Quick summary
Coral’s legacy Bet Builder was slow, clunky, and lacked cross-event support, leading to frustration and drop-offs. We redesigned Bet Builder+ with faster flows, a sticky betslip, and curated pre-built options. Post-launch, average bet placement time was 63.8% faster, bets placed grew by 9.1%, and weekly turnover increased by 10.97%.
Project Description
Context
Coral is a leading UK sportsbook within the Entain Group. Bet Builder is a key product for football bettors, but the old experience caused frustration and abandonment. Our challenge was to modernise it to meet user expectations and close the gap with competitors.
Problem Statement
The original Bet Builder created friction and limited adoption:
- No ability to combine selections across events
- Long, unclear flow for adding and editing legs
- No curated bets for casual or time-poor users
OKRs
We aligned our design work to sportsbook OKRs for the 2024/25 football season:
Objective 1: Reduce time-to-place
KR: Cut journey time by 30%
Objective 2: Increase adoption and engagement
KR: Grow share of football bets via Bet Builder+ by 15%
Objective 3: Improve satisfaction
KR: +10% uplift in ease-of-use survey scores
Key Metrics
To track progress against these OKRs, we focused on four measurable indicators:
- Avg. Time to Place – measuring friction in the journey
- Bets Placed – proxy for adoption and engagement
- Turnover (Weekly Stakes) – tracking contribution to sportsbook revenue
- Pre-Created Usage – gauging uptake among casual/time-pressed users
User Insights
To uncover why the old Bet Builder was failing, we combined quantitative and qualitative insights:
- 72% found the interface confusing
- 68% struggled with complex or multi-leg bets
- 54% were frustrated by limited market choice
We validated these issues through journey mapping and screen recordings of the old experience, highlighting friction points and drop-off moments.
Competitor Analysis
We benchmarked against industry leaders:
Bet365
Strengths: integrated into event details, minimal steps, full editing support
Weakness: balance shown in multiple places, mixed bet types confuse leg counts
Paddy Power
Strengths: cross-event bets by default, simple editing, clear requirements
Weakness: cannot switch back from Bet Builder mode, cluttered layout
Key Takeaways:
Paddy Power led in cross-event flexibility, while Bet365 excelled in cleaner flows. These benchmarks directly informed our redesign priorities.
Wireframes & Concepts
We explored solutions to reduce friction and improve flexibility:
- Unified selection flow for cross-event bets
- Sticky betslip with real-time editing
- Curated pre-built bets to reduce decision fatigue
- Cleaner flows requiring fewer taps
User Testing #1
After refining wireframes, we ran moderated user testing to validate the basic UX flow:
- Users completed core tasks (building and placing a bet) without friction
- Feedback highlighted unclear and overly technical terminology as a barrier.
- This led to simplifying copy and market names
Language & Copy
To make Bet Builder+ accessible to a wider range of users, we refined the language across the journey:
• Simplified market names and grouping
• Consistent use of "Bet Builder+" throughout
• Simplified, clearer copy across key screens to reduce ambiguity and build confidence
Mobile Screens
The redesigned mobile flow was faster, clearer, and more flexible:
- Unified Selection Flow – add from one event, then switch seamlessly to another
- Sticky Betslip – live panel for quick edits and visibility
- Tap-Efficient Interactions – clearer markets, fewer taps
Desktop Screens
The improved flow was extended to desktop with layouts optimised for larger screens, keeping the journey consistent across devices.
User Testing #2
With the UI in place we ran a final round of testing:
- Flow and usability validated as smooth and intuitive
- Pre-Created Bet Builders gave confidence to casual users
- Final tweaks made to copy and UI for accessibility
Final Designs & Launch
Bet Builder+ introduced:
- Cross-event combinations
- Curated one-tap bet options
- Sticky betslip with in-flow editing
Pre-Created Bet Builders
To support users who want to bet but aren’t sure where to start, we launched curated combinations created by Coral’s content team. Available on:
- Homepage
- Football landing page
- Event detail page
These reduced decision fatigue and drove adoption among casual users.
Early Analytics
Usage initially dipped while market coverage scaled up, but quickly recovered as availability improved.
Results directly tied back to our OKRs:
Next Steps
With Bet Builder+ successfully launched, our focus now shifts to continued optimisation and new features:
• Iterate based on user feedback and behavioural data
• Launch Pre-Created Cross-Event Bet Builders – enabling curated multi-match combinations
• Introduce In-Play Bet Builder – allowing users to build dynamic bets during live matches
These developments will help grow the product, deepen engagement, and reinforce Coral’s position as a sportsbook innovator.