Crab Sports review
Crab Sports is a new sportsbook launched in Maryland in 2023. It boasts 23 sports to bet on and a $500 first bet insurance for site newcomers.
But is Crab Sports worth the hype? Keep reading our Crab Sports sportsbook review to learn more about their 24/7 customer support, 93.7% payout percentages, and live betting services.
General ratings
General info
Launch date | 2023 |
Company behind | Crab Sports Inc. |
Editor's note
Data and analysis below are accurate at the time of publishing, but may be subject to change.
Expert verdict
Crabs Sports is a good sportsbook, but it struggles to excel above the competition.
It’s $500 first bet insurance promo is decent but struggles to compete with competitors, and the lack of ongoing promos means existing bettors have little to look forward to. The low percentage payouts and lack of customer support options are also black marks on Crab Sports’ site.
It’s not all doom and gloom though. Crab Sports offers a solid selection of sports, including some niche sports like lacrosse. Many of these also benefit from Same Game Parlay (SGP) boosts. Live betting is also great, with in-depth data and odds being quickly adjusted, albeit no live streams are available.
Overall, Crab Sports is worth a quick visit to check it out, but I wouldn’t blame anyone if they wanted to try some different sports betting sites.
Crab Sports bonus ā $500 first bet insurance
Newcomers are greeted with a $500 first bet insurance bonus. This works the same as a risk-free bet, where the first bet you place is refunded to you in a Free Bet in case you lose, up to a maximum of $500. If the first bet wins, you no longer qualify for the promotion.
The promotion will give you one Free Bet, rounded down to the nearest $25. The minimum wager to qualify is $25, and your first wager must be at odds of -120 or longer. The Free Bet itself can only be used on odds of -110 or longer, and winnings from it will be converted to real funds and capped at 2x the initial stake. No Crab Sports bonus code is required to use the welcome promo.
Bonus facts
Category | Details |
---|---|
Welcome bonus | $500 first bet insurance |
Bonus code | N/A |
Wagering requirements | Capped at 2x initial stake |
Minimum qualifying bet | $25 |
Risk-free bets | Available |
VIP rewards | Available |
Other bonuses | Everyday SGP, parlay boosts, refer-a-friend |
Existing players can try the Everyday SGP promo, which gives players a risk-free SGP every day for players who wager a minimum of $50 on a three+ leg SGP of +350 odds or longer and lose the bet. The Free Bet awarded is 50% of the wager and is awarded in increments of $25 rounded down, and must be wagered four days after being awarded at odds of +300 or longer. Winnings are capped at 10x the initial stake.
Existing players can also make use of other sportsbook offers like parlay boosts, that can boost up to 50% on 15+ legs. There’s also a refer-a-friend program that gives you and your referral a $10 Free Bet if your referral signs up and places a wager of $50 or more on odds of -120 or longer.
Bonus rating
- VIP Program available
- No Crab Sports bonus code required
- Low-value welcome bonus
- Harsh odds requirements
- No boosted odds
Crab Sports struggles in the bonus department. The problem isn’t just the relatively low number of promos, but also the harsh requirements on the promos available.
The $500 first bet insurance promo already falls behind competitors like Caesars and BetMGM, who offer $1,000 and $1,500 risk-free bets respectively. However, there’s also the matter of harsh odds requirements, with only odds of -120 or longer being applicable for the first bet, and -110 or longer applicable for the Free Bet.
There’s also the problem of no boosted odds being available at all, which is a staple at most sportsbooks. Instead, the Everyday SGP is the standard daily bonus, but that also comes with harsh odds requirements of +350 or longer.
Crabs Sports needs to up its bonus offering, either by offering more bonuses or by increasing the value of what it has available. If it wants to get a high rating, it needs to do both.
Sports and markets at Crab Sports
There are 23 sports available to bet on at Crab Sports sportsbook. These include popular sports like football, basketball, and baseball, as well as niche sports like lacrosse and badminton. All the major leagues are available for these sports,
Crab Sports has a particular emphasis on tennis, with over 300 markets on tennis matches and over 100 on table tennis matches. Soccer is also pushed heavily, with over 250 markets available.
Sports facts
Category | Details |
---|---|
Number of sports | 23 |
Betting markets ā Baseball | 37 |
Betting markets ā Basketball | 33 |
Betting markets ā Football | 32 |
Esports | N/A |
Other markets (politics/event betting) | N/A |
Every other sport has roughly 30+ markets per sport, with more nice sports like waterpolo often having under 10 markets. There are roughly 50+ live markets available every day, most of which are tennis.
Featured betting markets
Sports and markets rating
- Niche sports available
- Loads of soccer and tennis markets
- Few football markets
- No esports betting
There’s a lot to like about the sports offering of Crab Sports. For starters, 23 is a good number of sports to have, with other sportsbooks like ClutchBet trailing behind at 15. It’s still a far cry from sites like Sportzino with over 40 sports, but it’s a respectable number nonetheless.
