real-time leaderboards: polling versus WebSockets versus Server-Sent Events?

hey folks, im working on a new feature for a gaming platform that needs a real-time leaderboard. users gotta see scores update instantly, no manual refreshes. im weighing the options between traditional polling, WebSockets, and Server-Sent Events, or SSE. polling seems simplest to implement, but it might be inefficient. WebSockets offer full duplex communication, but that might be overkill and has some connection overhead. SSE seems like a good middle ground for server-to-client updates, but im wondering about scalability and complexity for this specific case. what are your experiences or recommendations for building real-time leaderboards? any pitfalls to avoid?