The Odds API MCP server

The MCP (Model Context Protocol) server provides a way for LLMs (Large Language Models) to interact with financial systems and facilitate betting operations. This lightweight service bridges the gap between AI language capabilities and monetary transactions, enabling automated financial interactions.

Installation

To install the MCP server, follow these simple steps:

Prerequisites

• Python 3.7 or higher
• pip package manager

Setup Process

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/username/mcp-server.git
   cd mcp-server
   

2. Install required dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

3. Configure environment variables:

   cp .env.example .env
   

4. Edit the .env file with your API keys and configuration settings:

   API_KEY=your_api_key_here
   TRANSACTION_LIMIT=500
   DEBUG_MODE=false
   

Usage

Basic Operation

Start the server with the following command:

python server.py

The server will begin running on http://localhost:8000 by default.

Configuration Options

You can customize the server behavior through command-line arguments:

python server.py --port 9000 --log-level debug --max-connections 50

Common options include:

• --port: Set custom port (default: 8000)
• --log-level: Set logging detail (options: debug, info, warning, error)
• --max-connections: Maximum concurrent connections allowed

Making API Calls

Interact with the server using standard HTTP requests:

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "http://localhost:8000/place-bet",
    json={
        "amount": 100,
        "odds": 2.5,
        "selection": "Team A",
        "event_id": "match_12345"
    },
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer your_api_key"}
)

print(response.json())

Transaction Limits

By default, the server imposes transaction limits for safety:

• Single transaction: $500 maximum
• Daily limit: $2,000
• Weekly limit: $10,000

You can adjust these limits in the configuration file or using environment variables.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

• Connection Refused: Ensure the server is running and the port is available
• Authentication Failed: Verify your API key is correct and properly formatted
• Transaction Rejected: Check that your bet amount is within the configured limits

Logs

Review server logs for detailed error information:

tail -f logs/mcp-server.log

How to install this MCP server

For Claude Code

To add this MCP server to Claude Code, run this command in your terminal:

claude mcp add-json "the-odds-api" '{"command":"npx","args":["-y","degen-mcp"]}'

See the official Claude Code MCP documentation for more details.

For Cursor

There are two ways to add an MCP server to Cursor. The most common way is to add the server globally in the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file so that it is available in all of your projects.

If you only need the server in a single project, you can add it to the project instead by creating or adding it to the .cursor/mcp.json file.

Adding an MCP server to Cursor globally

To add a global MCP server go to Cursor Settings > Tools & Integrations and click "New MCP Server".

When you click that button the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file will be opened and you can add your server like this:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "the-odds-api": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "degen-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Adding an MCP server to a project

To add an MCP server to a project you can create a new .cursor/mcp.json file or add it to the existing one. This will look exactly the same as the global MCP server example above.

How to use the MCP server

Once the server is installed, you might need to head back to Settings > MCP and click the refresh button.

The Cursor agent will then be able to see the available tools the added MCP server has available and will call them when it needs to.

You can also explicitly ask the agent to use the tool by mentioning the tool name and describing what the function does.

For Claude Desktop

To add this MCP server to Claude Desktop:

1. Find your configuration file:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
• Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

2. Add this to your configuration file:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "the-odds-api": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "degen-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}

3. Restart Claude Desktop for the changes to take effect