diff --git a/tests/test_ops_market_opportunities.py b/tests/test_ops_market_opportunities.py
index e3c17123..c4cf7ace 100644
--- a/tests/test_ops_market_opportunities.py
+++ b/tests/test_ops_market_opportunities.py
@@ -205,3 +205,50 @@ def test_ops_market_opportunities_reuses_prewarmed_terminal_snapshot(monkeypatch
     assert captured["filters"]["limit"] == 180
     assert captured["filters"]["min_edge_pct"] == 2
     assert captured["filters"]["min_liquidity"] == 500
+
+
+def test_collect_events_and_prices_uses_gamma_hint_prices_without_clob_fanout():
+    class FakeScanner:
+        def fetch_event(self, _slug):
+            return {
+                "slug": "highest-temperature-in-shanghai-on-july-3-2026",
+                "markets": [
+                    {
+                        "question": "Will the highest temperature in Shanghai be 33°C on July 3?",
+                        "outcomes": '["Yes", "No"]',
+                        "clobTokenIds": '["yes-33", "no-33"]',
+                        "outcomePrices": '["0.12", "0.88"]',
+                    }
+                ],
+            }
+
+        def fetch_ask_price(self, _token_id):
+            raise AssertionError("CLOB should not be called when Gamma outcomePrices are present")
+
+    events, prices, status = market_opportunities._collect_events_and_prices(
+        [_row()],
+        FakeScanner(),
+    )
+
+    assert status == "ready"
+    assert "shanghai" in events
+    assert prices == {"yes-33": 0.12, "no-33": 0.88}
+
+
+def test_collect_events_and_prices_stops_on_time_budget():
+    class SlowScanner:
+        def fetch_event(self, _slug):
+            raise AssertionError("time budget should stop external event fetching")
+
+        def fetch_ask_price(self, _token_id):
+            raise AssertionError("time budget should stop external price fetching")
+
+    events, prices, status = market_opportunities._collect_events_and_prices(
+        [_row()],
+        SlowScanner(),
+        time_budget_sec=0,
+    )
+
+    assert status == "partial"
+    assert events == {}
+    assert prices == {}
diff --git a/web/services/ops/market_opportunities.py b/web/services/ops/market_opportunities.py
index 603d69b1..d1c04b1b 100644
--- a/web/services/ops/market_opportunities.py
+++ b/web/services/ops/market_opportunities.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ GAMMA_API_BASE = "https://gamma-api.polymarket.com"
 CLOB_API_BASE = "https://clob.polymarket.com"
 _QUOTE_CACHE_TTL_SEC = 60
 _EVENT_CACHE_TTL_SEC = 180
+_QUOTE_COLLECTION_TIME_BUDGET_SEC = 18.0
 
 _CACHE_LOCK = threading.Lock()
 _EVENT_CACHE: Dict[str, Tuple[float, Optional[Dict[str, Any]]]] = {}
@@ -405,11 +406,21 @@ class PolymarketQuoteScanner:
 def _collect_events_and_prices(
     rows: List[Dict[str, Any]],
     scanner: PolymarketQuoteScanner,
+    *,
+    time_budget_sec: float = _QUOTE_COLLECTION_TIME_BUDGET_SEC,
 ) -> Tuple[Dict[str, Optional[Dict[str, Any]]], Dict[str, Optional[float]], str]:
     events_by_city: Dict[str, Optional[Dict[str, Any]]] = {}
     prices: Dict[str, Optional[float]] = {}
     status = "ready"
+    started_at = time.monotonic()
+
+    def budget_exhausted() -> bool:
+        return time.monotonic() - started_at >= max(0.0, float(time_budget_sec))
+
     for row in rows:
+        if budget_exhausted():
+            status = "partial"
+            break
         city_key = _normalize_key(row.get("city"))
         if not city_key or city_key in events_by_city:
             continue
@@ -433,9 +444,12 @@ def _collect_events_and_prices(
                 if not token_id or token_id in prices:
                     continue
                 hint_price = hint_prices.get(market_side)
-                if hint_price is not None and hint_price > 0.30:
+                if hint_price is not None:
                     prices[token_id] = hint_price
                     continue
+                if budget_exhausted():
+                    status = "partial"
+                    continue
                 try:
                     prices[token_id] = scanner.fetch_ask_price(token_id)
                 except Exception: