MySQL Query with Variable Wildcards

Question

If I execute my PHP code:

$serName = $_GET['username']; // Code for sanitation here // [...] $sql = "SELECT NAME FROM PLAYERS WHERE NAME LIKE '%$serName%'"; 

I get a split error, how to use a variable in a query with wildcards on both sides?

Answer 1

correct request

 SELECT NAME FROM PLAYERS WHERE NAME LIKE '%{$serName}%' 

And you must use prepared statements

Answer 2

 $sql = "SELECT NAME FROM PLAYERS WHERE NAME LIKE '%" .$serName. "%'";