarinen apologised for the incredible blunder.Saarinen named Stina Ruuskanen in the squad for Finland’s clash with Serbia.However, Ruuskanen was born in 1974 and has long been retired.Instead, she was supposed to include her namesake Nanne Ruuskanen – a 23-year-old defender who plays for Djurgarden. READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe pair are not related.But with the error not spotted until after the team sheet deadline, it was too late to make the change – meaning Nanne could not play in the 1-1 draw, one of Finland’s last matches before Euro 2025. Stina earned two caps for Finland in the 1990s – with the latter coming a whopping 29 years ago.That is why she was on Uefa’s database system, leading to the clerical error – forcing Nanne to wait to make her senior national team debut. Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSStina took it well and joked to Finnish reporters: “It’s amazing to still be called up to the national team at this age. “It’s a must-win match tonight so that’s probably why I’ve been selected.Germany vs Portugal Nations League clash DELAYED as players are forced to protect themselves from hailstones”I’m definitely ready if the call comes.”Just yesterday I was playing in a hobby league match… so my game feel is good.”Saarinen, meanwhile, expressed her sincere regret over the unfortunate incident. She said: “Nanne was, of course, disappointed but took the news very well considering the circumstances.”I am very sorry for the mistake.” More

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      Major security breach as Cristiano Ronaldo is grabbed by pitch invader before guards are forced to intervene

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO was grabbed by a pitch invader amid a shocking security breach at the Nations League semi-final.Desperate stewards scrambled to intervene when a fan got on the pitch as Portugal’s eventual matchwinner warmed up to take on Germany.A determined fan got all the way out to Cristiano RonaldoRonaldo appeared shocked at first but then acted to calm the situationThe intruder was eventually restrained by four menRonaldo had the last laugh with the winner against GermanyCredit: ReutersRonaldo at first looked stunned when the intruder got his hands round him at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena.The young male supporter was then held back by two people.And another security staff member rushed in to help keep the fan away from the 40-year-old legend.At the same time, a now-calm Ron put his arm out towards the man, as if to settle the situation down even further. READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe fan was then tackled to the ground by FOUR stewards before being led away.It was at the same venue where Paris Saint-Germain fans swarmed on after Saturday’s 5-0 Champions League final victory over Inter Milan.Security staff failed to stop that invasion, with supporters ripping out chunks of the turf as souvenirs and tearing down goal-frames. Wednesday’s intrusion came after the start of the international had been held up for 10 minutes due to a sudden hailstorm marring visibility.Most read in FootballViewers might have been shocked to see the fan get this close to RonBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKUefa said in a statement: “Kick-off delayed due to adverse weather conditions affecting the warm-up of the teams.”Ronaldo was in the Portugal line-up alongside Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, who has just rejected a £200million move to Al-Hilal.Bruno Fernandes matches Cristiano Ronaldo record as he wins Man Utd award – but admits he DOESN’T want itAnd ex-Old Trafford hero Ron, didn’t seem too affected by his pre-match disturbance.He was involved in a few of Portugal’s most dangerous moments during a patchy and goalless first period, although he was not as sharp as he would have liked.But he was then the second-half hero, slotting a 68th-minute winner after Francisco Conceicao cancelled out German midfielder Florian Wirtz’s opener. Club-wise, however, Ronaldo’s future is uncertain.Al-Nassr still hope to keep the five-time Ballon d’Or winner – despite interest from major team in the Club World Cup.Ronaldo looked on as the supporter was led awayHe later slotted his 137th international goal to sink GermanyCredit: Reuters More

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      ‘Game’s gone’ – Fuming fans just realising how much it costs to watch Nations League even if they pay for Prime Video

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      FOOTBALL fans have been left fuming after realising how much they will need to pay to watch the Uefa Nations League.Fans would have hoped to tune in tonight to watch Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal take on Florian Wirtz’s Germany in the first of the Nations League semi-finals tonight.Fans are only just realising what they have to pay in order to watch the Nations League semi-finalsCristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal face off against Leroy Sane’s Germany in the first gameCredit: GettyHowever, broadcaster Amazon Prime Video Sport had a nasty surprise for any fan wanting to watch.That is because even Prime subscribers – who pay £95 per year or £8.99 a month – have to pay extra to tune in.Amazon announced in March that viewers would be able to watch Nations League games from £2.49, and they could be viewed without a subscription.But coming to the matches this week, fans were left furious to learn the pay-per-view policy was active, even if you already had a subscription to the streaming platform.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLTaking to social media, one fan said: “Btw that Germany game being on Amazon prime pay per view for £2.49 even when you have prime is a f***ing scam.”A second said: “Amazon Prime charging £2.49 per game to watch Nations League and WC qualifiers loool we are so so cooked.”A third added: “I can watch it on a stream but the fact Amazon Prime is charging £2.49 to watch a Nations League match is absurd.”Another said: “£3 pay per view to watch the Nations League on Amazon Prime, a platform you already have to pay for. Games gone,” alongside an edited picture of Sean Dyche saying “Utter woke nonsense”.Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKA fifth said: “Ridiculous charging £2.49 to watch Nations League football! Especially when I already pay for Amazon Prime.”A sixth added: “Sorry why are Amazon charging £2.49 to watch Germany v Portugal in the Nations League when I’ve got Amazon Prime? What a scam.” More

