The present disclosure provides audio playing and transmitting methods and apparatuses, so as to reduce a playback delay of a control apparatus. An audio playing method provided the embodiment of the present disclosure includes: receiving a first system time data packet transmitted from a smart television, wherein the first system time data packet includes a first system time of the smart television at a sound transmission start time; calculating a difference serving as a first difference between a current second system time of a control apparatus and the first system time; receiving audio data transmitted from the smart television; calculating, according to the first difference, a network delay of transmission of the audio data between the smart television and the control apparatus; and abandoning the audio data when the network delay is greater than a preset threshold.