ZENIT API

Modern sports APIs have become an essential tool for companies operating in the fields of betting, analytics, and sports media. They allow for the automatic retrieval of up-to-date data on matches, odds, and statistics, saving time and ensuring high accuracy of information. One such solution is the ZENIT API. However, when compared to API-sport it becomes evident that the latter offers broader capabilities and flexibility.

Who benefits from such services?

  • application and website developers;

  • betting platforms and odds scanners;

  • sports media and fan services;

  • analysts and forecasters.

What are sports APIs and the features of API-sport?

API (Application Programming Interface) is an interface that allows programs to exchange data. In the sports industry, APIs provide access to match schedules, results, player statistics, and real-time odds.

API-sport — one of the most popular platforms on the market. It has established itself due to:

  • dozens of supported sports (football, hockey, tennis, basketball, esports, etc.);

  • access to live data, archives, and extensive statistics;

  • high update speed and stable performance;

  • the availability of SDK, ready documentation, and flexible pricing.

Compared to other services, API-sport stands out for its scalability and focus on integration — it is equally convenient for beginners and large companies.

ZENIT API

ZENIT API is primarily used for calculating odds, bets, and outcomes. Among the available data:

  • real-time match results;

  • lines and odds;

  • team lineups and player statistics;

  • transfers and additional events.

Supported sports

ZENIT API covers popular disciplines:

  • football, hockey, tennis, basketball;

  • a number of others, including esports.
    However, the list is significantly narrower compared to API-sport.

Technologies and formats

The ZENIT API interface supports REST and WebSocket, works with JSON and XML. These are standard solutions, but API-sport has implemented more convenient formats and extended connection methods.

How to access the API?

To start working with any sports API, including ZENIT or API-sport, the first step is to register on the official provider’s website. After creating an account, the user receives a personal API key — a unique identifier that the system uses to track and authorize requests. Without a key, access to the data is impossible.

Next, it is necessary to choose a tariff plan. In ZENIT API, tariffs are generally limited in the number of requests and the set of available data. The higher the tariff, the broader the coverage of disciplines and the faster the updates. API-sport The situation is similar, but the tariff grid is more flexible: both basic free options and professional packages for large projects are available.

10. RapidAPI, SportRadar, and other platforms provide access to BetsAPI and Livescore API through their channels. This is convenient for developers who need ready-made integrations and reliable SLAs.

In addition to official websites, ZENIT API data can be found at third-party aggregators — for example, RapidAPI or SportRadar. These services are convenient because they allow you to connect several APIs in one project without spending time on separate integrations. However, there are also downsides:

  • the update speed is lower than with direct connection;

  • the functionality is usually limited (some sports or statistics may be unavailable);

  • the tariffs of third-party services are often more expensive for large volumes of requests.

API-sport is also represented by third-party aggregators, but official access through the developer’s website always provides maximum speed and a full set of features.

12. Free plans usually include limited access to historical data and basic statistics. Paid subscriptions unlock:

The ability to test the service without investments is especially important for novice developers. ZENIT API provides a minimal free package, most often limited in the number of requests and the number of supported sports. For full-fledged work, it will be necessary to connect paid tariffs.

API-sport in this regard, it is more advantageous. Even the free tariff opens access to a large amount of data, including live results, statistics, and basic analytics. For extended use, inexpensive subscriptions are available that can be easily scaled to the needs of the project. This makes API-sport more attractive for both startups and large companies.

17. Number of requests per minute/hour

Any sports API imposes restrictions to control the load on the servers. Usually, they concern:

  • the number of requests per minute or per day;

  • the depth of history and the volume of statistics;

  • the speed of updating live data.

In ZENIT API, the limits are noticeably stricter: even on paid tariffs, the number of requests is limited, and updates may come with a delay. For high-load projects (such as odds scanners or live analytics), this becomes a problem.

В API-sport the limits are more flexible and depend on the chosen tariff. If necessary, it is possible to quickly switch to a higher plan and get more requests and faster-updated data. This approach allows companies to scale their projects without unnecessary difficulties.

API Integration

Connection examples

The API can be connected through standard languages:

  • Python: use the requests or aiohttp libraries;

import requests

API_KEY = «YOUR_API_KEY»
BASE_URL = «https://api.sportdataapi.com/v1/soccer/matches»

params = {
«apikey»: API_KEY,
«season_id»: 352,
«date_from»: «2025-09-01»,
«date_to»: «2025-09-30″
}

response = requests.get(BASE_URL, params=params)

if response.status_code == 200:
data = response.json()
for match in data[‘data’]:
print(f»{match[‘home_team’][‘name’]} vs {match[‘away_team’][‘name’]} — {match[‘status’]}»)
else:
print(«Error:», response.status_code)

  • JavaScript: via fetch or axios.

const API_KEY = «YOUR_API_KEY»;
const BASE_URL = «https://api.sportdataapi.com/v1/soccer/matches»;

асинхронная функция getMatches() {
const url = `${BASE_URL}?apikey=${API_KEY}&season_id=352&date_from=2025-09-01&date_to=2025-09-30`;

try {
const response = await fetch(url);
const data = await response.json();

data.data.forEach(match => {
console.log(`${match.home_team.name} vs ${match.away_team.name} — ${match.status}`);
});
} catch (error) {
console.error(«Request error:», error);
}
}

getMatches();

Integration into CMS and applications

ZENIT API is more difficult to integrate into CMS and mobile applications. API-sport has detailed instructions and ready-made plugins for WordPress, Android, and iOS.

Live data via WebSocket

In API-sport, WebSocket works stably, allowing real-time updates without delays. In ZENIT, however, updates are often slower, which is critical for betting.

Where is it used?

APIs are in demand in various fields:

  • Betting and odds scanners — for calculating and comparing lines;

  • Analytics and forecasts — based on player and match statistics;

  • Media and fan services – for broadcasts and live updates;

  • Fantasy Sports and esports – for game modeling;

  • BI systems and Big Data – for analyzing large amounts of sports data.

Advantages and disadvantages

ZENIT API:

  • Pros: direct access to odds, data on popular sports.

  • Cons: limited coverage of disciplines, lower update speed, fewer integration opportunities.

API-sport:

  • Pros: dozens of sports, high speed, flexible integration, SDK, documentation.

  • Cons: professional rates can be expensive, but this is offset by the volume of data.

Alternatives to sports APIs

In addition to ZENIT and API-sport, there are solutions from SportRadar, Betfair, RapidAPI, and others. They are suitable for specific tasks, such as narrow-focused analytics or integration into proprietary betting platforms. However, in terms of universality and convenience API-sport it confidently outpaces competitors.

In summary

The ZENIT API can be called a working tool for obtaining odds and results, but it is limited in sports, speed, and scalability. While API-sport provides dozens of disciplines, stable live data, flexible integration, and ready-made SDKs. This makes it a more advantageous choice for developers, analysts, and betting platforms.

👉 You can register via the link: https://app.api-sport.ru/register

👉 Our Telegram channel with updates: https://t.me/apisportru.

FAQ

Is there free access to ZENIT API and API-sport?
Yes, but API-sport provides more data on the free plan.

What sports are supported?
ZENIT API – only major disciplines. API-sport – dozens of sports, including esports and rare leagues.

Can the API be used for betting?
Yes, both services are suitable, but API-sport is more advantageous due to update speed.

How to connect the API to the application?
Use the API key, connect it via Python, JS, or mobile SDKs. API-sport has more detailed documentation.

Can the API be used for predictions?
Yes, especially API-sport, which provides extended statistics and historical data.

Are there limits on requests?
Yes, but API-sport has more flexible and scalable limits.

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