How responsive designs are helping the Nigerian sports betting industry to advance

It’s no secret that sports betting has exploded in Nigeria over the past decade. In fact, just recently, Statista released a report claiming that the industry’s revenues could hit $590.58 million by the end of this year (2025). The research institution further added that the growth could continue increasing by a CAGR of 4.61% to reach $707.26 within the next few years.

But do you think responsive designs have a role to play in this growth? Well, if you have such questions, you need not to worry. This article will go into depth in this discussion, highlighting some important statistical information that will only enlighten you.

Increase mobile phone use and ownership

Recently, in 2023, a projection was made that Nigeria would have over 140 million people owning smartphones by 2025. This means that a good number of Nigerians now access almost every service using their phones. Globally, Exploding Topics suggests that more than nine in ten internet users often go online using these devices.

This explains the popularity of responsive designs in this industry. With them, bettors won’t need to keep pinching or zooming websites because they automatically adjust to fit multiple screen sizes. So, whether you’re in traffic in Lagos or relaxing in Enugu, you can seamlessly place bets, check odds and so on, even on these smaller devices.

Most importantly, these mobile-optimised platforms make it super convenient to access betting offers – from welcome bonuses to boosted odds and loyalty rewards. You won’t need to zoom or scroll endlessly to spot promos, which leads to more engagement.

In fact, according to UXCam, responsive designs can increase engagement by 20%. Plus, since 85% of users expect mobile sites to work better than their desktop counterparts, implementing mobile-friendly designs can really be beneficial.

In another place, BusinessDasher suggests that more than six in ten businesses witness a surge in sales after implementing responsiveness. As such, the Nigerian sports betting industry has been taking advantage of such statistics to stay ahead. Plus, if your website caters to mobile users, you increase the likelihood of being discovered by more people.

Improving punters’ experience

Customer experience is like the heartbeat of today’s businesses. It’s difficult to have many loyal customers if you provide poor experiences. According to Zendesk, such encounters could cause up to 73% to turn to competitors. And the sad thing is that about 56% of consumers never speak about their experience with the brands; instead, they quietly turn to competitors.

That’s why you want to be as attentive as possible when it comes to your website design. Thankfully, responsive platforms can help avoid losses that emanate from poor website experiences. Let’s take an aspect like speed, for instance.

Did you know that, according to BrowserStack, about one in four users may leave a site if it takes over four seconds to load? Modern consumers have zero tolerance for slow-loading websites, with just a second delay reducing user satisfaction by 16%. Thankfully, responsive designs can help get ahead of such challenges.

At a time when acquiring new customers is becoming more expensive than retaining them, you don’t want to miss out on the benefits of responsive designs. In fact, some studies claim that you may have to spend at least five times more to get new ones than retain loyal ones. But since most people love responsive sites, bookmakers are now using them to improve their reach.

Increasing customer-centric and saving on costs

We have already hinted at how modern consumers have become more discerning, which is not any different in the Nigerian sports betting industry. Nigerian punters don’t just want to place wagers – they also want to be able to connect with these platforms personally. This is why offering customer-focused experiences is important.

For example, OuterBox recently released a report claiming that more than 70% of all online sales in 2024 were done on mobile devices, meaning that consumers will more likely transact with mobile-friendly designs. To cater to this preference, you’d want to implement a design that works well on these devices. This can give the impression that you’re forward-thinking and care about shifting customer behaviours.

Interestingly, taking such a customer-focused approach can actually lead to better business performance. A study by SuperOffice CRM claims that customer-focused brands are usually 60% more profitable than non-focused ones, further emphasising how responsive designs are benefiting the Nigerian sports betting industry.

Plus, maintaining these designs is way cheaper than the traditional, non-adaptable ones. The need to build separate mobile and desktop websites is eliminated, which reduces the double maintenance work. This is good news for bookmakers, especially now that operational costs are increasing.

What is our final word?

There is no denying the fact that the Nigerian sports betting sector is really advancing. Actually, it’s one of the largest betting markets in Africa. One of the reasons for its expansive growth is how open it is to contemporary shifts like responsive designs.

Responsive designs allow for seamless experiences – whether you’re betting on the next Premier League match or placing an in-game wager on a local NPFL fixture – regardless of the screen size. This helps to keep as many people as possible connected to the industry, which encourages further growth.

Plus, tailoring sites for mobile use increases the likelihood of discovering new punters. Remember, many Nigerians own smartphones and even use them to access things like betting.