The sports odds API comparison, 2026:
InferSports vs the field.
InferSports is a keyless, agent-native odds API for Asian-priced markets. Seven curated books — Crown, SBOBet, Macau, Nova88, M8bet, HKJC and Pinnacle — cover 1×2, Asian handicap and totals, full-time and half-time, in six odds formats. Install the MCP server in one line with no API key, and your agent can read live odds, de-vigged fair prices and opening-line movement. Read-only and informational: it does not place or recommend bets.
Keyless to try · read-only · free during the 2026 World Cup beta.
Key differences.
- ▸No API key to start. The remote MCP server is keyless on the Free tier: claude mcp add --transport http infersports https://api.infersports.dev/mcp. No signup, no card, read-only.
- ▸Asian handicap as a core market. Quarter lines (±0.25 and ±0.75) with win, half-win and push logic, priced by Crown, SBOBet and Macau, with Pinnacle as the sharp reference.
- ▸Opening and current lines. Each opening price is paired to its live price, so line movement is a single read rather than something you reconstruct from history.
- ▸Per-request pricing, no credits. One request is one request, whether it covers a single match or a full slate, with no per-market multipliers and no monthly credit budget.
- ▸Agent-ready: MCP tools and a Skill. Seventeen read-only MCP tools plus a bundled agent Skill for Claude and other clients. Value and arbitrage are detected, never executed.
Feature comparison.
Verified against each provider’s official site (June 2026). Choose by what matters to you: coverage breadth, streaming, US sportsbooks, or sharp Asian-priced lines with agent access.
| Feature | InferSports | The Odds API | OddsPapi | SharpAPI | SportsGameOdds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asian handicap | ✓ Native | Limited | ✓ | — | — |
| Pinnacle / sharp book | ✓ Pinnacle + Crown | 40+ books | ✓ Pinnacle | ✓ Pinnacle-referenced | ✓ Pinnacle |
| Opening line movement | ✓ Built in | From historical | From historical | — | — |
| MCP server | ✓ Native, keyless | Via Composio | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Agent Skill | ✓ Bundled | — | — | — | — |
| Value / arbitrage detection | ✓ Built in | — | Not stated | ✓ +EV | Not stated |
| Keyless access | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Odds formats | 6 | 2 (decimal, American) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Pricing model | Per request | Credits | Plans | Plans ($0–399/mo) | Objects ($99–299/mo) |
| Free tier | ✓ 60 req/min | 500 credits/mo | Historical only | Pre-match only | ✓ 2,500 objects/mo |
| Delivery | Polling (2s) | Polling | WebSocket | SSE | WebSocket |
| Read-only | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage | Football, basketball (Asian) | Global, 70+ sports | Global, 300+ books | US sportsbooks | US + international |
Last updated: June 8, 2026. Competitor figures are from each provider’s official site; found something out of date? Tell us.
Common reasons teams choose InferSports.
Switching from The Odds API
The two main differences are pricing and markets. InferSports bills per request rather than per credit, and it is Asian-handicap-first with Pinnacle and Crown as the sharp reference, rather than US books by default. You can also try it keyless, with no monthly credit budget to manage.
Pinnacle and sharp lines
InferSports carries Pinnacle (Standard tier and above; free during the World Cup beta) alongside Crown, so you keep a sharp benchmark to de-vig against, with the Asian books around it.
Asian handicap
Quarter lines such as −0.25 and −0.75, with win, half-win and push handled for you. Half-time lines sit alongside full-time, across Crown, SBOBet, Macau, Nova88, M8bet and HKJC. An explain_handicap tool renders any line in plain English.
Built for AI agents
Point any MCP client at api.infersports.dev/mcp for 17 read-only tools, use the bundled agent Skill in Claude, or call plain REST at POST /v1/mcp/<tool>. Nothing to install locally, and it is read-only.
Frequently asked questions.
What’s the best Asian handicap odds API in 2026?
InferSports is built Asian-handicap-first: 7 curated sharp books including Crown and Pinnacle, correct quarter-line math, full-time and half-time lines, in all six odds formats. It’s keyless to try and agent-native via a one-line MCP server.
Is there a sports odds API for AI agents or Claude?
Yes. InferSports ships a remote MCP server — claude mcp add --transport http infersports https://api.infersports.dev/mcp — with 17 read-only tools, keyless on the Free tier. No API key needed to start.
What’s a good alternative to The Odds API?
InferSports offers Asian-priced markets and per-request pricing instead of credits, with no per-market multipliers and a keyless free tier. It is a good fit if you want sharp Asian lines and agent access.
Is there a Pinnacle odds API in 2026?
InferSports includes Pinnacle pricing (Standard tier and above; free during the 2026 World Cup beta), so you keep a sharp benchmark to de-vig against, alongside Asian books like Crown and SBOBet.
Is there a free sports odds API with no signup?
Yes. InferSports’ Free tier is keyless — 60 requests/minute across six Asian books, read-only, no card. A real key, which adds Pinnacle and higher limits, takes seconds.
Does it cover the 2026 World Cup?
Yes — football is fully covered, free for everyone during the beta (Jun 11 – Jul 19, 2026).
Can the API place bets?
No. InferSports is strictly read-only and informational. It reports odds, scores and fair prices — it never places, sizes, or recommends a wager.
What odds formats are supported?
Six: decimal, Hong Kong, Malay, American, Indonesian, and implied probability — convertible on any line via the convert tool.
Sharp Asian odds, built for code.
Keyless to try, read-only, and free for everyone during the World Cup beta. Add Pinnacle and higher limits when you ship.