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Sub-second updates. REST + WebSocket.

The Odds API vs TheRundown

TheRundown delivers sub-second odds updates. WebSocket push is available on Ultra and higher. The Odds API uses REST polling, with documented 60-second pre-match and 40-second in-play refresh intervals for featured markets.

20K data points/day on FreeNo credit cardPublic pricing
Get free API keySee pricing

Free includes delayed pre-match REST data. WebSocket requires Ultra or above.

Public documentation checked October 13, 2026. The featured-market pre-match interval begins to shorten six hours before start time.

Choose TheRundown for a focused, measurable integration

Odds and scores share an event ID. Markets retain participant and signed line identities, and each price has an explicit closure signal. These documented fields let you build accurate game views and distinguish an open price from a closed one. Start with a self-serve key and public plans, then validate your required coverage on real responses.

Select the sports, books and markets your application uses. Usage is metered on returned data points, so unrequested price rows do not consume your allowance. Paid plans have a fixed subscription fee with included volume; using fewer points does not reduce that fee. Inspect X-Datapoints to measure the workload before upgrading.

Data model and closure fields · Metering rules · Published plans. Checked October 13, 2026.

When to evaluate TheRundown

Start with your required markets, update path, and workload. These are the integration choices TheRundown documents.

  • Stream sub-second odds updates over WebSocket on Ultra and higher.
  • Request the documented main line with main_line=true.
  • Scope requests to canonical sport, market, and event IDs.
  • Measure returned data with X-Datapoints and the key’s usage headers.
  • Render prices through the documented V2 event, market, line, and price hierarchy.
  • Evaluate with a free API key, then select a plan for delay, history, and volume.
  • Use the Build with AI guide for API examples, the documentation MCP, and a local data MCP scaffold.

Side-by-side comparison

TheRundown vs The Odds API on the facts that matter for integration, coverage, and ongoing cost.

FeatureTheRundownThe Odds API
Update delivery / latencySub-second odds updatesWebSocket push on Ultra and higher. REST and delta polling are also available; snapshot delay depends on plan.Featured markets: 60s pre-match · 40s in-playREST polling at published refresh intervals. Other market groups have separate cadences. Update intervals.
Free allowance20,000 data points/day · 200,000/monthNo credit card. Returned price rows and other billable data consume the allowance.500 credits/monthThe published free plan uses request credits. Credits and data points are different units.
What free includesPre-match · three books · five-minute delay1 request/second. No live odds, props/alternates, or history.API access · no historyThe public plan uses request credits. Market availability depends on the requested sport and market type.
AuthenticationHeader authenticationSend the API key in the X-TheRundown-Key request header from a server-side environment variable.Query keyPublic V4 requests use apiKey.
Main-line selectionmain_line=trueReturned prices expose is_main_line state.Featured marketsSelect market keys; no equivalent main_line flag is documented in the reviewed V4 parameters.
Billing unitReturned data pointsPrice rows and other billable response data; X-Datapoints reports request usage.Request creditsFeatured odds usage depends on markets and regions; requested market breadth affects cost.
Usage visibilityX-Datapoints usage headersInspect remaining allowance, billing window, and entitlements.x-requests usage headersInspect last-request cost, used credits, and remaining credits.
Pricing and evaluationPublic pricing and a free tierSelf-serve volume plans plus contact-sales Enterprise.Public pricing and a free planCompare current allowances against the same workload.
IdentifiersNumeric sport, market, and affiliate IDs; event IDsDiscover reference catalogs and event IDs before querying.Sport and market keysUse the published key catalogs and event IDs.
Response modelMarkets → participants → lines → pricesThe API uses a normalized event hierarchy.Bookmakers → markets → outcomesV4 groups market outcomes under each bookmaker.
Market discoveryCanonical definitions and live variantsMarkets include period IDs and live_variant_id when defined.Featured and additional market keysAdditional markets use event-odds endpoints and have sport and market limits.
Historical oddsPlan-dependent price historyCheck history depth and opening-line access for the selected plan.Historical snapshots on paid plansAvailability and snapshot cadence depend on date and market type.

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The Odds API pricing explained

The Odds API publishes 500 free credits per month and monthly paid tiers of $30 for 20,000 credits, $59 for 100,000, $119 for 5 million, and $249 for 15 million. Credits depend on requested regions and markets; read its V4 usage rules before estimating a bill. These are published monthly prices, not a currency conversion or annual quote.

TheRundown monthly plans are Free, Starter $49, Pro $149, and Ultra $399, with higher-volume tiers available. Free is pre-match REST from DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM with a five-minute delay. Starter is delayed 60 seconds; Pro 30 seconds. Real-time REST and WebSocket begin on Ultra. Commercial end-user display begins on Pro.

