In the modern world, sports data has become an important part not only for fans but also for professionals: developers, betting platforms, analysts, and media. With their help, forecasts, analytics, mobile applications, and sports betting are created.
Sports APIs solve a key task: they allow for the automation of collecting and processing information about matches, players, and tournaments. Instead of manually tracking results, team lineups, and statistics, developers gain direct access to up-to-date data.
Among the many services on the market, particularly stands out API-sport — a platform that provides a wide range of real-time sports information and archival data. It is useful for developers, betting platforms, sports media, and analysts who want to create their own products based on accurate and fresh data.
What is API-sport?
API (Application Programming Interface) is an interface that allows applications to interact with each other. In the sports field, the API provides access to data about matches, player statistics, odds, and transfers.
API-sport appeared as a solution for a wide range of tasks: from simply displaying match schedules to integrating live data into complex analytical systems. The platform quickly gained popularity due to its accuracy, speed of data updates, and user-friendly documentation.
Available data API-sport
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Live results: goals, cards, substitutions, and scores in real time.
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Player and team statistics: matches, goals, assists, efficiency.
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Archival data: results of past seasons, tournament history.
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Odds and transfers: updates on bookmaker lines and information about transfers.
The feature of API-sport compared to other services is the wide coverage of disciplines, high data update speed, and the ability to use SDK for quick integration of the API into applications.
Football API
Football API allows you to obtain detailed information for calculating bets, analysis, and forecasts:
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Match results
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Odds from bookmakers
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Team lineups
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Player statistics
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Information about transfers
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Tournament history
Supported sports
In addition to football, many services include:
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Hockey
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Basketball
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Tennis
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Esports
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Rugby, volleyball, and others
However API-sport provides a significantly wider selection of disciplines and tournament leagues, including rare and regional competitions.
Technologies and formats
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REST API — for standard requests
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WebSocket — for live data
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JSON and XML — popular formats for data transmission
Using WebSocket in API-sport allows for instant updates without the need to poll the server repeatedly.
How to access the API?
Working with any sports API requires an understanding of how data access is structured, what pricing tiers exist, and what limitations may apply. Let’s take a closer look at API-sport as an example.
Official access
Official access to API-sport involves direct registration on the platform and obtaining all necessary permissions to work with the data:
- Registration on the platform
To get started, you need to create an account on the API-sport website. Registration takes just a few minutes: you only need to provide an email, password, and confirm your account via email. - Obtaining a personal API key
After registration, the user is issued a unique API key. This key is your “identification” when making requests to the server. It is necessary for the platform to know who is making the requests and to track limits and activity. - Choosing the right pricing tier
API-sport offers several tariff plans depending on the tasks:
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Basic tariff — for testing and small projects, access to basic data and a limited number of requests.
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Advanced tariff — includes live results, extended statistics, access to archives and bookmaker odds.
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Corporate tariff — for large projects with high request limits and technical support.
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The advantage of official access is that you receive the most up-to-date and accurate data, as well as support and documentation from the platform itself.
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 connection, API-sport data can be obtained through aggregators and third-party platforms:
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RapidAPI — offers a convenient interface for working with multiple APIs simultaneously.
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SportRadar — one of the major providers of sports data for bookmakers and media.
Therefore, for serious projects, it is better to use official access.
12. Free plans usually include limited access to historical data and basic statistics. Paid subscriptions unlock:
Free access allows newcomers and small developers:
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a limited number of requests per day or per minute,
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access to basic data (for example, match schedules and results).
Paid plans unlock full functionality:
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live scores and real-time updates,
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detailed statistics of players and teams,
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odds from bookmakers,
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archival data and match history.
The choice of plan depends on the tasks: a free option is suitable for a small application with basic statistics, while a paid one is for analytics and betting.
17. Number of requests per minute/hour
Even with official access, there are technical limitations to ensure the server can handle the load:
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Number of requests — for example, 1000 requests per hour on the basic plan;
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Data update speed — for live data this is critical, so plans with high update frequency are more expensive;
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Restrictions on the use of live broadcasts — some data is only available to paid users.
API-sport stands out by having limits that are flexibly adjustable depending on the plan, allowing large projects to receive a large amount of data without interruptions.
API Integration
Connection examples
Python:
import requests
url = «https://api-sport.pro/v1/football/matches»
headers = {«X-Api-Key»: «YOUR_KEY»}
response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
print(response.json())
JavaScript:
fetch(«https://api-sport.pro/v1/football/matches», {
headers: { «X-Api-Key»: «YOUR_KEY» }
})
.then(res => res.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));
Integration into CMS and mobile applications
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WordPress: plugins for displaying match schedules and results
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Android/iOS: connection via REST or WebSocket for live updates
Using live data via WebSocket
WebSocket allows for instant updates without constant polling of the server. This saves resources and makes applications more responsive, especially for live betting and analytics.
Where is it used?
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Betting and odds scanners: automatic calculation of odds and line updates
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Sports analytics and predictions: statistics and match history
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Media and fan applications: displaying results, tables, and reviews
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Fantasy Sports and esports: points calculation, roster management
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BI systems and Big Data projects: deep data analysis for strategies and marketing
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
One of the main advantages API-sport There is a wide coverage of disciplines. The service provides data not only for football but also for basketball, hockey, tennis, esports, and many other sports. This makes the platform a universal tool for both large analytical projects and small applications that want to cover several sports areas at once.
Another important advantage is the high speed of data updates. This is especially noticeable when working with live match results: goals, cards, substitutions, and events are recorded almost instantly. For betting platforms and prediction services, this is critical, as any delay can lead to inaccuracies in calculations and loss of user trust.
In addition, API-sport is distinguished by the accuracy and completeness of information. The platform collects data from official sources, ensuring the reliability of player statistics, team data, bookmaker odds, and tournament history. Even archival data from past seasons is presented in detail and structured, which is convenient for analysts and research projects.
Finally, developers receive an SDK and ready documentation, which significantly simplifies the integration process. The platform provides code examples in popular programming languages, connection instructions, and recommendations for optimizing work with live data.
Disadvantages
Despite the obvious advantages, there are API-sport There are also its limitations.
The subscription cost for large projects can be high. The more requests per minute or more data needs to be retrieved, the higher the rate. This can be a significant factor for startups or small teams working with a limited budget.
The limitations of the free plan should also be considered. The free version allows only a limited number of requests and provides access to basic data, without live updates and complete statistics. A paid subscription will be required for full use of the platform.
Another point is the need for basic integration skills. To correctly set up the API, handle server responses, work with WebSocket for live data, and process JSON or XML, a developer needs minimal programming knowledge and an understanding of network requests. For beginners without experience, this can be a barrier, although detailed documentation and examples greatly simplify the task.
In summary
API-sport is a modern solution for anyone working with sports data. It surpasses classic Football APIs in speed, accuracy, number of disciplines, and integration capabilities. This makes it an ideal choice for developers, analysts, and betting platforms.
Registration: https://app.api-sport.ru/register
Our TG channel with updates: https://t.me/apisportru.
FAQ
Is there free access to API-sport?
Yes, the basic plan allows for a limited number of requests with access to basic data.
What sports are supported?
Dozens of disciplines: football, basketball, hockey, tennis, esports, and more.
Is the API suitable for betting?
Yes, with live data and odds for calculating chances and forecasts.
How to connect the API to the application?
Through REST requests or WebSocket. Python, JavaScript, mobile platforms, and CMS are supported.
Can the API be used for predictions?
Yes, thanks to player statistics, match results, and bookmaker odds.
How often is the data updated?
Live data is updated instantly via WebSocket, archival information is updated as it comes in.
