DraftKings API: How to Access DraftKings Odds Without Official API
Does DraftKings have a public API? No. DraftKings does not offer a public odds API, developer portal, or API key program. Their data is locked behind enterprise contracts, affiliate-only feeds, and internal systems that individual developers will never see.
If you have searched for “DraftKings API,” “DraftKings odds API,” or “DraftKings sportsbook API documentation,” you already know this. The official answer is a dead end. But the data itself is not locked — you just need a different path to it.
OddsPapi aggregates DraftKings odds alongside 350+ other bookmakers (including sharps like Pinnacle and Singbet) into a single REST API. Free tier. No enterprise contract. No scraping. Here is how to get DraftKings data in under 5 minutes.
Why DraftKings Has No Public API
DraftKings operates as a US-regulated sportsbook. Their odds data is proprietary, and they have zero incentive to let third-party developers access it freely. Here is why:
- Regulatory constraints: US state-by-state licensing means DraftKings controls who touches their data and where it surfaces.
- Competitive advantage: Their odds, lines, and prop markets are priced by in-house traders. Giving that away would let competitors react to their moves in real time.
- Affiliate-only feeds: If DraftKings shares data at all, it is through private affiliate or enterprise partnerships — not a self-serve API key.
This is the same playbook as Pinnacle, Betfair, and Bet365. The biggest sportsbooks simply do not offer public APIs. But aggregators like OddsPapi collect this data through licensed feeds and make it available through a single, standardized endpoint.
Scraping vs. Enterprise vs. OddsPapi
| Method | DraftKings Data | Cost | Reliability | Legal Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scraping DraftKings.com | Partial (HTML parsing) | Free (your time) | Breaks constantly | Violates ToS |
| Enterprise / Affiliate Feed | Full | $5,000+/month | Stable | None (contracted) |
| OddsPapi API | Full (80+ markets per fixture) | Free tier available | 99.9% uptime, licensed feeds | None |
Scraping is fragile, rate-limited, and will get your IP banned. Enterprise feeds cost thousands per month and require a business relationship. OddsPapi gives you the same data through a clean REST API with a free tier — no contracts, no scraping, no ToS violations.
What DraftKings Data Is Available Through OddsPapi
OddsPapi pulls DraftKings odds across every major US sport. Here is the current coverage:
| Sport | DraftKings Markets | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| NBA | 80+ (moneylines, spreads, totals, player props) | Full season + playoffs |
| NFL | 70+ (game lines, player props, team totals) | Full season + Super Bowl |
| MLB | 50+ (run lines, totals, moneylines, props) | Full season + postseason |
| NHL | 40+ (puck lines, totals, moneylines) | Full season + playoffs |
| College (NCAAB/NCAAF) | 30+ (spreads, totals, moneylines) | Regular season + March Madness |
That is not just moneylines. OddsPapi captures the full depth of DraftKings markets — spreads, totals, first-half lines, player props, and alternate lines. All updated in real time through licensed data feeds.
Python Tutorial: Get DraftKings Odds via OddsPapi
Here is the complete workflow. You will go from zero to pulling DraftKings NBA odds in about 3 minutes.
Step 1: Get Your Free API Key
Sign up at oddspapi.io — the free tier includes 1,000 requests per month. No credit card required.
Step 2: Authenticate
import requests
API_KEY = "YOUR_API_KEY"
BASE_URL = "https://api.oddspapi.io/v4"
# All requests use the apiKey query parameter
params = {"apiKey": API_KEY}
# Test your connection
response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/sports", params=params)
print(response.json())
# Returns: [{"sportId": 10, "slug": "soccer", "sportName": "Soccer"}, ...]
Important: The API key goes in the query parameter (?apiKey=KEY), not in headers. This is different from most APIs you have used.