The Odds API can be a lower-cost option for polling featured markets. TheRundown Ultra adds WebSocket push at a higher starting price. Compare equivalent sports, sources, cadence, and rights, then measure both usage headers on representative requests.

See the official pricing sources below and TheRundown’s current API plans. Public pricing and access checked October 13, 2026.

Which provider fits your project?

Why choose TheRundown

TheRundown fits projects that need WebSocket push on Ultra and above or odds joined to scores and supported game data. Migration requires translating IDs and the nested market model; it is not a drop-in V4 replacement.

When to evaluate The Odds API

The Odds API is a strong option when broad regional bookmaker coverage, documented REST polling, and lower entry prices fit your application. Its V4 API also documents bookmaker and bet links where available.

The Odds API comparison FAQ

What does The Odds API cost?

Its reviewed pricing lists Free with 500 credits per month, then $30, $59, $119, and $249 monthly tiers with different credit allowances. Check its official pricing and V4 credit rules for your regions and markets.

Does The Odds API provide WebSocket streaming?

The reviewed V4 documentation describes REST polling. Featured-market refresh intervals are 60 seconds pre-match and 40 seconds in-play, with separate cadences for other markets and shorter pre-match intervals near kickoff.

Can I switch by replacing the base URL?

No. Authentication, sport IDs, market IDs, event IDs, response nesting, and billing units differ. Start with one sport and main lines, translate the fields, and validate before changing production traffic.

Can I evaluate TheRundown for free?

Yes. Free requires no credit card and includes 20,000 data points per day, capped at 200,000 per month. It returns five-minute-delayed pre-match game lines from DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM. Props, other books, in-play odds, and streaming require eligible paid plans.

Read the The Odds API alternative buyer guide · Compare sports odds APIs for 2026

Sportradar-class data at a fraction of the cost

Ultra $399/mo ≈ ~1/25th of third-party-reported $10k+/mo enterprise contracts*

Sportradar

No public rate card · third-party-reported $10k+/mo*

TheRundown Ultra

$399/mo · public pricing, no quote

Go real-time with Ultra, $399/moCompare Sportradar and TheRundown

*Third-party reports; Sportradar publishes no rate card. Checked Oct 15, 2026. SportsGameOdds report · SharpAPI report. Packages, coverage, usage limits, and rights differ.

Free stays $0. No credit card required. Compare all API plans.

Which odds API plan fits your project?

Start with the freshness and display rights your project needs, then check the volume. Free stays $0 with no card required: five-minute delayed pre-match main lines from three books, for internal or personal use.

Starter

$49/month

I need more sources, props or in-play odds for my own use.

  • 60-second delayed REST.
  • No WebSocket streaming.
  • Internal business or personal use.

25,000,000/mo included.

Choose Starter, $49/mo

Pro

$149/month

I show odds, comparisons or probabilities to my users, or measure closing lines.

  • 30-second delayed REST.
  • No WebSocket streaming.
  • Commercial display, with attribution. No Supplemental Agreement needed. Opening and closing lines.

125,000,000/mo included.

Choose Pro, $149/mo

Ultra

$399/month

My application needs real-time odds and push updates.

  • Real-time REST.
  • WebSocket: 1 concurrent connection with 3 multiplexed subscriptions.
  • Commercial display, with attribution. No Supplemental Agreement needed.

500,000,000/mo included.

Choose Ultra, $399/mo

These are monthly prices. Check source, sport and market availability on your actual responses. Additional WebSocket connections and larger allowances are available on higher-volume plans.

Validate your workload before choosing

  1. Make a narrow first request and confirm your required events, markets and open prices.
  2. Read the actual X-Datapoints response header, then estimate snapshot usage. Repeated snapshots bill their returned rows again; the estimate does not change a plan's base fee.
  3. Check delivery with the REST and WebSocket guide. A quota fit alone does not grant real-time access or commercial display rights.

Read the measured plan-sizing example.

Switching providers? Use the field maps and validation checklists for:

The Odds APIOpticOddsSportsGameOdds
Compare plans and choose your billing interval

Get your free API key

Try 20,000 data points per day and 200,000 per month with no credit card. Free includes pre-match odds from three books with a five-minute snapshot delay. Live odds, props, and history require an eligible tier.

Get free API keyRead the quickstart

Sources & disclosures

Public documentation checked October 13, 2026. Refresh cadence and end-to-end latency measure different things. Data points and request credits are different units; this table does not establish which service costs less for your workload. Coverage and entitlements vary by plan and query.