New App Combines Fantasy Squad Selection with First-and-Last Goalscorer Prediction Mechanics
Entain, the global sports betting and gaming group, has officially announced the UK launch of Seven®, a new free-to-play football app designed to engage a new generation of sports fans. Seven represents an innovative approach for Entain, marrying entrepreneurial thinking with the scale, expertise, and reach of a leading gaming enterprise.
Each gameweek, participants choose a squad of seven footballers. A selection is deemed successful when a chosen player scores either the first or last goal in their respective match, with prizes awarded for three or more successful picks. The app features live updates, rolling selection deadlines, and upcoming social competition and leagues arriving in October, providing fans with multiple ways to stay engaged throughout the football weekend.
Capitalizing on Player-Led Fandom and Evolving Betting Trends
Seven bridges the squad-selection appeal of fantasy football with the live anticipation of goalscorer prediction games. Tailored for a broad demographic of adult football enthusiasts, particularly digitally native fans aged 25 to 35, the app taps into the growing popularity of player-led fandom. Research indicates that sports engagement is increasingly driven by individual athletes, with fans expecting interactive, participatory experiences rather than passive consumption.
The launch follows the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where betting behavior across Entain brands demonstrated a major shift toward individual player markets. Specifically, anytime goalscorer betting volumes more than quadrupled compared to the previous World Cup, highlighting a growing appetite for following individual athlete performances alongside team success.
Unlike products that require exact scoreline predictions or knockout formats that eliminate participants after a single error, Seven is structured to keep players engaged week after week through straightforward gameplay and strategic decision-making.
Partnership with Ladbrokes and Origins within Angstrom
Although Seven functions as a standalone free-to-play product, its strategic partnership with Ladbrokes, Entain’s flagship UK sports betting brand, enhances the user experience. Winnings are distributed directly through Ladbrokes, where users can unlock tailored exclusive betting opportunities.
The game originated within a dedicated team at Angstrom, Entain’s sports modeling and analytics company, before collaborating with wider Entain teams to reach the market. Angstrom previously powered exclusive markets and advanced parlay capabilities for BetMGM in the US, and it applies that same innovation culture to Seven.
Executive Commentary
Bejay Patel, UK Managing Director at Entain, stated:
“Seven is a great example of how Entain can innovate at pace. By empowering a dedicated team to think differently and move quickly, we have built a genuinely distinctive product that broadens our portfolio and showcases the strength of our innovation culture.”
He added:
“The UK is the natural place to launch Seven. It is one of the world’s most engaged football markets, home to the Premier League, and a market where Ladbrokes has deep heritage and scale. Seven allows us to build on that strength with a fresh, free-to-play product that reflects how fans follow football today, combining player-led fandom, live match engagement and social competition in a simple weekly game.”
Ross Jarvis, Director of Strategy at Angstrom, noted:
“Seven started with a simple belief: football fans deserve a free-to-play experience built around how they actually follow the game today. Fans are increasingly drawn to players, stories, data and real-time interaction, yet much of the category has remained largely unchanged for years.”
He continued:
“What makes it different is its simple first-or-last goalscorer mechanic, combined with a modern product experience. We’ve been able to operate with an entrepreneurial mindset, testing ideas quickly, learning fast and building relentlessly around the customer. The result is a product we believe can become a core part of adult football fans’ weekly routine and, over time, scale into new markets and sports.”
How Seven Works
- Download and Register: Download the Seven app and register for free.
- Squad Selection: Pick a squad of seven players for upcoming fixtures, selecting three forwards and four players from other positions.
- Scoring Rules: Record a successful pick when a selected player scores the first or last goal in their match.
- Prize Structure: Win prizes by achieving three or more successful picks in a gameweek, including a £100,000 weekly jackpot alongside other cash and free bet rewards.
- Live Tracking: Follow matches live, track squad performance, and stay informed with AI-driven player insights.
