Crab Sports Pros and Cons
Good variety of bonuses and promotions
Intuitive navigational tools
Hundreds of sports markets available
Comprehensive coverage of most betting types
Only available to bettors in Maryland
No live chat customer support
Limited live streaming options
Crab Sports at a Glance
Crab Sports is a Maryland-exclusive online sportsbook launched in 2024, tailored specifically for local bettors.
As a start-up company focused solely on Maryland sports betting, Crab Sports joins the state’s growing legal sports betting market, bringing the total to 11 online sportsbooks operating in Maryland. It offers a variety of bonuses, hundreds of sports markets, and intuitive navigation tools for sports bettors in the Old Line State.
Crab Sports Sportsbook User Experience
From my personal experience, Crab Sports offers a sleek and user-friendly platform that’s pretty impressive for a Maryland-exclusive sports betting site. The color scheme and logo are modern and slick, making the site visually appealing and easy to navigate from the word go.
Jumping into the Crab Sports desktop platform, the first thing that caught my eye was the clean layout. The sports categories are laid out neatly at the top of the lobby page with their respective icons, making it easy to find what you’re looking for. Live ongoing games are displayed front and center, so you can quickly jump into the action.
At the top of the home screen, you can switch between different sections, like promotions and merchandise, with just a click. There’s a handy menu on the left with all the features listed, and your betslip is conveniently located on the right. Everything is easy to find, making the platform a breeze to use.
For mobile users, Crab Sports offers a solid app on both iOS and Android. I tested the app on my iPhone 14, and it delivered a smooth betting experience. The app keeps the clean design of the desktop site and includes all the key features. The sports categories and live games are just as accessible, and you can bet on the go.
However, I did run into a few minor issues. Navigating to specific betting options, like from Basketball to NBA Awards, requires a few extra steps. It would be nicer if everything was under one NBA banner to save time. Also, the app’s stability could use some work. I often had to force close the app or reopen it, which was a bit annoying. Plus, there’s no Face ID login, which would make things more convenient.
Overall, the platform’s responsiveness is solid. Both the desktop and mobile versions load quickly, and moving between different sections is smooth. This is crucial for live betting, where timing is everything.
Crab Sports also has a good range of features. The promotions section is packed with various bonuses and deals that are easy to access. The merchandise section is a cool addition, letting you buy branded items directly from the platform.
The left-side menu on the desktop version lists all the features, making navigation straightforward. This menu structure is mirrored on the mobile app, so you get a consistent experience across different devices.
Crab Sports Sportsbook Features
Crab sports isn’t exactly re-inventing the wheel with its features, but it does bring a solid selection of modern sports betting options.
Live Betting
Crab Sports offers a solid live betting experience. Although there’s no live streaming, this doesn’t detract from the excitement. By clicking the ‘Live’ button on the homepage, you can see a list of current live events and matches.
When you pick a match, an animation helps you follow the progress, making it easy to keep track of your bets as the action unfolds. I enjoyed placing in-play bets and found the interface intuitive and responsive. It really kept me engaged, and I felt involved in the game even without live streaming.
Early Cash Out
The early cash-out feature at Crab Sports gives you the flexibility to settle your bets before the event is over. This is particularly useful if you want to lock in a profit or minimize a loss. The cash-out option is clearly displayed on your bet slip, and the process is straightforward and quick.
During my tests on the site, I used this feature during a football game, and it allowed me to secure a partial win before the match ended. This added a layer of strategy to my betting, letting me make decisions in real-time based on the game’s progress.
Same-Game Parlays
Crab Sports offers same-game parlays, allowing you to combine multiple bets from a single game into one wager. This feature is great for increasing potential payouts and adding excitement to your bets.
You can mix and match different bet types, such as moneyline, totals, and props. I tried this with an NBA game, creating a parlay that included the game’s outcome, total points, and a player’s performance. The process was easy, and the potential for higher rewards made the betting experience more thrilling. It’s a fun way to get more out of a single game.
Parlay Boost
The parlay boost feature at Crab Sports automatically increases your parlay payouts based on the number of legs in your bet.
For example, a 3-leg parlay gets a small boost of 3%, while a 15-leg parlay can get up to a 50% boost. I placed a 5-leg parlay on different basketball games and qualified for a boost, which was automatically added to my betslip. This feature significantly increased the potential payout, making parlays even more enticing and rewarding.
Crab Sports Sportsbook Promotions
Crab Sports offers a range of promotions designed to get you more bang for your buck. Here’s a detailed look at the current promotions available, based on my experience using them.
Welcome Offer – $500 First Bet with Promo Code WSNCRAB
Crab’s welcome bonus is insurance on your first bet. Players who sign up place their first bet of any amount up to $500 at odds of -120 or longer will be awarded a Free Bet if their first bet loses. If the bet wins, the player no longer qualifies for the promotion.
The amount of the Free Bet will be rounded down to the nearest multiple of $25 if not divisible by 25. For example, if the first bet is $160, the free bet coupon will be $150. The minimum wager amount required to qualify for the promotion is $25, and it must be placed with real funds.
No claim or opt-in is necessary; the Free Bet voucher will be credited within 72 hours of the initial wager and expires 7 days after being awarded. You can’t cash out your free bet without using it first. There are no limitations on the sport and event that the free bet can be used on.
To test out the offer, I placed a $100 bet on an NFL game, and although it lost, I promptly received a $100 free bet within two days, which I appreciated and kept me on the platform enjoying my time.
