Rebekah Vardy – Wife of Jamie Vardy – has trained to become a referee ahead of the World Cup thanks to BetBright.

Link to download the video here – https://we.tl/zlViZMHOoK 

There’s no English ref at the tournament and VAR will be used for the first time. So BetBright have got Rebekah on board who will be making all the VAR decisions for us.

The move comes after it was confirmed that, for the first time in 80 years, there will be no English referee at the tournament and that the VAR system (video assistant referee) will be extensively used.

Rebekah was put through her paces by Mark before being tested on her knowledge by reviewing some of the most contentious decisions in World Cup history, which she passed with flying colours.

As BetBright’s official VAR expert Rebekah will now give VAR decisions, as and when they happen during the tournament, on the bookmaker’s Twitter and Facebook channels.

Rebekah Vardy said: “Growing up with my Dad shouting at the telly when a referee made a bad decision has definitely influenced me, I know when to voice my opinion! However, getting a crash course in VAR has given me some real expertise in calling out decisions in a split second.

“I know players and managers alike have vented their frustration at VAR before, especially following the England versus Italy friendly back in March, when a VAR-awarded penalty cost England a win with only five minutes left. Now, with my new-found knowledge on VAR, I know that during the World Cup, when I shout out my decision it will be the correct one!”

Mark Halsey, The Ref Online Senior Referee Coach, said: “Rebekah was fantastic, she took on all the information and tips and impressed me with how well she controlled the players on the pitch.

“After reviewing some contentious decisions from previous tournaments, she used her knowledge to good effect and gave the correct call when tested.”

“We’re thrilled to have Rebekah on board for the summer,” said Sarne Lightman, Managing Director of BetBright.

“At Betbright we pride ourselves on our unique sports betting product and are always looking for ways to reflect that in our content. During a World Cup where most Sportsbooks will have the usual rota of football pundits all writing the same basic content, Rebekah will bring a fresh and fun perspective to VAR decisions for our customers.

“Rebekah has soaked up all the tips from Mark and is ready for her VAR calls, as and when they happen during the tournament, across our Twitter and Facebook pages.”

BetBright is offering a £50 bonus for players who sign up with a £20 deposit this summer. https://www.betbright.com/promo-cards/card/deposit-ps20-play-with-ps70

BetBright has launched its biggest ever prize fund promotion ahead of the 2018 football World Cup, giving customers the chance to win £10,000,000 (GBP) by accurately predicting the first goal scorer, correct score and the time of the 1st goal of the World Cup Final.