Common Odds API Questions, Answered for Australia
Short, straight answers to the questions developers ask first.
What is an odds API?
A way for your code to read bookmaker prices as data instead of copying them off websites. SockOdds API v1 is a REST API at https://api.sockodds.com/v1 that returns events, markets and each bookmaker's prices as JSON. You send your key in an Authorization: Bearer header, and every response has the same {data, meta, links} shape.
Which bookmakers and leagues are covered?
Australian bookmakers, exchanges and some overseas sources, across Australian and international leagues. Coverage changes with the seasons, so the live lists are on bookmakers and leagues rather than in this post. The Australian bookmakers post has a snapshot.
Decimal odds or something else?
Decimal. Each outcome has decimal_odds, exactly as the bookmaker showed it, and implied_probability, which is one divided by that price. If you want another format, convert it in your own code.
How fresh are the prices?
Every price carries observed_at, the time SockOdds saw it. A quote older than 10 minutes is left out of current responses, so you never get an old price presented as a new one. On Pro, the WebSocket stream sends a fresh snapshot every 15 seconds. SockOdds is built for pre-match prices first; it is not a low-latency in-play feed.
If a price is missing, is it zero?
No. A missing price means SockOdds has nothing fresh for that bookmaker and market. It is never evidence that a market is closed, a player cannot score or a price is zero.
Is there price history?
Yes, on Pro. GET /v1/odds/history returns each recorded change for an event, in windows of up to 24 hours, back to 22 December 2025 for some leagues and to 8 October 2026 for the rest. Opening and closing snapshots are also Pro only. See history.
Where do results come from?
Only from official result sources, never from a bookmaker. GET /v1/results gives each settled outcome a verdict of won, lost, void, dead_heat, or for a split Asian quarter line half_won or half_lost. Anything official evidence cannot settle is left out, not guessed. See results.
Does SockOdds give a consensus or fair price?
No. v1 returns each bookmaker's own price and leaves the maths to you. Consensus odds shows how to compute one.
How does the free plan work?
The Developer plan is free, needs no card, and allows 10 requests a minute and 2,500 objects a month on a set of leagues and bookmakers listed on pricing. Paid plans add leagues, bookmakers and, on Pro, history and streaming. Usage and limits are explained in limits.
Is it legal?
SockOdds is a data service. It does not take bets, hold funds or operate a wagering service. What you build with the data must follow the laws where you and your users are, and the terms of any bookmaker you link to.
Can I use it to place bets?
No. The API is read only. It tells you prices and results; placing a bet happens on the bookmaker's own site or app.
Where do I start?
The quickstart takes you from a new key to a real response, and getting started walks through reading your first price.