$500 FIRST BET INSURANCE
Crab Sports is an online sportsbook that operates legally and exclusively in Maryland. The site features betting on dozens of sports and offers up to $500 insurance on your first bet of $25 or more. Use the Crab Sports promo code PLAYMD when signing up.
The Crab Sports app has a license from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. It is the first locally-owned sportsbook to launch in Maryland.
Crab Sports Sportsbook Maryland promo code details
The Crab Sports Sportsbook promo code welcome bonus in Maryland is for first bet insurance up to $500. The minimum bet to activate the promo is $25. The Crab Sports Maryland promo code is PLAYMD. Make a $25 bet and get a $25 bonus bet refund if it loses or a $500 bet for $500 on a loss. Winning first bets do not qualify for the promotion.
If the bet bonus is not divisible by 25, it is rounded down to the nearest multiple of $25. This stipulation applies to any straight or SGP bet. Standard parlay bets are not applicable. Any winnings from the bonus bets are converted to real funds and capped at 2x the initial stake.
| Crab Sports Sportsbook MD Promo Code | PLAYMD |
|---|---|
| Welcome Bonus | First bet insurance for up to $500 |
| Terms | • Qualifying bet must have odds of -120 or longer • Minimum $25 wager required to qualify • If your first bet loses you get a bonus bet refund • Refund comes in $25 increments, so if you bet $170, you would only get $150 worth of bonus bets |
| Legal States | Maryland |
| Local Partner | Jimmy’s Famous Seafood |
| Promo Valid Through | September 2024 |
How to sign up for a Crab Sports account
Here’s a quick guide for signing up at Crab Sports. Create an account using basic information.
- Download the app on the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store. Install the GiG software.
- Sign up using your username, first name, last name, email, and phone number. Create a password and verify it.
- On the second form, include your date of birth, address, and Social Security number.
- Confirm you are 21 or older and have read the terms of use and privacy policy.
- Agree to the use of geolocation software. If Xpoint Verify is not installed on your device, install it.
Is Crab Sports legal?
Yes, Crab Sports is legal in Maryland. If it gains a license in other states, we’ll update the list below.
| State | Partner | Launch Date | Special Considerations |
| Maryland | Jimmy’s Famous Seafood | July 2023 | Sign-up bonus expires seven days after issuance. |
Crab Sports promotions
Crab Sports offers a first-bet promotion and a couple of everyday bonuses to regular customers. When signing up at the online sportsbook, remember to use the promo code PLAYMD to be eligible for the bonuses.
The first-bet insurance applies to any first wager from $25 to $500. The everyday same-game parlays and parlay boosts are available on the promotions page.
Under the “Popular” tab on the main page, you’ll find “Boosted Odds.” These one-off promotions offer better payouts for popular bets on a player in football, basketball, basketball, or other team sports.
- $500 first bet insurance: Any bet up to $500 at odds of -120 or longer will qualify for a refund in bonus bets if it loses. If your bet wins, you receive a payout as normal. The minimum bet to qualify is $25.
- 50% everyday SGP bonus: Bettors who place a wager of $50 or more on a same-game parlay of three-plus legs will receive a bonus bet equal to 50% of their bet if the wager loses. The parlay must have odds of +350 or longer to qualify. Crab Sports grants the bets in increments of $25, rounded down if not divisible by 25.
- Parlay booster: Place wagers on football, baseball, basketball, hockey, golf, tennis, table tennis, soccer, MMA, boxing, and motorsports and receive a parlay boost. Individual leg odds must be greater than -303. Example: -200 qualifies, but -400 does not. Here are the boost percentages:
- 3 legs – 3%
- 4 legs – 5%
- 5 legs – 7%
- 6 legs – 10%
- 7 legs – 12%
- 8 legs – 15%
- 9 legs – 20%
- 10 legs – 25%
- 11 legs – 30%
- 12 legs – 35%
- 13 legs – 40%
- 14 legs – 45%
- 15+ legs – 50%
Crab Sports Sportsbook Maryland is live
Crab Sports launched its online sportsbook in Maryland in July 2023. Since then, the site has added daily same-game parlays and daily boosts to its list of promotions. Crab Sports has odds on more than 30 sports and 100 leagues.
The sportsbook offers bets on NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games. Users can also bet on table tennis, water polo, and floorball. The motorsports category includes NASCAR, Formula One, and IndyCar races. Soccer includes matches from more than 30 countries and events like the Champions League, Copa America, and World Cup.
