Teasers: A Sports Betting Tradition Revisited

Sports betting has been a time-honored tradition for enthusiasts across the globe, and as the digital landscape evolves, so do the ways in which we engage with it. In September 2022, we had the privilege of working on an exciting project at Penn Interactive, the digital division of Penn Entertainment, which owns theScore Bet. Our mission was clear: to revamp the Teasers experience for theScore Bet, a popular sports betting app with millions of users in North America.

Unpacking the Challenge

Our journey began with discovery. We consulted the CX department and conducted a competitive analysis of five key competitors in the sports betting industry. What we found was intriguing — many younger patrons had little to no knowledge of what teasers were. Moreover, understanding what could be teased and what couldn’t was a complex puzzle, leading to confusion and frustration, especially among new bettors.

To tackle these challenges effectively, we defined a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor throughout the project, ensuring we remained aligned with the project’s objectives. These KPIs included metrics like conversion rate, bounce rate, and demographics, among others.

Identifying User Needs

User needs were the cornerstone of our project. We identified key requirements that would shape our design approach:

Instant Feedback and Clarity

Users needed instant feedback on their selections, including odds and potential payouts. Clear and concise messaging about what could or couldn’t be teased was paramount.

Control and Flexibility

Users demanded the ability to add or remove selections from their teasers, compare the original and teased lines, and understand how many points they could buy per event.

Education and Guidance

Providing education on what teasers were and which selections were eligible to be teased was vital, especially for those new to sports betting.

Crafting Solutions

With these user needs in mind, we embarked on a journey of iteration and innovation. Our work was dissected into multiple areas, each requiring careful consideration:

Teased Points Input Patterns: We rethought how users input points for their teasers.

Teased Odds Display: We revamped the way odds were presented to clearly show the transition between the old and new teased odds.

Error Validation: We designed error messages to be helpful and informative.

User Education: We developed educational elements to guide users, mainly through an empty state that briefly explained what teasers were and guided them through building one.

Our final solution was a game-changer. We introduced a dedicated “Teasers” tab section on the Betslip, further divided into football and basketball options. A sticky header at the top of the Betslip ensured that the input for the number of points to buy was always visible. The teased line was presented alongside the set line, making transitions clear and intuitive. Total odds remained prominently displayed in the Betslip footer for constant user reference.

We meticulously adhered to our design patterns, collaborating with the Design Systems team to create custom color tokens for seamless integration within theScore Bet and other branded apps within our ecosystem.

Continual Monitoring and Evolution

The project didn’t conclude with the launch. We committed to ongoing monitoring of the selected KPIs by our analytics team. These metrics will be reevaluated 3–6 months post-launch to ensure the continued success of the feature.

Designing the teasers experience for theScore Bet was both challenging and rewarding. By focusing on user needs, conducting iterative design, and collaborating effectively, we delivered a solution that offers users more flexibility and a deeper understanding of teasers. The enhanced experience promises increased relevance and user engagement. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to monitoring our KPIs and conducting usability testing to secure the feature’s continued success.

At Penn Interactive, innovation never stops, and the Teasers project exemplifies our commitment to enhancing the user experience in the world of sports betting.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates from our design team!