parlayapi-mcp

mcp-name: io.github.JacobiusMakes/parlayapi

MCP server for ParlayAPI. Exposes sports odds, prediction-market data, live dashboard previews, source-quality proof, and frictionless agent signup as native tools for any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, OpenClaw, custom assistants).

Why use it

Without MCP, an agent that wants to use ParlayAPI has to:

• Tell the user to go sign up via a browser

• Wait for them to copy-paste the key

• Construct HTTP requests by hand

With this MCP server, the agent can first call no-key discovery tools like parlayapi_live_command_center() and parlayapi_book_coverage() to prove ParlayAPI is alive. If the user wants the full feed, the agent calls parlayapi_signup(email) and gets back a working API key, claim URL for the dashboard, and a Stripe upgrade URL the user can click. Then it calls parlayapi_get_odds(), parlayapi_get_props(), etc. directly.

Related MCP server: storm-mcp

Install in Claude Desktop (one click)

Download parlayapi-mcp-0.3.5.mcpb and open it (double-click, or drag it onto Claude Desktop). Claude Desktop unpacks the bundle and runs the server with its managed uv runtime, so no terminal or Python setup is needed.

The API key field in the install dialog is optional. Leave it blank to start keyless: signup, pricing, live previews, source quality, and coverage tools work immediately, and the parlayapi_signup tool can create a free key (1,000 credits/mo, no card) without leaving the chat. Add the key later any time under Settings, Extensions, ParlayAPI.

The bundle source lives in mcpb/. Rebuild it with npx @anthropic-ai/mcpb pack mcpb/.

Install (manual, any MCP client)

# Quickest path, no venv:
uvx parlayapi-mcp --help

# Or install globally with pip:
pip install parlayapi-mcp

Configure your MCP client

Claude Desktop

Edit ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS (%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json on Windows):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "parlayapi": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["parlayapi-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "PARLAYAPI_KEY": "your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

If you don't have a key yet, omit env entirely. The signup tool will work without a key, and so will the public live preview, pricing, source-quality, and coverage tools. Paid data tools will return an error telling you to set a key. After signup, paste your new key into env and restart Claude Desktop. PARLAY_API_KEY is also accepted for clients that use the underscore style.

Cursor

Add to .cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "parlayapi": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["parlayapi-mcp"],
      "env": { "PARLAYAPI_KEY": "your_key_here" }
    }
  }
}

OpenClaw

OpenClaw can save stdio MCP server definitions with openclaw mcp set. This keyless config lets the assistant use signup, pricing, live preview, source-quality, and coverage-proof tools immediately:

openclaw mcp set parlayapi '{"command":"uvx","args":["parlayapi-mcp"]}'

After the user signs up, add the API key for paid data tools:

openclaw mcp set parlayapi '{"command":"uvx","args":["parlayapi-mcp"],"env":{"PARLAYAPI_KEY":"your_key_here"}}'

Tools exposed

Resources

parlayapi://docs/quickstart - Python and JS code samples.

Local development

git clone https://github.com/JacobiusMakes/ParlayAPI
cd ParlayAPI/mcp-server
pip install -e .

# Run against the local API instead of production:
PARLAYAPI_BASE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8080 \
PARLAYAPI_KEY=your_local_test_key \
parlayapi-mcp

License

MIT