Future Crab Sports states
Currently, Crab Sports is legal in Maryland. Given its ties to the state, it is uncertain whether Crab Sports plans to expand to other jurisdictions. If Crab Sports launches in any new states, we will update this page with that information.
Crab Sports eligibility requirements
Crab Sports has age requirements and geolocation requirements for real money wagering. Those requirements are below:
- Age to bet online: Maryland requires bettors to be 21 or older to legally wager on sports in the state.
- Betting restrictions: Anyone on the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency’s self-exclusion list cannot bet at Crab Sports. If you work for a sports team or sports league, you cannot wager at Crab Sports.
- Eligibility for bonus: You must be a new account holder to receive a bonus. Your first wager must be $25 or more for the first-bet insurance.
- Legal in: Maryland
- Do I have to be a Maryland resident to wager at Crab Sports? No, but you must be located in Maryland. Crab Sports uses geolocation technology to determine where you are.
What are the top features at Crab Sports?
Crab Sports covers all the major sports that Americans enjoy. It has several features to help customers get a full sports betting experience.
- Up next: Shows the sporting events about to launch, which is helpful for those who enjoy live betting.
- Popular sports: Crab Sports collects its most popular sporting events of the day in its popular column. Never miss a key game or tournament.
- Boosted odds: The oddsmaker offers daily boosts on select games, often highlighting a player in one of the day’s top games.
How to bet at Crab Sports
Crab Sportsbook has the conventional types of wagers you’ll find at most online sportsbooks. Anyone new to sports betting can read through the following list for an overview of the main bets:
- Moneylines: This is the basic bet. You wager on the outright winner of the game. Favorites will have negative odds and underdogs will have positive odds.
- Spreads: Here, the underdog and favorite are weighted propositions. Oddsmakers assign a point spread or run line to the bet, weighing it against the favorites. Thus, +5.5 on the New York Giants against the Philadelphia Eagles would mean the Giants can win outright or keep the game within five points to win the bet. The Eagles would need to win by six or more points to win a spread bet.
- Totals: Also called over/under bets, these are based on the total points scored by both sides. If the total for the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Golden State Warriors were 217.5 points, the over would be 218 or more combined points, and the under would be 217 or fewer.
- Straight bets: This is a category of bets on a single outcome or point total.
- Parlays: Combine two or more bets to offer a bigger potential payout. A bettor might wager on the Nuggets to beat the Suns and the Timberwolves to beat the Mavs. For the bet to win, each bet (leg) must win. If you make a four-leg parlay and three of the four individual wagers win, you would still lose the bet.
- Single-game parlays: Also known as same-game parlays, all legs of these parlays come from a single game. For example, a person might bet on Luka Doncic scoring over 25.5 points, the Dallas Mavericks winning, and both teams exceeding 215.5 points to create a three-leg single-game parlay. Again, all three bets must win for the parlay to win.
- Props: Proposition bets are wagers on a single aspect of the game. For instance, a person might bet on how many points, rebounds, rushing yards, hits, or fouls a player will have. The Super Bowl has individual prop bets that might not even involve the game itself, such as the color of the Gatorade poured on the winning coach.
- Futures: These are season-long bets on a team or a single player. You would place a futures bet on the winner of the NBA Finals or the Stanley Cup at the start of the season (or anytime during the season) or on a player winning the league MVP or the Heisman Trophy.
- Live bets: Pregame betting is no longer the only way to wager. Crab Sports’ live betting page offers in-game betting on sporting events as they happen. As the game unfolds and probabilities shift, the live odds will change.
What can you bet on at Crab Sports?
The sportsbook offers many betting options. The main page for mobile devices makes it easy to scroll through sports. Bettors can see how many betting options are available per sport. Swipe the sport to see the full list of pregame bets for football, baseball, basketball, and dozens of other sports.
The “Popular” tab lets bettors quickly find options like playoff games, major tournaments, and special events. It also has a link to boosted odds for the day.
How are the odds at Crab Sports?
Crab Sports’ odds are comparable to those at FanDuel and DraftKings. In a small sampling of odds reviewed, the odds at Crab Sports (compared to DraftKings) slightly favored favorites more than underdogs.
Gaming Innovation Group provides odds for Crab Sports. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and is licensed in Maryland, New Jersey, Iowa, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Spain.
