Sports Betting App Development: 5-Step Guide
The sports betting app development process may be unclear to some of the business owners who want to tap into this multi-billion dollar industry. In reality, wrapping your head around the primary stages of the process is not as confusing as it seems at first glance. Hence, we are here to explain them to use in simple words.
The acceptance and, in turn, popularity of sports betting apps has been noticeably increasing in the last few years. Unsurprisingly, a more welcoming attitude toward this niche is drawing more investors and stakeholders in to capitalize on their own gambling solution. Still, there are a lot of obscure nuances when it comes to this sector.
In this article, we will go over the basic stages of sports betting mobile app development, as well as lift the veil regarding the price formation for building a custom solution. These and other exciting insights lie within, so let’s get right into the exploration.
What is a sports betting app?
A sports betting app is a mobile application that allows users to participate in various betting activities from the comfort of their phones and tablets. On these apps, players can wager money to predict different outcomes of sports matches, like who will win or lose. A few of the most popular sports featured on the apps include football, horse racing, boxing, tennis, and e-sports.
The amount of money a bettor can win depends on the odds of the wager. For example, odds with a minus (-) sign, also called betting favorite, show how much a player must bet for every $100 they want to win. On the other hand, odds with a plus (+) sign, an underdog, indicate how much a better can expect to win for every $100 wagered.
Ideally, the best sports betting app should also provide the players with a live betting feature. This type of functionality allows users to participate in betting events that are happening live and can be streamed through the app. It is a highly engaging element for competitive players as the odds tend to change while the game unfolds in front of them.
Another trend that is gaining momentum within sports betting apps is the variety of payment options. Many users nowadays prefer to leverage cryptocurrency as their method of wagering, so providing multiple payment processing alternatives is a great practice. With this, you will open your application to a larger pool of users.
Curiously, the increased interest in online betting over the recent years is very evident. This is partially due to many countries making their legislation regarding gambling more accessible to players. In fact, in 2022, the number of online sports bettors in the US was projected to be around 19 million.
It should also be said that the rise in popularity of iGaming solutions doesn’t mean business owners should neglect to promote responsible gambling. During sports betting mobile app development, consider implementing tools like deposit limits to minimize the risk of problematic gambling behavior.
Example of Limeup case for Aristocrat sports betting app.
Such options not only promote your platform as a responsible business and help build trust with the consumers, but they also reduce the negative connotation surrounding the gambling community. With that in mind, let’s move forward to discuss the process of developing a sports betting app.
How to create a sports betting app in 5 steps
When it comes to sports betting app development, you can either choose to work with an in-house team or outsource a software provider. In any case, the development team will work closely alongside you to keep you updated on the progress and any changes that may occur.
Below, we created a detailed guide on how sports betting applications are built from the ground up. These are basic steps you can expect to go through during the development process. Let’s go over them one at a time.
#1 Needs evaluation
All project development starts with establishing clear business objectives and the goals you are trying to achieve with the betting app. You will also need to clearly define your idea about how the app should look and what features you want it to possess. In order to set the right requirements for the project, you should dive deep into market research.
Needs assessment model.
Starting with analyzing your competitors is a great idea. After all, you won’t know how to create a betting website that will perform better than the rest if you aren’t aware of what makes the leading apps so appealing to users. Identify the strong aspects, as well as the weak points, of competitors to take that information to your advantage.
Next, you want to distinctly identify your target audience since these are the users you will ultimately be catering to. By recognizing the pain points and expectations of players from your app, you can effectively tailor the experience to them.
#2 UI UX design
With a distinctly defined plan for your application, you can now proceed into the first stage of the online sports betting app development. At this step, you and your team will be deciding on the following:
- User interface (UI) design
- User experience (UX) design
The UI design portion focuses on building all of the visual elements of the application that are visible to the user. During this step, you will agree on the overall design styles, layouts of the screens, color schemes, iconography, and other aspects that are coordinated with your branding.
Clear visual design enhances the functional elements of an app.
The UX part of the design process is aimed at creating a seamless experience for the bettors when they use your app. A design specialist must build an information architecture that is understandable and usable, focusing on intuitive navigation for the app.
Creating user personas and journey maps is a common practice of UX design. With their help, the designer can segment hypothetical users into structured categories and build out possible steps a player can take when exploring your application. That way, you can ensure a smooth experience interacting with the app that doesn’t provoke any confusion.
#3 App development
Once the design is complete, the betting app developers can move forward with implementing the information architecture and the design into the platform. At this phase, the developers will choose the right stack of technologies and a methodology to develop the application.
App developers workflow.
The sports betting software development also entails building the core functionality and interactive elements of the app. This includes all of the features like bet placement and management, payment processing, logins, help desk, and more.
In addition, the development team will work on integrating databases with information about bettors and application programming interface (API) to speed up complex development processes. Still, this stage typically lasts the longest and requires the most resources to complete a functional application.
#4 QA testing
To make the best sports betting app on the market, you cannot avoid the testing phase once the finished result is ready. In general, some quality assurance (QA) tests can be performed during the development process to check if the code that is being written behaves as expected. Typically, these tests are automated and can be performed by the developers.
Types of app testing.
Regardless, main software testing is conducted later in the process to check for various bugs and failures. For example, security testing is of high importance when it comes to gambling applications, as it can identify any vulnerable areas of the code that are susceptible to data breaches.
