Sports projects — from analytical platforms to fan applications — require reliable and fast access to statistics and match results. This is exactly the task that sports APIs solve. They allow for the automation of information collection, real-time odds updates, and predictions.
One of the most in-demand solutions on the market is API-sport, which stands out favorably against the backdrop of specialized solutions like Volleyball API. Such a tool will be useful for developers, betting platforms, sports media, and analysts who need to receive accurate data without delays.
What is API-sport?
API (Application Programming Interface) is a software interface that provides access to data and allows it to be integrated into applications or websites.
API-sport — is a universal platform that covers dozens of sports, including football, hockey, basketball, tennis, and of course, volleyball.
Key features:
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Live data with minimal delays;
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Detailed statistics of players and teams;
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Archive of historical data for analytics;
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Support for various integration formats.
The history of the platform’s development shows that API-sport has become the standard for many media and betting services. Its popularity is explained by a combination of speed, accuracy, and convenient documentation.
Volleyball API
The specialized Volleyball API usually focuses on:
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match and set results;
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bookmaker odds;
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team lineups;
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player statistics (serves, blocks, errors);
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information on transfers and tournaments.
This data is useful for calculating bets and analyzing outcomes, but the coverage is mainly limited to volleyball.
Supported sports
Unlike API-sport, the Volleyball API rarely goes beyond a single discipline. When it comes to API-sport, there are more than 15 sports available, including esports, which makes it a more versatile solution.
Technologies and formats
The Volleyball API usually operates according to REST standards and provides data in JSON or XML. However, API-sport has an additional option for connection via WebSocket, which is especially important for live data.
How to access the API?
Connection to API-sport It starts with registration on the official website of the platform. The process looks as follows:
- Creating an account – you need to provide your name, e-mail, and set a password.
- Obtaining a personal API key – after confirming the account, a unique key is issued, which is used for all requests to the service.
- Choosing a tariff plan – API-sport offers different tariffs depending on the volume of requests, supported sports, and access level to live data and archives. A free trial tariff is available for beginners, while paid subscriptions with extended features are available for professional use.
This method ensures official and secure integration, guaranteeing data relevance and support from the API-sport developers.
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 the official connection, data API-sport can be obtained through third-party aggregators:
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RapidAPI – provides access to a number of sports APIs, including API-sport, but with limitations on the volume of requests and delays in data updates;
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SportRadar – a major provider of sports statistics, sometimes duplicating API-sport data, but with limited functionality and a complex tariff structure.
Using third-party providers can be convenient for testing or integration into small projects, but for professional work with live data and historical statistics, it is better to use official access.
12. Free plans usually include limited access to historical data and basic statistics. Paid subscriptions unlock:
API-sport offers a flexible tariff system:
Free plan – suitable for testing and small projects. Includes a limited number of requests per day and limited access to archive and live data.
Paid plans – unlock full functionality:
- unlimited number of requests;
- access to all sports and tournaments;
- live data in real time;
- extended statistics archives.
The choice of tariff depends on the project’s goals: for betting and analytics, it is recommended to immediately connect a paid subscription to avoid limitations when processing large volumes of data.
17. Number of requests per minute/hour
Even with a paid subscription, it is worth considering:
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Number of requests – on free plans, the limit is fixed, and exceeding it may lead to a temporary block of the key;
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Update speed – free plans are updated less frequently, making them unsuitable for live analyses;
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Additional limits – the number of simultaneously connected WebSocket sessions or the depth of archived data.
Paid plans remove most of these restrictions, which is especially important for high-traffic projects, real-time betting, and large data analytics.
API Integration
Connection examples
Python
To work with API-sport in Python, it is convenient to use the library requests. Below is an example request to get information about volleyball matches:
import requests
# Your personal API key
API_KEY = «YOUR_API_KEY»
# API-sport request URL for volleyball
url = «https://api-sport.pro/volleyball/matches»
# Request parameters (e.g., tournament, date)
params = {
«league»: «1», # League ID
«season»: «2025», # Season
}
# Headers, including authorization
headers = {
«X-API-Key»: API_KEY
}
# Performing a GET request
response = requests.get(url, headers=headers, params=params)
# Checking the success of the request
if response.status_code == 200:
data = response.json()
print(«List of volleyball matches:»)
for match in data[‘matches’]:
print(f»{match[‘home_team’]} vs {match[‘away_team’]} — {match[‘score’]}»)
else:
print(«Request error:», response.status_code)
What the code does:
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Connects to API-sport via REST;
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Passes the authorization key;
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Gets the list of matches with results;
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Outputs them to the console.
JavaScript (Браузер / Node.js)
For web projects or Node.js, you can use получить. Example of getting information about matches:
const API_KEY = «YOUR_API_KEY»;
// URL and request parameters
const url = «https://api-sport.pro/volleyball/matches?league=1&season=2025»;
// Headers with the key
const headers = {
«X-API-Key»: API_KEY
};
// Function to request data
async function getVolleyballMatches() {
try {
const response = await fetch(url, { headers });
if (!response.ok) {
throw new Error(`Request error: ${response.status}`);
}
const data = await response.json();
console.log(«List of volleyball matches:»);
data.matches.forEach(match => {
console.log(`${match.home_team} vs ${match.away_team} — ${match.score}`);
});
} catch (error) {
console.error(error);
}
}
// Function call
getVolleyballMatches();
Features:
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Can be used both in the browser and on the Node.js server;
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Asynchronous request via
async/await; -
Data is output to the console or can be passed to your application’s UI.
Integration into CMS and mobile applications
The platform easily integrates into WordPress sites, as well as mobile applications for Android and iOS.
Using live data via WebSocket
WebSocket allows for instant updates, unlike regular polling. This is especially important for betting and sports analytics.
Where is it used?
API services are actively used:
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In betting for calculating odds and scanners;
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In sports analytics for making predictions;
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In media for filling websites with statistics;
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In fan applications with live data;
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In Fantasy Sports and esports;
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In BI systems and Big Data projects for analyzing large datasets.
Advantages and disadvantages
API-sport:
-Wide coverage of sports;
-High update speed;
-Data accuracy;
-Detailed documentation and SDK.
-Paid tariffs are needed for full access;
-There are some limitations on the free version;
-Basic integration skills are required.
Compared to Volleyball API, the solution from API-sport is much more versatile and scalable.
Alternatives
Besides Volleyball API, there are SportRadar, TheSportsDB, and other services on the market. However, they often have higher costs or fewer disciplines in their free tariffs. API-sport is the optimal solution in this regard for projects that require a balance of price, quality, and coverage.
In summary
Volleyball API provides useful data but is limited to just one sport. While API-sport is a universal platform that covers dozens of disciplines, works faster, more accurately, and is easier to integrate. Therefore, for large-scale projects, the choice is obvious — API-sport.
👉 Registration: https://app.api-sport.ru/register
👉 Our Telegram channel with updates: https://t.me/apisportru.
FAQ
Is there free access?
Yes, API-sport offers a free tariff for testing.
What sports are supported?
Football, hockey, basketball, tennis, volleyball, esports, and many others.
Is the API suitable for betting?
Yes, live data and odds make it convenient for betting.
How to connect the API to the application?
It is enough to obtain an API key and use SDK or REST requests.
Can the API be used for predictions?
Yes, archived data and statistics allow for building accurate forecasting models.
Does the API work with mobile applications?
Yes, it can be integrated into Android/iOS projects.
