# Reducing Message Volume TRADE delivers odds updates as delta messages — only what changed, as it changes. For active in-play fixtures with many markets and providers, this can generate a high volume of updates per second. Three configuration tools let you control how frequently those updates reach your feed: **Minimum Difference**, **Odds Ladders**, and **Rounding Rules**. Applying these settings reduces the number of messages your system processes without missing meaningful odds movements. *** ## Minimum Difference **What it does:** Filters out small odds changes that fall below a threshold you define. When a market update arrives, TRADE compares the new odds to the last published odds. If the change is smaller than your configured percentage, the update is suppressed. Only when the change meets or exceeds the threshold does a message get sent. **Why it helps:** Providers often push frequent small odds adjustments — especially during live events. Many of these micro-movements may not be material for your platform. Setting a Minimum Difference of 1%, for example, means only odds shifts of 1% or more generate a message. **How to configure it:** Open Odds Settings for the relevant hierarchy (sport, competition, or fixture) and set the **Min Difference** value (as a percentage) per market. → See [Odds Settings](/u/trade/user-guide/booking-events-and-odds-settings/odds-settings.md) for configuration steps. *** ## Odds Ladder **What it does:** Rounds odds to predefined steps, so a message is only sent when odds move from one step to another. An odds ladder defines a series of fixed price points — for example, 1.80, 1.85, 1.90, 1.95. When TRADE calculates an odds value, it snaps it to the appropriate step on your ladder. A message is only sent when the odds cross into a different step. **Why it helps:** Without a ladder, every fractional change in the raw calculated price triggers an update. With a ladder, odds must shift far enough to land on a new step — naturally throttling update frequency while keeping displayed prices clean and bookmaker-friendly. **How to configure it:** Create an odds ladder in **Configuration → Odds Ladders**, then apply it per market in Odds Settings. → See [Odds Ladders](/u/trade/user-guide/configuration/odds-ladders.md) for configuration steps. *** ## Rounding Rules **What it does:** Controls how odds are snapped to a ladder step when the calculated value falls between two steps. There are two methods: * **Closest to step** — rounds to whichever step is nearest. If odds land exactly halfway, they round up to the higher step. * **Floor** — always rounds down to the lower step. The higher step is only shown when the calculated odds reach or exceed it exactly. **Why it matters for volume:** Floor is the more conservative method — odds must travel further before crossing to the next step, reducing the number of step-crossings (and therefore messages) compared to Closest to step. If minimising update frequency is the priority, Floor typically produces fewer messages. **How to configure it:** Rounding method is set when creating or editing an odds ladder in **Configuration → Odds Ladders**. → See [Odds Ladders](/u/trade/user-guide/configuration/odds-ladders.md) for configuration steps. *** ## Using these tools together The three controls are designed to work in combination. A typical approach: 1. Apply an odds ladder to snap odds to meaningful price points 2. Choose the **Floor** rounding method to maximise step stability 3. Set a **Minimum Difference** as an additional filter for any remaining micro-movements Each market can be configured independently, so you can apply tighter filters to high-volume markets (such as Asian Handicap in-play) while leaving lower-volume markets with looser settings. *** ## Related pages * [Odds Settings](/u/trade/user-guide/booking-events-and-odds-settings/odds-settings.md) * [Odds Ladders](/u/trade/user-guide/configuration/odds-ladders.md) * [Working with TRADE Feed](/u/trade/integration/rmq-connection/how-to-work-with-trade-feed.md) * [Market/Bet Message Handling](/u/trade/integration/rmq-connection/market-bet-message-handling.md) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.lsports.eu/u/trade/best-practices/reducing-message-volume.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.