Soviet Sport API: automation of sports feeds

Modern sports feeds and applications rely on data streams: schedules, live scores, match events, lineups, odds — all of this must come quickly, reliably, and in a machine-readable format. Sports APIs solve the problem of uniform data delivery: they take on the aggregation of sources, standardization of formats, and delivery to your application via a secure channel. This reduces development time and decreases the number of errors when parsing «source websites.».

API-sport — one of the common providers of sports data: documentation, account registration, and pricing are available in their personal account, and the set of endpoints covers live, statistics, archives, and odds lines.

What is an API?

API (Application Programming Interface) is a contract: a set of URL endpoints, methods, and formats (usually JSON) through which the application requests and receives data. In the sports field, APIs combine: schedules, results, step-by-step events (timelines), player and team statistics, transfers, tables, and sometimes bookmaker lines.

API-sport in the context of the market. This service is positioned as a universal provider with extensive coverage of competitions and a history of development: documentation is regular, there is a personal account and access keys, as well as flexible pricing — from free testing to paid plans with extended limits.

What data is available:

• Live scores and match events (goals, cards, substitutions).

• Schedules and archives (match history).

• Player and team statistics (player stats, tables, leaders).

• Odds (prematch and live) — depending on the pricing plan.

Features of API-sport:

• A wide range of sports and tournaments.

• Availability of a free plan for testing and inexpensive starter packages.

• A combination of REST and WebSocket solutions for live data with minimal latency.

Soviet Sport API: automation of sports feeds

Feed automation is a set of processes: collection, normalization, filtering, enrichment (transformation), and publication of data in the UI. The quality of the source affects the speed and accuracy of the feed — and thus, audience satisfaction. Connecting through a mature API (like API-sport) provides:

• a unified data format for the frontend and backend;

• access to historical and live data without your own parsing infrastructure;

• the ability to combine odds lines with results for analytics and notifications.

Data provided by the API

• Match results and timelines (step-by-step events).

• Prematch and live odds.

• Team lineups, substitutions, injuries, disqualifications.

• Detailed statistics of players and teams.

• Transfers, tournament tables, and result archives.

This data is used for calculating odds, machine learning models, line scanners, and generating push notifications.

Supported sports

From classics to esports: football, hockey, basketball, tennis, volleyball, rugby, baseball, racing, as well as eSports — coverage depends on the provider and tariff. API-sport supports most popular disciplines and leagues.

Technologies and formats

• REST API (HTTP GET/POST, JSON) is the basis for most integrations.

• WebSocket is for real-time subscriptions and minimizing latency.

• Formats: JSON is the primary format, XML is used by some providers.

Official access — registration, API key, tariffs.

To get started, you need 7. and obtaining an API key. After that, users gain access to documentation and test mode., email confirmation and API key generation in the personal account. API-sport offers a free trial plan and paid tariffs with increased limits and extended data.

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.

There are marketplaces (RapidAPI), aggregators, and large providers (StatsPerform / Sportradar) in the market. They differ in data volume, SLA, and price — paid premium providers are suitable for large bookmakers, while more affordable solutions like API-sport are suitable for media projects and startups.

Free and paid tariffs — what they offer.

• Free plan: limited number of requests and basic data — suitable for testing.

• Paid plans: more requests, expanded sports, odds, historical databases, and priority support.

17. Number of requests per minute/hour

Each tariff sets the number of requests, update speed, and the number of simultaneous WebSocket subscriptions. For production, it is important to plan caching and error handling when limits are exceeded.

API Integration

Python (REST):

import requests

API_KEY = «YOUR_API_KEY»
BASE = «https://api-sport.pro/api»
headers = {«Authorization»: f»Bearer {API_KEY}»}

resp = requests.get(f»{BASE}/matches?date=2025-11-11″, headers=headers)
data = resp.json()
print(data)

JavaScript (fetch):

const API_KEY = «YOUR_API_KEY»;
const BASE = «https://api-sport.pro/api»;

fetch(`${BASE}/matches?date=2025-11-11`, {
headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${API_KEY}` }
})
.then(r => r.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));

Integration into CMS and mobile applications

• WordPress: using CRON for filling posts and caching data.

• Android/iOS: working through your backend, where the API key is stored.

• Realtime: via a WebSocket proxy that forwards events to clients.

Using live data via WebSocket

• Less latency (push instead of constant polling).

• Savings on traffic and resources.

• Guaranteed order of events (for example, goal → card → substitution).

WebSocket is recommended for live feeds to ensure data arrives instantly.

Where is it used?

• Betting and odds scanners — line monitoring, arbitrage, auto-market making.

• Sports analytics and forecasts — ML models based on historical and live data.

• Media and fan applications — automatic filling of news feeds.

• Fantasy Sports and esports — updating rosters and statistics in real time.

• BI systems and Big Data projects — analyzing large volumes of sports data.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• Wide coverage of tournaments and disciplines.

• Ability to work with live and archives.

• Flexible pricing grid, including a free start.

Cons:

• Cost when scaling.

• Limitations on requests and WebSocket subscriptions.

• The need to normalize data for specific formats.

Alternatives

Among alternative solutions, RapidAPI, Sportradar, StatsPerform, and local aggregators can be highlighted. The choice depends on the tasks: media projects benefit more from API-sport., And for bookmakers and large analytical platforms — specialized premium services with extended SLAs and exclusive data.

Let’s summarize

Automating sports feeds becomes a real and cost-effective task when connected to a reliable sports API. API-sport is one of the best solutions for projects of any scale: from news portals to analytical systems. It provides quick access to live data, archives, and statistics, reduces the load on development, and simplifies integration with CMS and mobile applications.

Registration and quick start: https://app.api-sport.ru/register

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

FAQ

Is there free access?
Yes, a test plan with a limited number of requests and a basic data set is available to get started.

What sports are supported?
Football, hockey, basketball, tennis, volleyball, baseball, motorsport, and esports.

Is the API suitable for betting?
Yes, especially if the tariff supports odds and quick data updates.

How to connect the API to the application?
Get an API key, test the endpoints, implement caching, and protect keys on the server.

Can the API be used for predictions?
Yes, historical data is great for machine learning models and analytics.

How to reduce costs while increasing load?
Use caching, combine requests, and apply CDN.