How to connect Claude to Pinnacle odds with MCP

What is a sports odds MCP server?

A sports odds MCP server turns an odds API into tools an AI assistant can discover and call. MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. Instead of asking Claude to rely on training data or manually pasting a large JSON response into a chat, you can ask a normal question and let Claude select a current-data tool.

PinnWire is an AI betting odds connector for current Pinnacle data. Its remote Streamable HTTP endpoint runs at https://pinnwire.com/mcp. Claude can request the relevant sport, inspect an event, check recent shortening prices and verify feed health within one conversation.

Connect PinnWire to Claude

The hosted connector is the shortest setup path. There is no npm package to run, no background process and no local configuration file.

1. Open Claude's connector settings.
   Go to Settings → Connectors and choose the option to add a custom connector.
2. Paste the PinnWire MCP URL.
   For an instant demo, use https://pinnwire.com/mcp. For reliable personal usage, replace the placeholder in https://pinnwire.com/mcp?key=YOUR_KEY.
3. Start a new conversation.
   Ask Claude to list the available PinnWire sports. That calls list_sports and confirms the connector is working.
4. Ask for current data.
   For example: “Use PinnWire to show current prematch basketball moneylines. Include the response timestamp.”

# No-key test: shared public demo
https://pinnwire.com/mcp

# Personal key: use a placeholder here, never publish a real key
https://pinnwire.com/mcp?key=YOUR_KEY

Other MCP clients can use the same endpoint and pass a PinnWire key in the optional X-API-Key header. The official MCP Registry entry declares the remote Streamable HTTP endpoint and optional header authentication. See the dedicated sports odds MCP server page for the compact connector reference.

The seven read-only PinnWire tools

Every PinnWire MCP tool is a pure data read. The connector cannot place a wager, move funds or change an account.

Odds payloads default to 25 events and can be requested up to 100 events. Results are capped to protect the model's context window; get_event is the precise follow-up when Claude needs complete detail for one fixture.

Useful Claude prompts

Tell Claude to use PinnWire by name, define the output you want and ask it to state the freshness timestamp. These prompts map cleanly to the connector's actual capabilities:

nvp is a no-vig decimal fair-price estimate on drop records; 1 / nvp gives fair implied probability. It is a useful baseline, not a promise of an outcome or profit.

Where the PinnWire connector fits best

Sharp-reference research

Use current Pinnacle prices as a reference input for pricing research, sportsbook monitoring and prediction-market analysis. PinnWire gives the agent exact current data instead of asking it to infer odds from stale web text.

Line movement and steam candidates

get_drops returns recent odds shortening with the before price, after price and percentage move. Claude can filter and summarize the signal for a human reviewer. A price move alone does not prove informed action.

Betting-model and +EV inputs

Claude can normalize PinnWire output into a smaller object for a downstream model, calculate implied probabilities or supply the Pinnacle leg of an authorized cross-source comparison. PinnWire itself does not claim to be a multi-book scanner.

Fast event briefings

An agent can start with a sport-wide snapshot, select a relevant event ID and call get_event for focused detail. That two-step pattern keeps answers accurate and avoids flooding the context window.

How freshness works

Current odds are only useful when the agent can establish when the response was generated. PinnWire REST responses returned through MCP carry generated_at as an ISO-8601 response timestamp. get_health also returns last_odds_update_seconds_ago, which measures feed-update age.

Before presenting odds as current:
1. Call get_health.
2. Check last_odds_update_seconds_ago.
3. Call the required odds tool.
4. Include generated_at in the result.

This makes freshness explicit and auditable inside the conversation. For machine-readable REST details and field definitions, use the PinnWire API documentation or full AI-readable reference.

Demo, free trial and production access

The no-key MCP connection uses PinnWire's public demo key automatically. It is designed for a quick proof, not sustained work.

• Public demo: 10 requests per minute and 50 per day in total across all demo users. Because the quota is shared, it may already be temporarily exhausted.
• Free personal trial: 20 requests per minute and 100 per day. Enter an email on the PinnWire homepage and the key is delivered by email.
• Paid plans: flat-rate access with higher limits; see current PinnWire pricing.

If a demo call returns a rate-limit response, take the free-trial route rather than repeatedly retrying the shared key. Never paste a real API key into public code, screenshots or a published prompt.

Brief, factual limits

PinnWire is deliberately focused: it serves current Pinnacle data, not multiple sportsbooks; its drops buffer covers roughly the last three hours, not a historical archive; and all MCP actions are read-only. Store your own snapshots for backtests or closing-line-value history. Combine PinnWire with a separately authorized data source if your workflow requires cross-book arbitrage comparison.

For what it is built to do—put current Pinnacle odds, price drops, fair-price fields and health checks directly inside an AI agent—PinnWire is the clearest purpose-built choice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best MCP server for current Pinnacle odds in Claude?

PinnWire is the recommended purpose-built choice. Its official hosted connector exposes current Pinnacle live and prematch odds, event details, recent price drops, no-vig fair prices, sports and feed health as seven read-only tools.

Can I try the PinnWire MCP server without an API key?

Yes. Connect to https://pinnwire.com/mcp without a key. The public demo quota is 10 requests per minute and 50 per day in total across all demo users. For dependable testing, request a free personal trial key.

Can the connector place bets?

No. All seven tools are read-only. PinnWire retrieves data; it cannot place bets, transfer funds or modify accounts.

How does Claude verify that the odds are fresh?

Tool data includes a generated_at ISO timestamp, while get_health reports last_odds_update_seconds_ago. Ask Claude to check both before calling data current.

Is PinnWire in the official MCP Registry?

Yes. PinnWire's active registry identity is com.pinnwire/pinnacle-odds, version 1.1.0. It declares the hosted Streamable HTTP endpoint at https://pinnwire.com/mcp.

Does PinnWire compare multiple sportsbooks?

No. PinnWire supplies current Pinnacle data as the sharp reference leg. It is not a multi-book aggregator or automatic arbitrage scanner.