How early are lines available?
The lines appear at about the same speed as at other sportsbooks. Odds for special events like the World Series or NBA Finals appear earlier than regular season odds. The live betting odds regularly update, so bettors should not experience any lag time when making live bets.
Are there betting limits at Crab Sports?
| Crab Sports | Limits |
| Minimum deposit | $10 minimum and $10,000 maximum |
| Payout cap | N/A |
| Parlay rules | See the table above for the percentage odds boost each leg of a parlay unlocks. |
How Crab Sports compares to other legal sportsbooks
Crab Sports’ odds are comparable to those of other legal sportsbooks. Its first-bet insurance is similar to promos you might find at other online sportsbooks, and its ongoing promotions are also similar. However, the app itself needs improvement.
| Features | Crab Sports | FanDuel | DraftKings |
| Same-Game Parlays | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Odds Boosts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best Feature | “Up Next” feature | User XP | Live betting |
| Needs Improvement | Mobile app | Geolocation | Browser version |
| Customer Support | Live chat, email, Twitter | Live chat, email, Twitter, phone | Live chat, email, Twitter, Phone |
| App Rating | 3.0/5 iOS; 2.4/5 Android | 4.8/5 iOS; 4.7/5 Android | 4.8/5 on iOS; 4.6/5 Android |
What are others saying about the Crab Sports app?
We’ve collected reviews of the Crab Sports Sportsbook app from several online sources. If you want a snapshot of what people are saying on the App Store, Play Store, and Reddit, read through the remarks below. Please remember that this is a new app, so the ratings are limited.
Crab Sports Reddit reviews
Reddit threads revealed growing pains when Crab Sports launched in the summer of 2023.
“Real funds are consumed before bonus funds. I know somebody here talked to Chat, and Chat indicated a ‘fix’ was on the way — maybe so, but nothing has been changed in the website T&Cs.”
“Must be in Maryland to request withdrawals (what?). If you’re a weekend tripper, plan your wagers accordingly.”
- Overall consensus: Complaints concerned a lack of payment methods and slow-to-respond customer service. Those issues appear resolved as of May 2024.
Crab Sports App Store reviews
The App Store rating is 3.0, with 40 reviews. Here’s a sampling.
“Solid betting app: Really good lines, and the app is easy enough to use. I like it’s a Maryland company and will probably use [it] more in the future.”
“Compared to the others, Crab Sports have the best odds. If I have an issue, the customer service team responds super quickly and easily resolves the issue!”
“Free bets are limited to a 2x payout, which means you shouldn’t place them on anything with odds longer than +200.”
“Ok. For what it’s worth, it does its job. A lot of navigation issues and lag, but it works.”
- Overall consensus: Users liked the odds and the easy navigation on the app. They liked that it’s a local company. They did not like tech issues and some terms of use, though some of this was restricted to problems with the rollout that have since been fixed.
Crab Sports Google reviews
The Play Store rating was 2.4 out of 5 stars with 14 reviews.
“I love the crab sports app. Got a deposit match when I signed up and have been using it regularly over the last few months. Have withdrawn money multiple times with no issues.”
“Worse bet app [sic] ever, you couldn’t place any 5 or more parlays, always said something wrong about your location.”
“Never got started, the app needs work. Can’t add a state??? It looks local and acts like it, can’t register. Yeah, a restaurant (Green Turtle) taking bets?”
- Overall consensus: Most concerns were about the app not working correctly. One user seemed confused about the fact that it’s a Maryland-only sportsbook. The issue with limited parlays is now resolved. Once again, the consensus is driven by the tech issues with the app’s launch.
Three things we like about the Crab Sports app
- SGP icon: The same-game parlay button on featured games makes it easy to make SGP bets.
- Many sports: People can bet on less popular sports like handball, floorball, motorbikes, and water polo.
- Customer support: Generally helpful and answers questions almost immediately.
Three things we would like to see Crab Sports improve
- Sportsbook app: Customers have issues with the Android and iOS apps.
- Banking methods: More options for deposits and payouts would be nice.
- More states: As of now, Crab Sports is Maryland-only.
Crab Sports banking options
Crab Sports accepts deposits via Plaid, Mastercard, Visa, and Discover. Customers can use credit cards or debit cards when adding funds to their accounts. While $10 is the minimum required deposit, remember that the minimum bet to qualify for the first-bet insurance is $25.
