Betting odds scanners. Overview

Modern betting relies on speed and data. The faster a player or analytical platform receives odds and statistics, the higher the chance of catching an «arbitrage» in time and securing a profit. This is where sports APIs come to the rescue. They solve a key problem – timely access to information about matches, teams, and odds. One of the market leaders has become a service API-sport, that provides a powerful set of tools for developers, betting platforms, sports media, and analysts.

What is API-sport?

An API is an interface that allows programs to exchange data. In sports, API services provide access to live results, bookmaker odds, player statistics, and even transfers. API-sport appeared a few years ago and quickly became popular due to its wide coverage and ease of integration. Today, it is used by startups, large betting companies, and even media projects. Unlike competitors, API-sport bets on versatility: the data covers dozens of sports, and the integration formats are suitable for both websites and mobile applications.

Betting odds scanners. Overview

API-sport provides complete data for betting analysis: real-time match results, odds from different bookmakers, team lineups, individual player statistics, as well as information on transfers and disqualifications. This data becomes the basis for the operation of betting arbitrage scanners.

Supported sports

Football, hockey, basketball, tennis, baseball, volleyball, esports, and many other disciplines – API-sport covers both popular leagues and niche tournaments. For arbitrageurs, this is especially important: the wider the selection, the greater the chances of finding profitable arbitrage situations.

Technologies and formats

The service supports REST and WebSocket, and the data is available in convenient JSON and XML formats. REST is convenient for standard requests, while WebSocket allows for real-time updates of odds without delays, which is critically important for finding arbitrage opportunities.

How to access the API?

To start using the capabilities of API-sport, you need to go through a few steps:

  1. Registration on the website – a personal account is created, in which you can manage your tariffs and access keys.
  2. Obtaining a personal API key is a unique identifier that is inserted into requests. Without a key, access to data is impossible.
  3. Choosing a tariff plan – the service offers different subscription levels. There are basic packages for testing, as well as professional plans with advanced features.

Tariffs differ not only in the volume of available data but also in update speed, the number of sports types, and archive depth. A basic package is suitable for small projects, while developers of betting scanners most often need PRO tariffs, where all key features 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.

It is not necessary to connect to the API directly — you can use third-party platforms:

  • RapidAPI – the largest API marketplace. It is convenient for starting and testing, as it allows you to connect several different APIs through a single interface. Suitable for beginner developers and small projects.

  • SportRadar – one of the leaders in the global sports analytics market. It is distinguished by data depth and coverage but is more expensive. This platform is more often chosen by large betting companies and professional analysts.

Thus, the choice depends on the tasks: if you need to quickly test an idea, RapidAPI is better; if a large-scale project with analytics is required — SportRadar.

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

API-sport offers several subscription levels:

  • The free tariff – allows you to make a limited number of requests and receive basic data (for example, match results and some statistics). A great option for tests or educational projects.

  • Paid tariffs – provide access to odds, match archives, extended statistics, and high-frequency updates. This is exactly what is needed for the full operation of betting arbitrage scanners, as free information for calculations and analysis is insufficient.

The advantage of paid plans is also that they allow scaling the project without restrictions on speed and data volume.

17. Number of requests per minute/hour

Each tariff has its own usage limits:

  • Number of requests – a limit on the number of server calls per minute or per day. On free plans, the limit can be strict, while on PRO subscriptions it is significantly higher.

  • Update speed of odds – on minimal tariffs, data is updated with a delay, while on premium levels – almost in real time.

  • Access to archives – free versions are usually limited to recent events, while archives from past seasons are only available in paid subscriptions.

  • Restrictions by sports types – full coverage of all disciplines is only possible on higher tariffs.

For those who plan to use betting arbitrage scanners, the free tariff is suitable only for familiarization. For real work, a paid plan with fast odds updates and extended data will be required.

API Integration

Connection examples (Python, JavaScript)

The simplest request can be made literally in just a few lines of code. In Python – through the library requests, in JavaScript – through получить or axios. This allows you to quickly integrate API data into any project.

Python (requests):

import requests

url = «https://api.sportdataapi.com/v1/soccer/matches»
params = {
«apikey»: «YOUR_API_KEY»,
«season_id»: 496,
«date_from»: «2025-09-01»,
«date_to»: «2025-09-30»
}

response = requests.get(url, params=params)
data = response.json()

# Output of the first 3 matches
for match in data.get(«data», [])[:3]:
print(f»{match[‘home_team’][‘name’]} vs {match[‘away_team’][‘name’]} — {match[‘status’]}»)

JavaScript (fetch):

const url = «https://api.sportdataapi.com/v1/soccer/matches?apikey=YOUR_API_KEY&season_id=496&date_from=2025-09-01&date_to=2025-09-30»;

fetch(url)
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => {
data.data.slice(0, 3).forEach(match => {
console.log(`${match.home_team.name} vs ${match.away_team.name} — ${match.status}`);
});
})
.catch(error => console.error(«Error:», error));

In both examples, it is enough to replace YOUR_API_KEY with your personal key obtained during registration at API-sport.

Integration into CMS and mobile applications

API-sport easily integrates into popular CMS, such as WordPress, to display statistics or tables. SDKs and documentation are available for mobile applications, simplifying development for Android and iOS.

Using live data via WebSocket

Unlike polling requests, WebSocket provides instant updates without overloading the server. For betting arbitrage scanners, this is critically important – odds change every second.

Where is it used?

  • In betting and odds scanners – searching for arbitrage situations and tracking line movements.

  • In sports analytics and predictions – deep statistics for building models.

  • In media and fan applications – broadcasting results and statistics in real time.

  • In Fantasy Sports and esports – building game scenarios and calculating points.

  • In BI systems and Big Data projects – processing large amounts of sports data for forecasts and reports.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

  • Wide coverage of sports and tournaments.

  • High speed and accuracy of updates.

  • Convenient integration formats (REST, WebSocket).

  • Suitable for various tasks – from media to arbitrage scanners.

Cons:

  • Useful features are available only in paid plans.

  • Limitations on free plans.

  • For beginners, integration may seem complicated.

Alternatives to API-sport.

Among competitors, SportRadar stands out (maximally deep statistics, but expensive), TheSportsDB (more suitable for hobby projects), and RapidAPI (marketplace for APIs from different providers). Using alternatives makes sense if specialized data or unique formats are needed.

In summary

Arbitrage scanners directly depend on the quality and speed of sports data. API-sport provides developers, analysts, and betting platforms with everything necessary: from odds to live results. It is a powerful tool that helps find arbitrage opportunities, build forecasts, and develop sports projects.

👉 Registration: https://app.api-sport.ru/register.

FAQ

Is there free access?
Yes, but it is limited by the number of requests and the data set.

What sports are supported?
Football, hockey, basketball, tennis, esports, and many other disciplines.

Is the API suitable for betting and arbitrage scanners?
Yes, with the connection of paid plans, you can receive odds and use them to find arbitrage situations.

How to connect the API to the application?
Through standard requests (REST, JSON) or using WebSocket. There are code examples for Python, JavaScript, and SDKs for mobile platforms.

Can the API be used for predictions?
Yes, data on matches and players is suitable for building analytical models and forecasts.

Does the API work with match archives?
Yes, archived data for in-depth analysis is available in paid plans.

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