What makes Crab Sports more attractive is the variety of sports on offer. Of course all the popular ones like football and basketball are here, but you also have niche sports like lacross, darts, and handball. Sadly, competitive crabbing is not available at Crab Sports.
Jokes aside, my main problem with Crab Sports sportsbook comes down to the lack of markets for each sport. A lot of the niche sports only have basic moneyline bets, and even popular sports like football trail behind at only 32 markets. Tennis seems to be the exception, with well over 300 markets available.
Crab Sports’ betting features
Crab Sports promotes an early Cashout feature, that allows players to cash out their bets before they have finished. This pairs well with Crab Sports’ live betting features, with over 50+ live events with in-depth live data that updates rapidly. No live streams are available to view the games.
Feature facts
Category | Details |
---|---|
Bet Builder | Available |
Cash Out | Full |
Live betting | Available |
Live streaming | N/A |
Virtual betting | N/A |
As for different bet types, Crab Sports sportsbook offers several different types including moneylines, spreads, totals, props, parlays, round robins, and futures.
Betting features rating
- Full early cashout
- In-depth live data
- No live streams
Crab Sports is loaded with different betting features for bettors to enjoy. The cashout is particularly great, allowing for early cashouts on a number of different bets. Be warned to check the terms of Crab Sports bonuses ā Free Bets cannot benefit from early cashout.
The live betting in particular is fantastic, with lightning-fast odds and data that is in-depth and updated rapidly. Plenty of live events are available to you, though be warned ā most of them are tennis.
My only real gripe is that there are no live streams to watch the games on, but this is a minor nitpick in what is otherwise a very solid section.
Crab Sports odds and payouts
Crab Sports average payouts however around the 93.7% mark. Some sports, such as football and basketball, are a little higher at 94.5% and 94.7% respectively, however, most fall within the 93% range.
Odds facts
Category | Details |
---|---|
Average payout | 93.7% |
Boosted odds | N/A |
Parlay boosts | Available |
Line movement | Moderate |
Live sports betting payouts are significantly lower, at the 89.2% range. Some live tennis matches are slightly higher in the 90% range, but most sports fall within 89%. There are no boosted odds available, though parlay boosts are available for most sports.
Odds rating
- Parlays boosts available
- Low percentage payouts
- No boosted odds
The payouts at Crab Sports are shockingly low. Most betting odds offer payouts in the 95% range, with DraftKings, Golden Nugget, and FanDuel all offering payouts in that range. Crab Sports trailing behind at 93.7% is pitiful in comparison.
It gets even worse when it comes to live betting. 89.2% live average payouts is the lowest we’ve ever seen. It’s true that most sportsbooks have lower live payouts, but anything below 91% is far too harsh.
I don’t want to be so crabby at Crab Sports, but I can’t help it when there aren’t even any boosted odds available. The good news is parlay boosts are available, so you can get some decent boosts on odds there.
Crab Sports needs to up its percentage payout rates, no questions asked. Otherwise, it will always trail behind competitors who are far ahead in this department.
Four transaction methods at Crab Sports
There are four payment methods at Crab Sports. These involve three cards: VISA, Mastercard, and Discover. Bettors can also place transactions through bank transfers. From the options available, only Discover cannot be used for withdrawals.
Payment facts
Category | Details |
---|---|
Number of payment methods | 4 |
Popular payment | VISA |
Minimum deposit | $10 |
Maximum deposit | $10,000 |
Average deposit time | Instant |
Minimum withdrawal | $10 |
Maximum withdrawal | Not specified |
Average withdrawal time | 48-72 hours |
Deposit fees | N/A |
Withdrawal fees | N/A |
The minimum deposit is $10 and is processed instantly. Players can deposit as high as $10,000 with all the available methods.
Withdrawals can take between 48-72 hours, depending on if it is the first time a bettor is withdrawing. If this is the case, forms will need to be filled out. Bettors will also need to withdraw using the same method they deposited. The minimum withdrawal is $10, but the maximum withdrawal was not specified.
Deposit methods
Withdrawal methods
Payments rating
- Popular cards available
- Terms are hard to find
- No e-wallets or in-person options
Four payment methods is a very small amount for a sportsbook to have. When you have operators like bet365 and Borgata coming in with 10 and 13 payment methods respectively, Crab Sports’ four options seem minuscule in comparison.
The critical problem is that this leaves out e-wallets and in-person options. If you’re the kind of person who prefers using an e-wallet like PayPal or Skill, you’re out of luck over here.
I also have a large gripe with how little information is available to the public. The FAQs do not indicate what payment methods are available or the transaction times and limits, and only some of these questions are answered by logging in. The withdrawal maximum limit remains a mystery to me.
The silver lining is that popular card methods like VISA and Mastercard are available, for both deposit and withdrawal. This means users of these cards will be fine at Crab Sports.
Safety of Crab Sports sportsbook
Crab Sports is owned by Crab Sports Inc., and is available exclusively in Maryland. It is licensed by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA).