Step 3: Find NBA Fixtures
from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
# NBA = sportId 11
# Fixtures require a date range (max 10 days apart)
now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
params = {
"apiKey": API_KEY,
"sportId": 11,
"status": "prematch",
"from": now.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ"),
"to": (now + timedelta(days=3)).strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")
}
response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/fixtures", params=params)
fixtures = response.json()
# Filter to NBA specifically
nba_fixtures = [f for f in fixtures if f.get("tournamentSlug") == "nba"]
print(f"Found {len(nba_fixtures)} NBA fixtures")
for fix in nba_fixtures[:5]:
print(f" {fix['participant1Name']} vs {fix['participant2Name']} -- {fix['startTime']}")
OddsPapi terminology: What you call a “game” is a fixture. What you call a “league” is a tournament. What you call a “team” is a participant.
Step 4: Pull DraftKings Odds for a Fixture
# Pick a fixture
fixture_id = nba_fixtures[0]["fixtureId"]
# Get odds from all bookmakers
response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/odds", params={
"apiKey": API_KEY,
"fixtureId": fixture_id
})
odds_data = response.json()
# Extract DraftKings odds
bookmaker_odds = odds_data["bookmakerOdds"]
if "draftkings" in bookmaker_odds:
dk = bookmaker_odds["draftkings"]
dk_markets = dk["markets"]
print(f"DraftKings markets available: {len(dk_markets)}")
# Market 111 = Moneyline (Home/Away)
if "111" in dk_markets:
moneyline = dk_markets["111"]["outcomes"]
home_price = moneyline["111"]["players"]["0"]["price"]
away_price = moneyline["112"]["players"]["0"]["price"]
print(f"Moneyline: Home {home_price} | Away {away_price}")
The odds JSON is nested. The path to any price is: bookmakerOdds → [slug] → markets → [marketId] → outcomes → [outcomeId] → players → "0" → price. Once you understand this structure, every bookmaker and every market follows the same pattern.
Step 5: Compare DraftKings vs. Sharp Lines
This is where it gets interesting. With OddsPapi, you are not limited to DraftKings — you get 350+ bookmakers in the same response. Compare DraftKings (soft) against Pinnacle (sharp) to find value:
# Compare DraftKings vs Pinnacle on the same fixture
def compare_moneylines(odds_data, market_id="111"):
bk = odds_data["bookmakerOdds"]
books = {"draftkings": "DraftKings", "pinnacle": "Pinnacle"}
results = {}
for slug, name in books.items():
if slug in bk and market_id in bk[slug]["markets"]:
outcomes = bk[slug]["markets"][market_id]["outcomes"]
results[name] = {
"home": outcomes["111"]["players"]["0"]["price"],
"away": outcomes["112"]["players"]["0"]["price"]
}
return results
comparison = compare_moneylines(odds_data)
for book, prices in comparison.items():
print(f"{book}: Home {prices['home']} | Away {prices['away']}")
# Example output:
# DraftKings: Home 1.10 | Away 7.25
# Pinnacle: Home 1.11 | Away 7.67
Notice Pinnacle offers 7.67 on the underdog while DraftKings offers 7.25. That gap is the soft book margin — and it is where arbitrageurs and value bettors make money. Having both in one API call is the entire point.
DraftKings vs. Pinnacle: Why You Need Both
DraftKings is a “soft” bookmaker — they price lines for recreational bettors and build in higher margins. Pinnacle is a “sharp” bookmaker — they price lines for professionals with razor-thin margins. Here is why that matters:
| Factor | DraftKings (Soft) | Pinnacle (Sharp) |
|---|---|---|
| Target Market | Recreational bettors | Professional bettors |
| Margin (Overround) | 5-8% | 2-3% |
| Line Accuracy | Follows market | Sets the market |
| Account Limits | Limits winning bettors | No limits |
| Best For | Finding +EV mispricing | True odds benchmark |
Pinnacle lines are the closest thing to “true probability” in sports betting. When DraftKings prices diverge from Pinnacle, that is a signal — either DraftKings has mispriced the market, or they are shading the line to manage recreational action. Either way, you need both data sets to exploit it.
OddsPapi gives you both in one API call. No need to maintain separate scrapers, pay for multiple data feeds, or reconcile different data formats.