Everyday Same-Game Parlay
Players who place a bet of $50 or more on a 3+ leg Same-Game Parlay (SGP) or SGP+ will be awarded a free bet equal to 50% of their wager if their bet loses. Bets must be placed before the start of each game, and free bets will be granted in increments of $25, rounded down. For example, a $120 lost wager will grant a $50 free bet. The parlay must be odds of +350 or longer to qualify, and the wager must be placed with real funds.
No claim is necessary; the Free Bet voucher will be credited within 72 hours of placing the bet and expires 4 days after being awarded. This promotion can be claimed once per day per customer.
Refer-a-Friend
Players can refer a friend to Crab Sports to earn a $10 Free Bet each. Referees must sign up using the Referrer’s unique code, deposit, and place a wager of $50 or more to qualify for the promotion. The qualifying wager must be placed on an event with odds of -120 or longer and must be placed with real funds.
Referrals of household or immediate family members are not eligible for the promotion. The promotion can only be claimed once per referee and five times every calendar month per referrer. The Free Bet voucher will be credited within 72 hours of bet settlement and expires 7 days after being awarded.
Parlay Boost
This is a simple offer: the more legs you add to your parlays the higher the boost you receive.
No claim is necessary to get involved; the parlay boost will automatically be added to the betslip with qualifying bets. This applies to customers placing wagers on various sports, including baseball, ice hockey, basketball, tennis, football, motorsports, table tennis, golf, formula 1, MMA, soccer, and boxing. The boost increases with the number of legs in the parlay, starting at 3% for 3 legs and going up to 50% for 15+ legs.
Individual legs of the parlay must be greater than -303 odds. Sporting events, leagues, odds, and percentages for the Parlay Boost will vary based on ongoing promotions. I placed a 5-leg parlay on basketball games, and the 7% boost was automatically added to my betslip, which was a nice bonus.
Crab Sports Sportsbook Deposits & Withdrawals
| Crab Sports Payment Details | |
|---|---|
| Payment methods | Visa, Mastercard, eChecks, Apple Pay, |
| Minimum deposit | $10 |
| Maximum withdrawal | $10,000 |
| Payout speed | 3-5 Business Days |
Crab Sports offers a decent variety of trusted payment methods, making it pretty straightforward to deposit and withdraw funds.
Here’s my firsthand experience with their payment options:
Deposits:
I used my Visa card to make my initial deposit. The process was straightforward, pretty much the same as any other MD sportsbook in my experience, and my funds were available in my account instantly. The minimum deposit is $10, which is quite reasonable and accessible for most bettors.
Withdrawals:
For withdrawals, I opted to use Apple Pay. After verifying my identity, which is a standard procedure for security, I requested a withdrawal of $200. The request was processed within three business days and appeared in my account promptly on the morning of the third day. It says on the platform that withdrawals can take up to five days, which is most likely the maximum.
In my opinion, this time frame is OK but not on par with the fastest sportsbooks, like FanDuel and DraftKings.
While Crab Sports covers the basics well with options like Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Paysafecard, and Apple Pay, it does lack some of the more modern payment methods found on other betting sites. Adding options like Venmo and Skrill would provide more flexibility and convenience for users.
Compared to other betting sites, Crab Sports stands up well with its efficient and secure payment processing, but the range of options could be expanded. The minimum deposit amount is competitive and the maximum withdrawal limit is quite high, catering to both casual and more serious bettors.
Overall, I found the deposit and withdrawal process at Crab Sports to be smooth and reliable. The speed of transactions was as expected, and the security measures in place provided peace of mind. However, the addition of more diverse payment options would enhance the user experience further.
Crab Sports Payment Methods Comparison
| Payment Method | Crab Sports | DraftKings | Fanduel | Caesars | BetMGM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debit / Credit Card | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Apple Pay | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Trustly | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Bank Transfer | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Paypal | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Skrill | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cryptocurrencies | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| E checks | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Crab Sports Sportsbook Customer Support
When it comes to customer support, Crab Sports covers the basics, but there’s room for improvement. On the lobby screen, if you scroll down, you’ll find the support section and the contact us section side by side. They offer a decent selection of FAQs and email support, but that’s about it.
I used the email support to inquire about payment options, specifically whether Apple Pay was available on the iOS app. It took a full business day to get a response, which is reasonable but not outstanding. The response confirmed that Apple Pay is indeed an option. The support agent, Beth, was nice and provided clear information.
While the email support was satisfactory, the lack of live chat is a significant downside. In today’s industry, having a live chat option, or even an AI chatbot, would greatly improve the user experience. Immediate support is often crucial, especially when dealing with time-sensitive issues like betting or withdrawals.
The FAQ section is helpful for basic queries, covering topics like account verification, payment methods, and responsible gambling tools. However, it’s not the most extensive I’ve seen, so you might find yourself needing more detailed help, which could lead to delays if relying solely on email support.
Crab Sports Sportsbook Responsible Gaming
Crab Sports is dedicated to promoting responsible gaming and offers several tools and resources to help players manage their gambling habits. They provide information on how to recognize problem gambling and offer support to those who need it.
To support responsible gaming, Crab Sports provides links to various resources, including:
- MD Gambling Help
- National Council on Problem Gambling
- Gamblers Anonymous
Crab Sports also offers several tools to help players manage their gambling:
- Loss limits: Set a maximum allowable loss over a certain time period.
- Wager limits: Set a maximum wager amount over a certain time period.
- Deposit limits: Set the maximum amount you can deposit over a certain time period.
- Session time limits: Limit the amount of time you can spend logged in per day.
- Voluntary exclusion: Permanently exclude yourself from your account if needed.
These tools and resources aim to help players enjoy a safe and controlled game time, and I was very happy to see them during my Crab sports review.