Other testing sprints, like for the functionality, are also crucial since they allow the development teams to identify and eliminate any mistakes in the code before the app goes public. So, giving due diligence to this phase is fundamental for a successful project.
#5 Launch and maintenance
As soon as the betting design, software, and testing stages are complete and you receive a finished product, you can officially introduce the application to your audience. During launch, your development team will publish your app onto designated app platforms, like Google Play and App Store, making it available for users.
4 steps to follow after launching and maintaining an app.
With that being said, the work on your bet app doesn’t end there, as you will need to maintain it to stay operational. The support team will monitor the performance of your application and will quickly react to any issues or bugs, as well as work on implementing any updates to the platform.
You should also focus on providing exceptional customer support in case the users run into any problems and need a helping hand to solve them. At this point, the rest of your attention will go towards the marketing and advertising efforts to bring your app to the attention of your target audience and keep your business afloat.
Finally, these are all of the basic steps of creating an application for betting activities from scratch. Consider reaching out to our experienced team at Limeup to get a more detailed plan for developing your own betting application.
How much does it cost to develop a betting app?
The price for a sports betting app development can vary significantly based on many criteria. It is always advised to receive a custom quote from the iGaming software providers of your choice to get a more concrete answer.
Vital factors that influence the cost of app development.
In general, we can outline five main factors that will play an integral part in determining the price of the app. They are the following:
- Scope of work. The amount of work that needs to be done is one of the main aspects of price formation. If you set tighter deadlines, you can expect a higher price as the development team will need to allocate more resources to finish the project on short notice.
- The complexity of the project. As a rule of thumb, applications that have more custom-made features, functionality, and design elements will end up costing more as opposed to using pre-made layouts and templates. However, bespoke solutions are capable of positioning the brand at a higher standard.
- Developers’ expertise. The level of experience of the betting app developers you collaborate with is also important. The services of specialists who have more years of practice in the field and specific knowledge about developing gambling solutions will be at a higher price point. Their skills are likely to be at a higher level, accordingly.
- Hourly rates. Typically, app development providers charge for their services on a per-hour basis. These numbers can range significantly, anywhere between $50 to $300+ an hour, so be sure to keep that in mind when choosing a partner.
- Location of the development company. The country and region of the sports betting app development company can factor into the price as well. Collaborating with a remote company may result in lower costs in some cases, so you should consider if you are comfortable with that type of cooperation.
Estimating the price for the development of a specific bet app is highly difficult without knowing all of the requirements and nuances of the project. Depending on all of the aforementioned factors, the cost of development may fluctuate from $10,000 to $100,000. Bearing in mind these aspects will help you make informed choices down the line.
How do betting apps make money?
For someone who is less acquainted with the gambling business, it may be more obscure how sports betting apps make revenue. It is an interesting question, considering the global revenue of the online sports betting market is projected to reach $43.55 billion in 2023, with the number growing significantly each year.
So, how do betting application owners get paid for gambling? Here are some of the most common ways a sports wagering platform can generate income:
Commissions.
The main source of income for the bookmakers is called vigorish, or vig. It is a fee or a commission that players pay the owner for every bet they place. The vig is a slim percentage of the odds that is presented in the sportsbook.
Typically, to earn revenue, the betting platform sets the odds that tend to slightly favor the “house”, ensuring a stable flow of profits from each bet. For example, if a better wants to win $100 at a -110 odds, they must wager $110. With the vig, the player can receive a payout of $190 instead of $200, meaning $10 from this bet goes directly to the sportsbook.
It is best to consider the vig when deciding how to make a gambling website. Having a robust software system can lift the weight off your shoulders and do the right calculations for you.
Parlays and bonuses.
For more enthusiastic and competitive players, betting aggregators often provide additional options for wagering. One of the common ones is parlays. A parlay bet refers to when a player makes two or more wagers and puts in on the same bet. If all of the bets win, the player receives a bigger payout. However, since parlays are much riskier bets, all wagers are more likely to fail, resulting in a lost bet.
Another way to incentivize bettors to use the betting app is various bonuses. While not being a direct source of profit, encouraging the player to bet bigger and more often is beneficial for the house.
Live betting.
A feature that has become widespread in recent years is the live betting option. This possibility is favorably compelling to both the business owners and the bettors. For users, it is a stimulating and thrilling experience to participate in bets in real time. Simultaneously, the rapidly changing odds lead to more bets being placed and, consequently, bringing the bookmakers higher incomes.
Of course, there are other ways that betting providers can generate profits, like data selling and sponsorships. Nevertheless, we have described the most commonplace practices to give you a better understanding of the niche.
Final thoughts on sports betting app development
In the end, the process of developing your betting solution doesn’t seem as daunting as it did at the beginning. Working closely with experienced and skilled software providers can enable you to flow through the app development process without obstacles. This ultimately lets your business build upon a successful offering and grow your presence on the market.
In our guide, we investigated the five fundamental steps of the fruitful sports betting mobile app development process. We also talked about what makes an application appealing to the users, as well as shared insights into development costs and how you can make a profit from this niche.
If you have any questions regarding app development or are looking for a reliable software partner to build your solution, don’t hesitate to drop us a line for a consultation. At Limeup, we allocate our best experts to help with betting application development of any complexity.