diff --git a/backend/app/main.py b/backend/app/main.py
index 3710672..265212d 100644
--- a/backend/app/main.py
+++ b/backend/app/main.py
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
-from fastapi import FastAPI
+from fastapi import FastAPI, Depends
 from fastapi.middleware.cors import CORSMiddleware
 from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
-from app.database import init_db
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
+from sqlalchemy import select, func
+from decimal import Decimal
+from app.database import init_db, get_db
 from app.routers import auth, users, wallet, bets, websocket, admin, sport_events, spread_bets, gamification, matches
+from app.models import User, Wallet
+from app.utils.security import get_password_hash
 
 
 @asynccontextmanager
@@ -50,3 +55,64 @@ async def root():
 @app.get("/health")
 async def health():
     return {"status": "healthy"}
+
+
+@app.get("/init")
+async def init_admin(db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_db)):
+    """
+    Initialize the application with a default admin user.
+    Only works if no admin users exist in the database.
+    Creates: admin@test.com / password123
+    """
+    # Check if any admin users exist
+    result = await db.execute(
+        select(func.count(User.id)).where(User.is_admin == True)
+    )
+    admin_count = result.scalar()
+
+    if admin_count > 0:
+        return {
+            "success": False,
+            "message": "Admin user(s) already exist. Initialization skipped.",
+            "admin_count": admin_count
+        }
+
+    # Check if user with this email already exists
+    existing = await db.execute(
+        select(User).where(User.email == "admin@test.com")
+    )
+    if existing.scalar_one_or_none():
+        return {
+            "success": False,
+            "message": "User with email admin@test.com already exists but is not an admin."
+        }
+
+    # Create admin user
+    admin_user = User(
+        email="admin@test.com",
+        username="admin",
+        password_hash=get_password_hash("password123"),
+        display_name="Administrator",
+        is_admin=True,
+    )
+    db.add(admin_user)
+    await db.flush()
+
+    # Create wallet for admin
+    wallet = Wallet(
+        user_id=admin_user.id,
+        balance=Decimal("10000.00"),
+        escrow=Decimal("0.00"),
+    )
+    db.add(wallet)
+
+    await db.commit()
+
+    return {
+        "success": True,
+        "message": "Admin user created successfully",
+        "credentials": {
+            "email": "admin@test.com",
+            "password": "password123"
+        }
+    }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/admin/AdminDataTools.tsx b/frontend/src/components/admin/AdminDataTools.tsx
index 02073d1..acf83a7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/admin/AdminDataTools.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/admin/AdminDataTools.tsx
@@ -44,17 +44,25 @@ export const AdminDataTools = () => {
   const seedMutation = useMutation({
     mutationFn: adminApi.seedDatabase,
     onSuccess: (data) => {
+      console.log('Seed success:', data)
       toast.success(data.message)
       if (data.test_admin) {
         toast.success(`Test admin created: ${data.test_admin.username} / ${data.test_admin.password}`, {
           duration: 10000,
         })
       }
+      // Show what was created
+      const counts = data.created_counts
+      toast.success(`Created: ${counts.users} users, ${counts.events} events, ${counts.bets} bets`, {
+        duration: 5000,
+      })
       queryClient.invalidateQueries()
       refetchPreview()
     },
     onError: (error: any) => {
-      toast.error(error.response?.data?.detail || 'Seed failed')
+      console.error('Seed error:', error)
+      const message = error.response?.data?.detail || error.message || 'Seed failed'
+      toast.error(message)
     },
   })
 
@@ -216,7 +224,7 @@ export const AdminDataTools = () => {
             <input
               type="number"
               value={seedConfig.num_users}
-              onChange={(e) => setSeedConfig({ ...seedConfig, num_users: parseInt(e.target.value) || 0 })}
+              onChange={(e) => setSeedConfig({ ...seedConfig, num_users: Math.max(1, parseInt(e.target.value) || 1) })}
               min={1}
               max={100}
               className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-gray-300 rounded-lg"
@@ -228,7 +236,7 @@ export const AdminDataTools = () => {
             <input
               type="number"
               value={seedConfig.num_events}
-              onChange={(e) => setSeedConfig({ ...seedConfig, num_events: parseInt(e.target.value) || 0 })}
+              onChange={(e) => setSeedConfig({ ...seedConfig, num_events: Math.max(0, parseInt(e.target.value) || 0) })}
               min={0}
               max={50}
               className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-gray-300 rounded-lg"
@@ -240,7 +248,7 @@ export const AdminDataTools = () => {
             <input
               type="number"
               value={seedConfig.num_bets_per_event}
-              onChange={(e) => setSeedConfig({ ...seedConfig, num_bets_per_event: parseInt(e.target.value) || 0 })}
+              onChange={(e) => setSeedConfig({ ...seedConfig, num_bets_per_event: Math.max(0, parseInt(e.target.value) || 0) })}
               min={0}
               max={20}
               className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-gray-300 rounded-lg"
@@ -252,7 +260,7 @@ export const AdminDataTools = () => {
             <input
               type="number"
               value={seedConfig.starting_balance}
-              onChange={(e) => setSeedConfig({ ...seedConfig, starting_balance: parseInt(e.target.value) || 0 })}
+              onChange={(e) => setSeedConfig({ ...seedConfig, starting_balance: parseInt(e.target.value) || 100 })}
               min={100}
               max={10000}
               className="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-gray-300 rounded-lg"