Objective & Problem

I set out to redesign the reward redemption flow within the betslip to improve clarity, reduce friction, and support a more flexible reward system. The goal was to ensure a seamless experience that could scale with new reward types while maintaining compliance and aligning with user and business needs.

The original reward experience in the betslip was confusing and not well-suited for growth. With the launch of PennPlay—our new loyalty program introduced in Q2 2023—we needed to add “credits” as a new reward type focused on retention on top of existing options like bonus bets and cashback. The existing flow wasn’t built to handle this complexity, which risked user frustration and reduced engagement with the new program.

PENN Play Loyalty found in the account page

Opportunities

With the launch of the PennPlay loyalty program and a new reward type (credits), we had a clear opportunity to rethink the betslip reward experience. In a highly incentive-driven industry, users often switch platforms to chase better promos. By improving the redemption flow, we aimed to reduce friction, boost reward usage, and build longer-term loyalty.

A more scalable, intuitive flow would also give marketing greater flexibility to craft tailored promotions and incentivize patrons to play more often.

How might we design a flexible and intuitive reward redemption experience within the betslip that supports multiple reward types and encourages users to engage with the Penn Play loyalty program?

Design Considerations

Before this redesign, we already supported rewards like bonus bets, which had a simple redemption method. We needed to design a redemption flow that supported both pre-existing rewards like bonus bets and new rewards like credits, which were introduced as part of the Penn Play loyalty program.

Existing: Bonus Bets

A bonus bet is a one-time-use reward with a fixed value (e.g. $10, $20) that allows patrons to place a bet without using their own cash. If the bet wins, they only receive the winnings—not the original bonus amount.

New: Credits

Credits are a flexible reward earned through the Penn Play loyalty program, both online and at PENN Entertainment casinos. Unlike bonus bets, credits can be redeemed in any custom amount (up to the user’s available balance) as a separate funding source from their cash wallet. When used on a bet, patrons receive both the winnings and the original credit amount if they win.

Expiry dates was a key component we were trying to improve on. When considering the expiry dates of both bonus bets and credits, we had to address a few key challenges that were impacting user experience and operational efficiency:

Bonus Bets: Previously, users could only find the expiry dates of bonus bets within their account, making it difficult to track which reward to use first. This led to confusion and frustration, as patrons weren’t aware of which bonus was going to expire next, resulting in wasted or forgotten rewards.

Expired Bonuses and Credits: Expired bonuses and rewards became a significant pain point for the CX team. Unused rewards would often go unnoticed or unclaimed, and expired rewards created negative customer experiences when they couldn't use them. This also meant lost opportunities for engagement and retention.

Credits and Bonus Bet Expiry Logic: With both bonus bets and credits being distinct, we needed to ensure clarity in how they expired. Bonus bets would expire after a set number of days, while credits would accumulate and expire based on specific rules.

Design Solution

We conducted two rounds of usability tests to refine our flows and designs, ensuring a seamless user experience. These tests helped us fine-tune the final product and optimize the design for better usability.

For our first usability test, we compared two different experiences for credit redemption:

1. Integrated approach where users can input their credits amount in the usual cash input field.

2. Sheet slide up approach where adding credits is independent from the usual betting flow.

Users favored the integrated approach as it felt more intuitive and aligned with their typical betting flow. They appreciated being able to see their bet selections while choosing how much to wager—something the integrated design enabled. In contrast, the sheet slide-up obscured their selections, making the experience feel fragmented.

✅ Integrated approach

❌ Sheet slide up approach

For our second usability test, we sought to improve our bonus bet redemption flow and also adding in in-line expiry dates:

1. System popup for bonus bets. (Existing design)

2. Expanded list of individual bonus bets. (New design)

The expanded list offered more clarity and required fewer taps for the user to get to their bonus bet. Although the old design with system popups takes up less real-estate, the information was harder to find and digest.

Another key insight from the research was that while the expanded list offered a better experience, users were still confused about the difference between credits and bonus bets. I needed to better distinguish the two reward types to reduce this confusion.

Research summary discussing the need for more dileanation

Final Designs

With all the feedback uncovered from the usability tests and from stakeholder input, we finalized the designs. Let’s look at some of the key features.

Reward Redemption Sheet

The reward redemption sheet is a contextual overlay designed to integrate the new Credits reward type into the existing bonus bets experience. The sheet surfaces key info like values and expiry dates, helping users make informed decisions without disrupting their bet flow.

Furthermore, to address user confusion between Credits and Bonus Bets, the designs were updated to create clearer visual separation between the two reward types. We introduced distinct section headings, added more spacing between components, and used visual grouping to help users quickly differentiate each reward. These subtle but effective changes improved clarity without adding friction to the experience.

Credit Inputting

Re-designed Bonus Bet Selection

❌ System popup

✅ Expanded list

The Credit input field was designed based on user preference for an embedded experience. It replaces the standard bet amount field when Credits are selected, clearly signaling a switch from the cash wallet. A tag below the field reinforces that Credits are being used, displaying the available balance to guide user input. If the entered amount exceeds the available Credits, an error state helps prevent confusion and informs the user in real time.

X-ing out the credits tag will also subsequently de-select the credits and revert the input field back to cash.

The Bonus Bet selection experience was overhauled to provide greater clarity and usability. Previously selected through native system selectors (iOS/Android), Bonus Bets now appear in a dedicated list within the rewards sheet. Each Bonus Bet is clearly labeled with its value and expiry date, and the list is automatically ordered by earliest expiry—making it easier for users to choose the right reward and avoid losing expiring bets. This redesign offers a more consistent, intuitive selection process and directly addresses past confusion and CX pain points around reward expiry.

Full Credit Flow

Full Bonus Bet Flow

Web Designs

At theScore, we were responsible for designing seamless, cross-platform experiences across iOS, Android, and Web. While our goal was to maintain visual and functional consistency, we also had to account for the unique interaction patterns and expectations of each platform.

New rewards feature on web platform

Designing for Web in particular required a different approach — users interact with a mouse and keyboard instead of a touchscreen, which impacts how they navigate, click, and consume information. Web also offers significantly more screen real estate, enabling us to present more information at once without overwhelming the user. We reimagined components like the reward redemption sheet, which naturally slides up on mobile, into more integrated dropdown interactions that felt native to desktop usage. Throughout this process, we balanced the need to adapt interactions with the importance of preserving a unified user experience across all platforms.

Launch & Next Steps

This project was a great reminder of the importance of clarity and scalability in designing complex systems. By thoughtfully redesigning the rewards experience, we not only made it easier for users to distinguish and redeem bonus bets and credits, but also created a foundation that could support future reward types. The flexible components we built here directly enabled new features like Rewards in Quick Bets and paved the way for introducing Profit Boosters—a new token-based reward that lets users enhance potential payouts on their cash bets. It was a great lesson in designing for today’s needs while building for tomorrow’s growth.

✦ Building a Scalable Reward Redemption System