Introduction
The NFL is rapidly growing in popularity in the UK, and LiveScore Bet identified a prime opportunity to serve this expanding fan base. Our data showed NFL interest on our platform up by about 30% year-on-year, mirroring a broader surge in UK NFL fandom. The NFL Overhaul project set out to transform our underperforming NFL betting section into a best-in-class experience, capturing this growth and positioning LiveScore Bet as the go-to destination for NFL bettors.
Discovery
To understand user psyche, I conducted in-depth competitor analysis, moderated user interviews, and secondary research into NFL betting behaviors.
Through this research we uncovered several key insights about the UK Market
UK NFL Bettors are generally dissatisfied with the breadth of markets available with leading UK providers. This signaled an excellent opportunity for LiveScore due to our volume of available markets.
Bettors also voiced that promotions often felt underbaked with current providers; they wanted more visible, NFL-specific promotions.
UK NFL Bettors are generally stat-savvy and experienced, exploring a number of channels to locate NFL stats (like team form, avg. yardage, etc.) to inform their bets.
78% of UK NFL Bettors were males between the ages of 18-30, and primarily valued User Experience when deciding to choose a bookmaker.
UK Bookmakers saw a significant spike in activity during season events such as UK fixtures or the Super Bowl. During said events, users expect a tailored experience from their bookmaker.
Strategy & Phased Delivery
With our research as our guide, we identified 6 key areas in our experience to improve in order to make us the best-in-class offering for NFL betting in the UK.
We devised releasing the 6 key areas in a phased rollout to deliver value iteratively and learn from users as we went:
The phased approach aligned with the NFL season calendar, allowing us to launch Phase 1 improvements for the season start, then layer in promotions as the season heated up, and prepare stats in time for when data became available.
Ideation
With a clear strategy, we moved into ideation and brainstorming. We ran collaborative workshops focusing on each individual phase using FigJam and Butter, involving a diverse group of stakeholders: internal NFL experts (to provide subject matter insights on the sport and fan expectations), product managers, and designers from related product squads.
Design Execution
With ideas in hand, I led the design execution in Figma, following a mobile-first approach (as most of our users bet on mobile devices). We tackled each phase in turn:
Phase 1
We redesigned the NFL section landing page to surface upcoming games and popular bets more clearly. Navigation was simplified and we overhauled the market layout on event pages – presenting betting markets in a cleaner, more grouped format with clear labels, making it easier to scan odds and find specific bet types.
Phase 2
In this phase we integrated promotional content directly into the NFL user flow. We created always-on promotions for NFL (e.g. Early Payouts, Money Back) that were prominently advertised on the NFL landing and relevant game pages. For marquee events like the Super Bowl, we designed special event pages with tailored promos and curated content for that event.
The design here was all about timeliness and excitement – making sure when a big NFL moment arrived, LiveScore Bet offered something special and on-brand.
Phase 3
Although this phase was delivered slightly later, design work ran in parallel. We added a lightweight stats panel on NFL game pages showing each team’s league position, and head-to-head record. The challenge was to keep it concise and real-time. We worked with our data team to ensure the design could accommodate live updates once the feed was connected. This addition catered to the more analytical bettors, allowing them to confirm hunches without leaving the app. Even with minimal visuals, the stats integration was carefully styled to align with the LiveScore brand and not overwhelm the betting interface.
Results
The NFL Overhaul had a significant positive impact on user engagement and business metrics. Comparing the season post-launch to the previous period, we observed:
NFL Games Bet On: +37% (Users bet on 37% more NFL events than before, indicating increased interest and easier discovery of games)
Turnover from NFL bettors: +28% (Overall betting turnover from NFL-active users rose by 28%, showing they were staking more)
New NFL Bettors via Promos: +21% (Promotions attracted 21% more new active NFL bettors, demonstrating effective conversion of curious users)
Time Spent on NFL Pages: +15% (Average dwell time on NFL event pages increased, meaning users spent longer exploring bets and content)
Bet Builder Usage: ~0% change compared to Football (Flat usage of the Bet Builder feature, indicating no improvement here – an area flagged for future redesign)
These results were very encouraging: more users were betting on more games and engaging with NFL content at a deeper level. The spike in new NFL bettors validated our promotions strategy, and the increased dwell time suggested the content and stats were holding interest. The one metric that didn’t move was Bet Builder usage.
We suspect that although we improved the general market UX, the custom Bet Builder (where users create a combo bet on a single game) still wasn’t desireable or intuitive enough.
Reflection
The LiveScore Bet NFL Overhaul was a rewarding project that showcased the value of user-centred design and cross-team collaboration. By rolling out in phases, we managed risk and learned from our users at each step, which was a key factor in the project’s success. Collaborating closely with various departments (and tapping into our in-house NFL enthusiasts) ensured that the solution was well-rounded and feasible within tight timelines.
One big takeaway for me was recognising that NFL bettors behave differently than our typical football punters. They crave stats and are very event-driven – for example, NFL users would plan around Sunday games or the Super Bowl, whereas football bettors have more routine weekly habits. Designing with these nuances in mind (like adding stats and timing promotions with big events) was crucial.
If I could do it over, I would start the Bet Builder discovery earlier. We addressed a lot in three months, but the flat Bet Builder metric showed that some complex features need their own dedicated research and design cycle. Initiating that in parallel could have allowed us to boost that area as well in this overhaul.
Overall, this project not only delivered strong outcomes but also positioned LiveScore Bet as a serious NFL betting destination. We turned a clear business opportunity into a tangible improvement for users. NFL fans now have a reason to choose LiveScore Bet for the upcoming season, and the platform is well-placed to continue capitalising on the NFL’s growing UK fanbase in the years to come.
