FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel offers rewards like Bonus Bets, Profit Boosts, and No Sweat tokens that make betting more fun. I worked on improving the Odds Boost, which was a key goal for Q3!

Role
Product Design Intern
Timeline
Jun 2023–Aug 2023
Team
Sportsbook - Generosity
Skills
Interaction Design
Prototyping
Design Systems
Usability Testing
Tools
Figma
Jira
UserTesting.com

Overview


An end-to-end project
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Scoping → MVP → Handoff
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I completed the full product design cycle—from the kickoff meeting to establish scope, to creating four high-fidelity prototypes tested via UserTesting.com. Throughout the process, I worked with PMs, UXR, content, and design. I iterated based on research findings, and by the end of my internship, finalized specs for handoff.

What I created

A scalable reward mechanic that makes betting more engaging

I designed and tested an MVP for a new mechanic for an existing reward that reduces the implementation burden on sports traders. It's scalable, supports segmentation, and provides customers with more qualifying bets and tailored options, driving satisfaction and engagement—a win-win for both customers and the business.
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The problem I solved

The current reward is manually implemented and only applicable to one bet type, limiting options for sports traders and users
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User:
"I want to be rewarded for my loyalty and receive personalized betting options."
Business
"The manual implementation is tedious and we want to increase retention rates"
Thus how might we...
Develop a scalable reward mechanic that supports segmentation and makes betting more personalized and engaging?

Core Journey Designs

Two core flows for two bet types

Scenario 1: Effortless auto-apply
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This user flow is the "happy path" because the reward is visible on the homepage and auto-applied
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Scenario 2: Multiple rewards are nested

The reward is a bit harder to find because it is nested, and there are multiple eligible bets
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Gathering team feedback

I presented the above user flows to several stakeholders to get some feedback before iterating further. I learned of alternative use cases to consider.

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Sub-journey designs

Info modals and error messages
How can we inform users on how to use the reward?
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What I did:
‍Workshop messaging with content design

Testing Question:
Will users understand how to user the reward and what the reward does?

Even though parlays are out of scope, what if users try to build one?
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What I did:
‍Collaborate with content design to write message, discuss placement with designers

Testing Question:
Will users understand the why they can't apply the odds boost to a parlay?



Gathering user feedback
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After finishing the high-fidelity prototypes, I conducted unmoderated tests on UserTesting.com to gather feedback and identify areas to refine or retain.
10 participants

Bet on sports within the past month
Bet on sports for at least 3 months
Experience with straight bets
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4 prototypes

Happy path (with info modal)
Complex path (with error)
2 versions of competition level reward




What I tested with users...


Prototype 1
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Auto-apply / happy path

Reasoning: Auto-applying lowers friction and is logical, given the odds are boosted before the user journey starts.
Test Result:
Very straightforward for users
No further changes were needed at this point!

Final design

This is toggled on by default
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Prototype 2
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Complex flow with error messaging

Iteration A

Reasoning:
Signals specifically what’s causing the error

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Iteration B

Reasoning:
Clearly tells user the parlay is ineligible by greying out the wager/win


Iteration C

Reasoning:
Informs user upfront that the boost is removed when combined into a parlay


Testing Version

Reasoning:
Further details how other bets are still eligible, a direct link helps less familiar users

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Test Result:
Varied Interpretations
  • Tried to place parlay despite the error message saying they could only place straights
  • Tried to remove the ineligible leg
Action Taken:
Continue in Phase 2
  • Parlay use cases are complex and will take more time to develop, making it a better fit for phase 2 rather than the current MVP

Final design





Prototype 3 & 4:
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Two ways of indicating multiple eligible rewards

Version A

Reasoning:
Straightforward, less friction
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Version B

Reasoning:
Too many yellow boxes could be overwhelming

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Test Result:
Mixed Preferences
  • Version A saves a step
  • Version B details reward restrictions
Action Taken:
Combine Both
  • Default state is toggled "on"
  • Show restrictions in detail
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Final design

Shows reward restrictions and is toggled on by default
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Ready for Handoff

After getting approval for making updates after my research readout, I prepared specs for dev:
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Impact

I built and launched an MVP that was the priority for the quarter. Beyond the immediate value below, this solution is scalable, allowing the reward to be applied to a broader range of bets in the future. This foundation enables designers to expand betting options for users as they continue to iterate!

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Reward Funds
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0.8-1.5x

more funds can be allocated to users for rewards

Commercial Value
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$40M

in re-investable funds was generated for FanDuel


Reflection
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Reflecting...
This project mostly involved logical reasoning and collaboration. I got to work with a huge design system and think critically about edge cases where my system might "break" (like the parlay user flow). I learned how important it is to be specific with UX writing, especially for things like error messaging, and how to keep scope contained even when things felt ambiguous.

More broadly, I learned to appreciate what happens behind the scenes. In testing, users said the reward was exactly the same as before, which was the goal. Redesigning the Odds Boost mechanics wasn’t about flashy new visuals—it was about making the backend changes feel invisible to the user, hiding the "work" put into it.

An impactful project doesn't always involve creating novel designs in Figma—it can be about rethinking and re-arranging what's already there in ways that "makes more sense".
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Reminiscing...
To my manager, Gabby, and my amazing team—Justin, Nick, Iamad, Kieran, Savanthi, and Julia. Special thanks to my buddy Sarah, and to everyone who supported me along the way—Jon, Jessie, Liz, Shanna, and so many more. I'm incredibly grateful for the unforgettable summer 🫶
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A note from my manager:

Mementos:‍