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      Germany vs Portugal Nations League clash DELAYED as players are forced to protect themselves from hailstones

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      THE NATIONS LEAGUE semi-final clash between Germany and Portugal was delayed by 10 minutes due to a HAILSTORM in Munich.The situation became so unbearable that players had to protect themselves.The Nations League semi-final clash between Germany and Portugal had to be delayed by 10 minutesPlayers had to protect themselves from hailstonesPlayers were overwhelmed by the weather conditionsUEFA warned match goers of possible thunderstormsThat match was initially expected to start at 8pm in Germany.But Cristiano Ronaldo and Co instead kicked off at ten past after ducking for cover.Earlier in the day, Uefa warned match goers of possible thunderstorms in the Bavarian capital forecast.Around an hour before the originally scheduled kick-off time, a storm swept across northern Munich.Read More on FootballAnd it lashed the stadium with rain, leaving the arena grass carpeted in hailstones.Goalkeepers from both sides had begun their warm-up when the storm hit.And the players ran for cover as the conditions got too much to handle.Nevertheless, the weather eased up soon after and the two teams took to the field.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSPortugal went on to win 2-1 after Liverpool target Florian Wirtz’s opener was cancelled out by Francisco Conceicao’s equaliser before Ronaldo’s winner.Roberto Martinez’s side is now set to take on either Spain or France on Sunday’s Nations League final.England boss Thomas Tuchel explains Ivan Toney recallWhereas Julian Nagelsmann’s side will face the other semi-final’s defeated team in the third–place play-off that same day.The storm lashed the stadium with rainThe storm left the arena grass carpeted in hailstonesGoalkeepers from both sides had to interrupt their pre-match warm-up More

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      Spain vs France: Get £60 in football free bets and bonuses with William Hill

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      SPAIN and France are both in yet another Nations League semi final, with the pair battling it out for a place in Sunday’s final.And brand new William Hill customers who register an account and stake a tenner will be rewarded with a colossal £60 in free bets and bonuses to spend on football!Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereHow to claim..William Hill £60 bonusVisit the William Hill website on your mobile device HERE*Register a new account and deposit a minimum of £10 using the Promo Code: T60Place a bet of at least £10 from your main balance on football on the William Hill Sportsbook at odds of 1/2 or greaterAfter settlement – win or lose – William Hill will credit your account with £60 in free bets and bonusesWilliam Hill: Claim your £60 bonus – click here*Not got a William Hill account? No problem!It’s really easy to register an account and you can get your hands on that generous £60 in free bets and bonuses to spend on the footy!Simply register a new account and deposit a minimum of £10 using the Promo Code: T60After that, stake at least £10 from your main balance on football on the William Hill Sportsbook at odds of 1/2 or greater.After settlement — win or lose — William Hill will credit your account with £60 in free bets and bonuses to spend on football and in the casino!Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressedGamcare – gamcare.org.ukGambleAware – GambleAware.orgRead our guide on responsible gambling practices.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.*18+. Play Safe. New players only, using promo code T60. Valid from 13/04/2022. Online play. Get £60 Bonus split between Vegas & Sports in the following manner – (i) Deposit £10 to unlock £20 Vegas Free Bet on Selected Games (72hr expiry, wagering reqs apply); then (ii) bet £10+ (odds 1/2+) with cash (excl. £10 deposit) or Vegas winnings (after wager reqs met). Once settled, receive £40 Sports Free Bets excluding Virtual Markets (4x £10, 7 days expiry). Payment methods & country restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. More

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      Spain vs France: Get £50 in Nations League free bets with Betfred