The site uses strong 256-bit SSL encryption with RSA technology to keep your private information safe. It also utilizes two-factor authentication (TFA) to give an extra layer of safety to your account.
Safety facts
Category | Details |
---|---|
Auditing seals | MLGCA |
Responsible gambling seals | N/A |
Licenses | MLGCA |
SSL encryption | 256-bit |
Two-factor authentication | Available |
Ever blacklisted? | N/A |
Deposit, wager, time, and loss limits | Available |
Self-exclusion | Available |
Cooling-off period | Available |
The is also the Responsible Gambling (RG) section that can be accessed from the site’s footer. This leads to an informational page on problem gambling and support agencies, with links to several helpful organizations.
You can also use several tools to limit yourself, these being: loss limits, wager limits, max wager limits, deposit limits, time limits, cooling-off periods, self-exclusion, and permanent account closure. These can all be accessed through your account settings.
Licensed by
Trusted by
Safety rating
- Strong SSL encryption
- RG tools available
- Licensed in one state only
Crab Sports is a safe and legal sportsbook, with nothing to fear for. The SSL encryption and TFA work together to ensure that your private and payment information is safe.
I’m quite happy to see the large number of RG tools available to bettors, and how easy it is to access and use them. This helps keep bettors safe in case problems start to emerge.
My only real problem is the lack of availability of the sportsbook. Being available in multiple states isn’t just for convenience ā it shows the site can pass audits from multiple licensing boards. BetRivers for instance is available in 15 states, meaning 15 boards had to approve the sportsbook for a licence.
Crab Sports Inc. is a new and small company so it still has time to grow in this department, but I hope it expands its sportsbook beyond Maryland and shows that it is a reliable and trustworthy company.
Two support methods at Crab Sports
There are two support methods at Crab Sports sportsbook: email and FAQ. All support methods can be found at the footer of the site.
Keep in mind there are two FAQs on Crab Sports’ site, both in different sections of the footer. There is an on-site FAQ that can be accessed by pressing the ‘Support’ button in the footer, and there is an external FAQ powered by Live Agent that can be accessed by clicking the ‘FAQ’ button in the footer. Both FAQs are small with few questions answered.
Support facts
Category | Details |
---|---|
Customer support availability | 24/7 |
Live chat | N/A |
[email protected] | |
Contact number | N/A |
On-page support | FAQ and Help Center |
Crab Sport’s email support team takes just a little over an hour to answer, with clear and detailed responses that rarely require clarification. The email team is available 24/7.
Support rating
- Clear and detailed responses
- No phone or live chat
- Bare bones FAQ
It is a little bit silly to only see two support methods available on a sportsbook. Most sportsbooks, such as Borgata, make use of live chat and telephone methods as well, giving you multiple ways to contact customer support.
I wouldn’t be so angry about it if the FAQs were good, but they’re just not. Crab Sports inexplicably has two FAQs available, and both have very few questions with vague answers. The question “What payment methods do you accept” should not have the answer “We accept a variety” because it’s unhelpful to people trying to make informed decisions before opening an account.
The good news is the email team carries the support section on their backs here, with clear and detailed responses that come in relatively fast for an email support method.
Crabs Sports app and platform
Here are all the essentials for the Crab Sports platform:
- Crab Sports registration involves 14 fields and three clicks, and can be completed in under three minutes.
- There is a native mobile app for Crab Sports, for both iOS and Android, with all the same features as the desktop platform.
- Crab Sports filters by all different sports and popular leagues, through the left menu.
- The search bar is broken, it does not work.
Platform facts
Category | Details |
---|---|
Mobile app | iOS and Android |
Ease of navigation | Good |
Filters | Available |
Search function | Not functional |
Loading speed | 2 seconds |
UI and UX rating | Good |
Other products | N/A |
Crab Sports is a very fast sportsbook, with quick loading times and rapidly updating live data and odds. The site uses a white-on-blue color scheme with orange to highlight important sections, making everything visible and instantly recognizable.
Platform rating
- Quick and easy registration
- Detailed filters
- Broken search bar
- Messy footer links
Crab Sports’ platform has a lot going for it and honestly, it should have gotten a higher score here. Sadly, there are a few problems that are too big to ignore.
The search button is about as useful as a crab with no claws. I’ve tried searching everything from team names, league names, events, and even entire sports, and the search bar always brings up no results.
It also does not help that the footer is quite messy, with lots of links to very small pages, such as how withdrawals work. Having instead one link to a good FAQ would clean up the footer and have all the answers in one place, making life a lot easier for bettors.
Still, the site is very fast and the app is excellent, so I don’t want to be too mean in this department. I just hope Crab Sports at least fixes its search bar, which would go a long way in making the site more usable.
Crab Sports user reviews
Do you have any experience with this operator?
User feedback
its lacking in many ways to what you should expect, the vig is 2 X other books. Not very many special prop bets. Responded to email quicky but no live support. Took paypal that was the plus here and theres a parlay bet bonus but this vig will cost too much to sustain