Crab Sports deposits
- Plaid online banking: $10 minimum
- Mastercard: $10 minimum
- Visa: $10 minimum
- Discover: $10 minimum
Crab Sports withdrawals
- Plaid online banking: One to three days
- Mastercard debit: Three to five days
- Visa debit: Three to five days
- Discover debit: Three to five days
The same options are available for withdrawals, though Crab Sports does not support credit card payouts.
How to get help at Crab Sports
Customers have several options to contact Crab Sports. During business hours, email replies often arrive within a few minutes.
- Live chat, phone, email ([email protected], [email protected], [email protected])
As far as responsible gambling tools, Crab Sports allows users to set loss limits, wager limits, maximum wager limits, deposit limits, and session time limits. Those first four allow customers to set daily, weekly, or monthly limits. The fifth limit determines how many hours you can log in to the sportsbook daily. Crab Sports also has self-exclusion, account closure, and voluntary exclusion options.
Users can enroll in the Maryland Voluntary Exclusion Program, which allows individuals to ban themselves from entering and gambling at Maryland casinos.
Users can set up self-exclusion at the Lottery and Gaming Control Agency headquarters in Baltimore. They can also find an MLGCA staff member at land-based casinos. If you want to arrange an appointment at MLGCA headquarters, call 410-230-8798.
Similar sportsbooks to Crab Sports
Maryland bettors who want to check out similar sportsbooks can read our reviews of the top competitors below.
- DraftKings online sportsbook review
- FanDuel online sportsbook review
- Caesars online sportsbook review
- BetMGM online sportsbook review
- Bet365 online sportsbook review
- BetRivers online sportsbook review
- Borgate online sportsbook review
- Hard Rock Bet online sportsbook review
- ESPN BET online sportsbook review
- Sports Illustrated online sportsbook review
If you don’t live in a state with licensed sports betting or you’re between 18 and 20 years old, you can try one of the social sportsbooks operating in your area. Here are two reviews of prominent social sportsbooks.
The Crab Sports story
Derek Baker is the founder and CEO of Crab Sports, a Maryland-owned mobile sportsbook operator that’s the first of its kind. Crab Sports signed a June 2022 partnership deal with Gaming Innovation Group, so GIG supplies the sportsbook software for Crab Sports. The site also has partnered with iGaming Cloud Inc. for its Maryland operations.
Crab Sports is the 11th sportsbook app to launch in Maryland. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency could license up to 60 books. Notably, though, the Maryland Legislature sees the Crab Sports app as an important experiment because of its local roots.
When they passed mobile sports betting in 2021, Maryland lawmakers wanted to ensure participation for small business owners, including minority- and women-owned businesses. The sportsbook is over 50% women-and-minority owned, according to the MLGCA.
Crab Sports works with Xpoint Verify for geolocation services. To use the app in Maryland, users must download the Xpoint Verify software.
- Crab Sports founded: 2022 (launched 2023)
- Current executives: Derek Baker, Adele Baker
- 2023 revenue (company wide): Not released yet
- States where legal: Maryland
- Coming soon: To be determined
Crab Sports FAQ
Maryland. People who are 21 or older can use the app for real-money sports betting in Maryland. Download Xpoint Verify for geolocation verification in the state.
Crab Sports settles most bets as soon as a sporting event ends. Delays happen when official scoring might affect the outcome of the bet, though this is rare. If you’re experiencing a delay, contact Crab Sports staff members through [email protected] or [email protected].
Yes. Early cash-outs are available on some wagers. A cash-out symbol will appear next to the bet description (moneyline, spread) when the option is available.
No, the vig is not higher. Every leg of a same-game parlay must win for the bet to win, so SGPs win less often than straight bets. Therefore, the vig does not need to be higher to account for the higher payouts.
In most cases where a sportsbook voids a single-game parlay, one leg of the parlay has become defunct. In those cases, a sportsbook turns a four-leg parlay into a three-leg parlay or a three-leg parlay into a two-leg parlay. Check to see if a similar SGP is active in your account before emailing [email protected].
No. Your payment method might charge a fee, but that’s a third-party fee not associated with the sportsbook.
Customer support could take up to 24 hours to answer emails, though it’s usually quicker. Send general inquiries to [email protected]. If you have a dispute, send your email to [email protected]. Those who want to inquire about the VIP program should email [email protected].