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      SPAIN and France meet in Germany this Thursday to battle it out for a spot in the Nations League final.New Betfred customers can claim a whopping £50 in free bets and bonuses when they sign-up and stake a tenner on the semi final showdown!Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereSpain vs France: Get £50 free bets HERE*How to claim..Betfred welcome offerVisit the Betfred website HERE*Register an account using the Promo Code: BETFRED50Deposit £10 using a Debit CardPlace your first bet of £10 or more on any qualifying Sportsbook markets, at odds of Evens or greaterOnce that bet has settled, Betfred will credit your account with £50 in Free BetsBetfred: Get your £50 in free bets – Claim here*Spain vs France: Get £50 free bets HERE*New to Betfred? Then you can claim this incredible offer.Simply visit the Betfred website using this link HERE* and register a new account using the Promo Code: BETFRED50Then you just need to deposit and stake £10 on any football market at odds of Evens or greater.When that first bet has settled — win or lose — Betfred will credit your account with the following free bets;3 x £10 to use on any Sportsbook Markets2 x £10 to use on Accumulators (4+ selections)Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressedGamcare – gamcare.org.ukGambleAware – GambleAware.orgRead our guide on responsible gambling practices.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.*Betfred. New customers only. Register (excl 05/04/25), deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. More

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      Spain vs France prediction: Free betting tips and Nations League semi final preview

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      THE final stages of the Nations League take place this week with European heavyweight Spain and France meeting in the semi final on Thursday.SunSport have enlisted the help of their betting experts to preview the game and select the best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses from our leading betting partners.Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereNew sign-up offersSunSport exclusiveSpain vs France previewThese two sides have been here and done it all before as they look to book a spot in Sunday’s final.This is the third running of this competition and both Spain and France have won this competition before.Indeed, one of these sides will be competing on Sunday to become the most successful Nations League side of all time…It’s a re-run of the 2020-21 final, though both sides look a little different to what they did then.Spain’s last competitive defeat came in a 2-0 loss at Hampden when losing to Scotland back on March 28, 2023!They’ve since won the Euros and lost only one friendly against Colombia since then, while bringing through an incredible group of youngsters.They also beat the French in the semi finals of that Euros win last year.France battled back from a 2-0 first leg defeat to Croatia to win the play-off in penalties to reach this point.It’s being built as Lamine Yamal vs Kylian Mbappe – and it’s probably true that the winner of this tie will receive a big helping hand from either of those two.First scorer and correct score predictionsCorrect score: 2-1 at 17/2 with Betfred – HEREFirst scorer: Lamine Yamal 12/1 with talkSPORT BET – HERESpain vs France latest oddsOdds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.How to claim..William Hill £60 welcome bonusVisit the William Hill website HERE*Register an account using the Promo Code: T60Once your account is registered, click ‘opt in’ on the ‘Vegas Promotion’ pageDeposit a minimum of £10 in your main account to receive a £20 Vegas Bonus for use on Selected GamesThen place a bet with a minimum stake of £10 at odds of 1/2 or greater on any football marketOnce that’s settled, your account will be credited with £40 in free betsWilliam Hill: Claim £60 welcome bonus – click here*Spain vs France predictionDan the manDani Olmo is battling with a few Spanish midfield stars to get a start here.The Barcelona man scored in his side’s final league game of a title winning season at Bilbao.His last Spain goal also came in that semi final victory over France too. If he starts, this look good value.Dani Olmo to score anytime at 13/5 with William Hill – CLAIM HERE*Midnite. 18+ New UK customers. Bet £10 on accas with 4+ legs, min odds 3/1 (4.0). Get 4x £5 Free Bets and 50 Free Spins, valid for 7 days on selected bets and games only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org*William Hill. 18+. Play Safe. New players only, using promo code T60. Valid from 13/04/2022. Online play. Get £60 Bonus split between Vegas & Sports in the following manner – (i) Deposit £10 to unlock £20 Vegas Free Bet on Selected Games (72hr expiry, wagering reqs apply); then (ii) bet £10+ (odds 1/2+) with cash (excl. £10 deposit) or Vegas winnings (after wager reqs met). Once settled, receive £40 Sports Free Bets excluding Virtual Markets (4x £10, 7 days expiry). Payment methods & country restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply.*Betfred. New customers only. Register (excl 05/04/25), deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.*Parimatch. 18+ New Customers Only. Opt in and bet £10 on football (odds 2.00+) within 7 days. No cash-out. Get 4x£5 Free Bets for set markets and a £10 Slot Bonus for Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, to withdraw max £250. Rewards expire in 20 days. Scroll down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly *BetMGM. New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware.org.*talkSPORT BET. 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet up to £40 (min. £20) on any football market at odds of 2.00+, in 7 days. Get up to £40 in free bets on selected markets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply, see below. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly*Tote. New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. One welcome offer per customer. Bet a minimum of £/€10 at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £/€10 Win + £/€10 Place) within 7 days of registration to qualify. Receive £/€20 Tote Credit, £/€10 sports Free Bet and 20 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool or sports bet added to the bet slip. 7-day expiry. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org.Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressedGamcare – gamcare.org.ukGambleAware – GambleAware.orgRead our guide on responsible gambling practices.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites. More