# ESPN Scores, Schedules & Odds Scraper (`seonlabs/espn-sports-scraper`) Actor

Scores, schedules and betting odds (spread, moneyline, total) for NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer and college from ESPN's public data. No API key. Only-changed mode for live tracking.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/seonlabs/espn-sports-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [선도 황](https://apify.com/seonlabs) (community)
- **Security:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 3 total users, 2 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## ESPN Scores, Schedules & Odds Scraper

Get **scores, schedules and betting odds** (spread, moneyline, over/under) for **NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WNBA, college football & basketball, Premier League, MLS, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Champions League** and more — from ESPN's public scoreboard data. **No API key, no login.** One clean row per game.

Fast and cheap: JSON only, no browser, no proxy.

### What you can do with it

- **Live score tracking** — schedule it every few minutes with *Only new or changed games* and push updates to Slack, Discord, Google Sheets or your app.
- **Line-movement monitoring** — capture spread / moneyline / total for upcoming games and see when they move.
- **Sports apps & bots** — feed schedules and results into your product without paying for an expensive sports-data API.
- **Fantasy, betting research & analytics** — build historical datasets of results and closing lines across many leagues.

### Sample output

```json
{
  "league": "football/nfl",
  "leagueName": "National Football League",
  "eventId": "401872965",
  "name": "Indianapolis Colts at Washington Commanders",
  "shortName": "IND @ WSH",
  "date": "2026-10-04T13:30Z",
  "status": "scheduled",
  "statusDetail": "10/4 - 9:30 AM EDT",
  "completed": false,
  "homeTeam": { "id": "28", "name": "Washington Commanders", "abbreviation": "WSH", "record": "1-2" },
  "awayTeam": { "id": "11", "name": "Indianapolis Colts", "abbreviation": "IND", "record": "1-2" },
  "homeScore": null,
  "awayScore": null,
  "winner": null,
  "venue": "Tottenham Hotspur Stadium",
  "city": "London",
  "country": "England",
  "broadcasts": ["NFL Net"],
  "odds": {
    "provider": "DraftKings",
    "details": "IND -3.5",
    "spread": 3.5,
    "overUnder": 47.5,
    "favorite": "away",
    "moneylineHome": "+154",
    "moneylineAway": "-185",
    "spreadHome": { "line": "+3.5", "odds": "-112" },
    "spreadAway": { "line": "-3.5", "odds": "-108" },
    "totalOver": { "line": "o47.5", "odds": "-102" },
    "totalUnder": { "line": "u47.5", "odds": "-118" }
  },
  "url": "https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401872965",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-10-01T08:00:00+00:00"
}
```

Finished games have `homeScore`, `awayScore`, `winner` and `status: "final"`. Live games have `status: "live"` and the current clock in `statusDetail`.

### Input

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `leagues` | Short names (`nfl`, `nba`, `wnba`, `mlb`, `nhl`, `ncaaf`, `ncaab`, `epl`, `mls`, `laliga`, `bundesliga`, `seriea`, `ligue1`, `ucl`, `uel`, `liga-mx`, `k-league`, `j-league`) or any ESPN path like `soccer/ned.1`. |
| `dateFrom` / `dateTo` | `YYYY-MM-DD` or relative (`today-3`, `today+7`). Default: 3 days back to 3 days ahead. Max 62 days per run. |
| `statusFilter` | `all`, `scheduled`, `live` or `final`. |
| `teams` | Only games with these teams — abbreviation (`LAL`) or name (`Lakers`, `Arsenal`). |
| `includeOdds` | Include spread / moneyline / total when available (default on). |
| `onlyChanged` | Return only games whose score, status or odds changed since the last run. |
| `maxResults` | Stop after this many games. |

#### Example: live NBA + NFL scores every 5 minutes

```json
{ "leagues": ["nba", "nfl"], "dateFrom": "today", "dateTo": "today", "statusFilter": "live", "onlyChanged": true }
```

#### Example: next week's Premier League lines

```json
{ "leagues": ["epl"], "dateFrom": "today", "dateTo": "today+7", "statusFilter": "scheduled", "includeOdds": true }
```

### Pricing

Pay per event, no subscription: a small fee per **run** plus about **$2 per 1,000 games** saved. Platform usage is included.

### Notes

- Odds come from the provider ESPN shows (usually DraftKings) and are typically present for upcoming games only; finished games may have none.
- If ESPN blocks direct access from cloud servers, the Actor automatically retries through Apify Proxy — proxy cost is included in the price.
- A run summary per league (requests, games, status, access route) is saved as `SUMMARY` in the key-value store.
- This Actor reads ESPN's publicly served scoreboard data. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by ESPN.

### Need another league or field?

Open an issue in the **Issues** tab — I answer quickly.

# Actor input Schema

## `leagues` (type: `array`):

Short names or ESPN paths. Short names: `nfl`, `nba`, `wnba`, `mlb`, `nhl`, `ncaaf`, `ncaab`, `epl`, `mls`, `laliga`, `bundesliga`, `seriea`, `ligue1`, `ucl`, `uel`, `liga-mx`, `k-league`, `j-league`. Any ESPN path works too, e.g. `soccer/ned.1`, `football/college-football`.

## `dateFrom` (type: `string`):

`YYYY-MM-DD`, or relative like `today-3`. Default: 3 days ago.

## `dateTo` (type: `string`):

`YYYY-MM-DD`, or relative like `today+7`. Default: 3 days ahead. Max range 62 days.

## `statusFilter` (type: `string`):

Keep only scheduled, live or final games.

## `teams` (type: `array`):

Keep only games involving these teams. Abbreviation (`LAL`, `KC`) or name (`Lakers`, `Arsenal`). Case-insensitive.

## `includeOdds` (type: `boolean`):

Spread, moneyline and over/under with provider (usually available for upcoming games).

## `onlyChanged` (type: `boolean`):

Remember each game's score, status and odds; on the next run return only games that changed. Ideal for scheduled live-score or line-movement tracking.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Stop after saving this many games.

## `requestDelayMs` (type: `integer`):

One request per league per day.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Usually leave off. If ESPN blocks direct access, the Actor automatically switches to Apify Proxy (datacenter, then residential) at no extra cost to you.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "leagues": [
    "nfl",
    "nba",
    "epl",
    "mlb"
  ],
  "statusFilter": "all",
  "includeOdds": true,
  "onlyChanged": false,
  "maxResults": 5000,
  "requestDelayMs": 300,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `games` (type: `string`):

All games as JSON (default dataset).

## `gamesCsv` (type: `string`):

Same games as CSV.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "leagues": [
        "nfl",
        "nba",
        "epl",
        "mlb"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("seonlabs/espn-sports-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "leagues": [
        "nfl",
        "nba",
        "epl",
        "mlb",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("seonlabs/espn-sports-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "leagues": [
    "nfl",
    "nba",
    "epl",
    "mlb"
  ]
}' |
apify call seonlabs/espn-sports-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,seonlabs/espn-sports-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/K8rMVpNlJTUWpkYlW/builds/rag96JrmkLbN9ocfd/openapi.json