Build a DraftKings Odds Monitor
Here is a practical script that monitors DraftKings lines and flags when they diverge from Pinnacle:
import requests
from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
API_KEY = "YOUR_API_KEY"
BASE_URL = "https://api.oddspapi.io/v4"
def get_nba_fixtures():
now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
resp = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/fixtures", params={
"apiKey": API_KEY,
"sportId": 11,
"status": "prematch",
"from": now.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ"),
"to": (now + timedelta(days=2)).strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")
})
return [f for f in resp.json() if f.get("tournamentSlug") == "nba" and f.get("hasOdds")]
def find_value_gaps(fixture_id, threshold=0.05):
resp = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/odds", params={
"apiKey": API_KEY,
"fixtureId": fixture_id
})
bk = resp.json().get("bookmakerOdds", {})
if "draftkings" not in bk or "pinnacle" not in bk:
return []
dk_markets = bk["draftkings"]["markets"]
pin_markets = bk["pinnacle"]["markets"]
gaps = []
for market_id in dk_markets:
if market_id not in pin_markets:
continue
dk_outcomes = dk_markets[market_id]["outcomes"]
pin_outcomes = pin_markets[market_id]["outcomes"]
for outcome_id in dk_outcomes:
if outcome_id not in pin_outcomes:
continue
dk_price = dk_outcomes[outcome_id]["players"]["0"]["price"]
pin_price = pin_outcomes[outcome_id]["players"]["0"]["price"]
if dk_price > 1 and pin_price > 1:
edge = (dk_price - pin_price) / pin_price
if abs(edge) > threshold:
gaps.append({
"market": market_id,
"outcome": outcome_id,
"dk_price": dk_price,
"pin_price": pin_price,
"edge": round(edge * 100, 2)
})
return sorted(gaps, key=lambda x: abs(x["edge"]), reverse=True)
# Run the monitor
fixtures = get_nba_fixtures()
print(f"Scanning {len(fixtures)} NBA fixtures...\n")
for fix in fixtures[:10]:
name = f"{fix['participant1Name']} vs {fix['participant2Name']}"
gaps = find_value_gaps(fix["fixtureId"])
if gaps:
print(f"{name}")
for g in gaps[:3]:
direction = "+" if g["edge"] > 0 else ""
print(f" Market {g['market']}: DK {g['dk_price']} vs PIN {g['pin_price']} ({direction}{g['edge']}%)")
print()
This script scans every upcoming NBA game and finds where DraftKings is offering better odds than Pinnacle — potential value bets that most bettors miss because they only look at one sportsbook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does DraftKings have a public API?
No. DraftKings does not offer a public API, developer portal, or self-serve API key. Their data is available only through enterprise partnerships and affiliate agreements. OddsPapi aggregates DraftKings odds through licensed data feeds, making it accessible via a standard REST API with a free tier.
Can I scrape DraftKings for odds data?
Technically possible, but it violates DraftKings’ Terms of Service, breaks frequently when they update their frontend, and will get your IP rate-limited or banned. Using an aggregator API like OddsPapi is more reliable, legal, and maintainable.
What DraftKings markets does OddsPapi cover?
OddsPapi pulls 80+ DraftKings markets per fixture for major US sports (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL), including moneylines, spreads, totals, player props, and alternate lines. All markets are updated in real time.
How much does it cost to access DraftKings odds through OddsPapi?
OddsPapi offers a free tier with 1,000 requests per month — enough to build and test your application. Paid plans start at $29/month for higher rate limits and WebSocket access.
Can I get historical DraftKings odds?
Yes. OddsPapi includes free historical odds data on the free tier. You can backtest models against DraftKings closing lines without paying extra — something most competitors charge thousands for.
Is OddsPapi data real-time?
Yes. REST API responses reflect the latest available odds (sub-second latency on most markets). For true streaming data, OddsPapi also offers WebSocket connections that push updates as they happen.
Stop Searching for a DraftKings API That Does Not Exist
DraftKings will never give you a public API key. That is not going to change. But if what you actually need is DraftKings odds data — moneylines, spreads, props, real-time updates — OddsPapi already has it.
350+ bookmakers. Sharps like Pinnacle and Singbet. Softs like DraftKings and FanDuel. Crypto books like 1xBet. All through one REST API with a free tier.
Get your free API key at oddspapi.io — DraftKings odds in your first API call.