Case "Ladder-predictor"

From Complex Math Algorithms to Real-Time Predictions  
in 3 Months

How we built a cross-platform sports prediction app that saves $40k and delivers results in seconds

Project Highlights

Custom prediction engine processing 250 matches instantly
10x faster response time through parallel processing
Cross-platform delivery with 4x cost savings
Microservices architecture built for scale

Industry: SportsTech

Location: Australia

Tech Stack:

FlutterFlow (Frontend)
NestJS
BullMQ
PostgreSQL (Backend)
Custom prediction engine built on Math.js

Timeline: 3 months

Platforms: Web, iOS, Android

See it live: Footy.Co

What is Ladder Prediction
 and Why Fans Need One

Every AFL season, fans try to answer the same difficult question: where is my team actually heading on the ladder?
‍
The league is unpredictable, the variables are many, and traditional predictors force users to make dozens of manual inputs. Fans wanted clarity and accuracy. They wanted a tool that could instantly show realistic outcomes and help them explore what needed to happen for their team to reach the position they hoped for.
‍
The founder of Footy.co had spent years developing a set of bespoke mathematical algorithms that could model AFL results. These calculations considered stadium conditions, team history, rest periods, head-to-head patterns, and hundreds of variable combinations. What he needed was a way to turn this deep mathematical logic into a fast, reliable, cross-platform product that any fan could use without friction.

About the app

The Footy Ladder Predictor is a multi-platform application for AFL fans, available on Web, iOS, and Android.
‍
The system delivers automated predictions, advanced ladder simulations, and personalised scenario modelling. Its core is a custom prediction engine built on top of Math.js and supported by a scalable backend architecture.
‍
The product consists of two major components:

A high-performance backend and custom-built prediction engine that executes complex simulations on demand.

Frontend web and mobile applications built with a low-code approach for quick iterations and lower cost.

User App

The user app lets fans predict ladder positions.

Choose your settings, tap a button, and the system runs hundreds of simulations in seconds. It shows you where each team will likely finish and which upcoming games matter most for your favorite team.

Fan-Facing Features

Automated ladder predictions based on likely outcomes
Quick scenario filters for fast what-if analysis
Full ladder prediction mode for users who want to select every match result
Manual adjustments for a single team or the entire league
Regeneration of ladder predictions in real time
Probability calculations for every team to reach Top 2, Top 4, and Top 8
Identification of the most impactful upcoming games for a chosen team
AFL API integration for accurate game data
User profiles, login, notifications, and personalised favourite team views

Admin Panel

The admin panel gives the client complete control. He can adjust every formula and parameter. He can even simulate user actions to test changes before they go live.

Admin Features

Full control over formulas, variables, and prediction weights
Ability to simulate every user action directly inside the panel
Dark and light mode
Configuration options far beyond the original requirements, enabling deeper future scalability

Challenges and Solutions

Heavy Calculations

Users could trigger predictions for up to 250 matches at once. Each match required complex calculations across multiple scenarios. Do this wrong and users wait forever. Do it right and results appear in seconds

Solution

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Complex Algorithms

The client developed these prediction formulas over years of studying sports. Classic AI couldn't help us. Machine learning models don't understand the custom mathematical logic this complex.

Solution

We invested our time to understand the algorithm, sat with the client and mapped out every calculation. We documented everything and then we built a custom calculation engine from scratch.

Everything Needs to be Adjustable

The client envisioned an admin panel where they could adjust every parameter influencing predictions without requiring developer intervention. This meant the system architecture needed to support dynamic formula adjustments while maintaining calculation accuracy and speed.

Solution

The client brought his vision to life with a panel that included all the necessary features for simulations. The client could test every user action before the mobile apps were ready. This caught problems early and compressed our feedback loop from weeks to days.

What developer says

The client's algorithms incredibly complex, but his openness to collaboration made it genuinely rewarding. When you understand the business logic that deeply and have a partner who trusts your technical decisions, difficult challenges become the kind of problems you actually want to solve.

Serhii Brykov

Full-Stack Developer

How We Saved $40k+ with Low-Code Tools

We used FlutterFlow for all three platforms. Web, iOS, Android. One codebase, three outputs. This cut frontend development time by 60%.

The backend stayed traditional code. It had to. The calculation complexity demanded custom implementation.

By combining low-code speed on the frontend with a custom engine on the backend, the client received a fast-to-market product.

The result: 4x cost savings compared to building everything traditionally.

The outcome

AFL fans finally got the prediction tool they deserved. Three platforms, instant results, zero frustration. What used to take 30 seconds in the first version now happens in 2-3.

The client saved $40k and can tweak every algorithm without waiting on developers. And when he's ready to add rugby or cricket, the system is already built for it.