Most Reliable Sportsbooks 2026: Ranked by Uptime & Outage Data
In a world where sportsbooks throw million-dollar promo budgets at you, there's one thing money can't buy: uptime when you need it most.
What good is a 50% profit boost if the app crashes right before kickoff? How valuable is that $1,000 risk-free bet if you can't place it because servers are down?
At BettingStatus.com, we monitor every major sportsbook 24/7. We track outages, measure uptime, and log performance during the highest-stakes betting windows of the year.
This is the definitive 2026 reliability ranking of all major U.S. sportsbooks—based on real data, not marketing promises.
Why Sportsbook Reliability Is Your Most Important Factor
Let's be blunt: promos are bait. Every sportsbook offers them. They're designed to get you in the door.
But when you're a serious bettor—when you're putting real money on the line, week after week—reliability becomes your most valuable asset.
Consider what happened during Super Bowl LIX (February 2025):
- DraftKings: 8-minute slowdown during halftime
- FanDuel: 12-minute partial outage before kickoff
- Caesars: 18-minute complete crash during pre-game prop rush
- BetMGM: Minor slowdowns, no full outage
Which sportsbook would you rather have had your money on?
This matters. A lot.
How We Rank Sportsbook Reliability
Our methodology is simple: we measure what actually matters.
Ranking Criteria (Weighted):
- Overall uptime (30%) — Percentage of time platform is fully operational
- Peak event performance (25%) — Stability during NFL Sundays, playoffs, major events
- Outage frequency (20%) — How often issues occur
- Average outage duration (15%) — How long problems last
- Recovery speed (10%) — How quickly issues get fixed
We don't care about marketing claims. We track real-world performance through NFL season, March Madness, NBA playoffs, and hundreds of high-volume betting days.
Most Reliable Sportsbooks 2026: The Complete Rankings
🥇 #1: FanDuel — The Gold Standard
Overall Reliability Score: 9.4/10
| Metric | 2025 Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall Uptime | 99.6% |
| Total Outages | 18 incidents |
| Avg Outage Duration | 11 minutes |
| Major Outages (>30 min) | 1 incident |
| Peak Event Issues | 5 incidents |
| NFL Sunday Success Rate | 14/18 clean Sundays |
Why FanDuel is #1:
FanDuel doesn't just have great uptime—it has great uptime when it matters. During the 2025 NFL season, FanDuel maintained clean performance on 78% of Sundays. That's the highest in the industry.
The infrastructure is rock-solid. When FanDuel does go down (and every platform does), issues resolve quickly—averaging just 11 minutes. Compare that to Caesars' 19-minute average.
What FanDuel does right:
- Best-in-class infrastructure scaling
- Proactive load testing before major events
- Fast incident response times
- Transparent communication during outages
FanDuel's rare weaknesses:
- That pre-kickoff Super Bowl outage (12 minutes) was painful
- Occasional slowdowns during NFL 1 PM ET kickoff rush
- Minor geolocation hiccups in smaller markets
Best for: Anyone who values reliability. Serious bettors. Live betting enthusiasts. NFL Sunday regulars.
-----|------------------| | Overall Uptime | 99.4% | | Total Outages | 23 incidents | | Avg Outage Duration | 14 minutes | | Major Outages (>30 min) | 2 incidents | | Peak Event Issues | 8 incidents | | NFL Sunday Success Rate | 12/18 clean Sundays |
Why DraftKings is #2:
DraftKings has exceptional infrastructure most of the time. The platform is blazing fast, rarely slow, and handles major events well... until it doesn't.
The issue: DraftKings has higher variance. When problems hit, they can be severe. That 22-minute March Madness outage during a Sweet 16 betting window? Brutal. The AFC Championship slowdown? Costly for live bettors.
But here's the thing: DraftKings' ceiling is higher than anyone else's. When healthy, it's the fastest, smoothest betting experience in America.
What DraftKings does right:
- Fastest bet confirmations in the industry
- Excellent iOS app optimization
- Best same-game parlay builder (and it rarely crashes)
- Strong performance during NBA/NHL (faster-paced sports)
DraftKings' weaknesses:
- More volatility during unexpected volume spikes
- Slightly higher crash frequency than FanDuel
- Longer recovery times when major issues hit
Best for: Experienced bettors who value speed. Same-game parlay builders. iOS users. Anyone willing to trade slight stability risk for best-in-class performance.
Check DraftKings Live Status →
🥉 #3: BetMGM — Steady and Dependable
Overall Reliability Score: 8.7/10
| Metric | 2025 Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall Uptime | 99.3% |
| Total Outages | 28 incidents |
| Avg Outage Duration | 12 minutes |
| Major Outages (>30 min) | 2 incidents |
| Peak Event Issues | 9 incidents |
| NFL Sunday Success Rate | 13/18 clean Sundays |
Why BetMGM is #3:
BetMGM is the tortoise in this race. It's not the fastest (that's DraftKings), not the flashiest, but it's consistently reliable.
Built on Entain's European infrastructure (same platform powering Ladbrokes and other global giants), BetMGM benefits from battle-tested technology. It handles peak events well, recovers quickly from issues, and rarely surprises users with catastrophic failures.
What BetMGM does right:
- Mature, proven infrastructure
- Excellent geographic coverage (strong in small markets)
- Fast payment processing (deposits/withdrawals)
- Low crash frequency during live betting
BetMGM's weaknesses:
- Slower than DK/FD (3-5 second live odds refresh)
- Occasional bet confirmation delays
- Fewer cutting-edge features (playing it safe)
Best for: Risk-averse bettors. Pre-game betting focus. Bettors in smaller or newer markets. Anyone who wants "boring reliability."
#4: bet365 — Global Giant, U.S. Still Scaling
Overall Reliability Score: 8.3/10
| Metric | 2025 Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall Uptime | 99.1% |
| Total Outages | 32 incidents |
| Avg Outage Duration | 10 minutes |
| Major Outages (>30 min) | 1 incident |
| Peak Event Issues | 11 incidents |
Why bet365 is #4:
bet365 is a paradox. Globally, it's one of the most reliable sportsbooks on Earth—handling massive European soccer betting volume with ease. But in the U.S.? Still finding its footing.
The platform is solid, but it's optimized for international sports betting patterns (soccer, cricket, tennis). During American peak windows (NFL Sundays, NBA playoffs), it occasionally struggles.
What bet365 does right:
- World-class infrastructure (best for soccer live betting)
- Deep betting markets (more props than anyone)
- Lightning-fast issue resolution
- Best international sports coverage
bet365's weaknesses:
- U.S. infrastructure still maturing
- Can slow during NFL/NBA peak moments
- Fewer American sports optimizations than DK/FD
Best for: International sports bettors. Soccer/tennis live betting. Experienced bettors who value deep markets over raw speed.
#5: ESPN BET — Improving, But Still Rough Edges
Overall Reliability Score: 7.9/10
| Metric | 2025 Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall Uptime | 98.9% |
| Total Outages | 35 incidents |
| Avg Outage Duration | 15 minutes |
| Major Outages (>30 min) | 3 incidents |
| Peak Event Issues | 13 incidents |
Why ESPN BET is #5:
ESPN BET launched in late 2023 (rebranded from Barstool Sportsbook), and you can tell it's still working out infrastructure kinks. The platform has improved rapidly—uptime is respectable, app stability is better—but it's not yet in the same league as FanDuel/DraftKings.
What ESPN BET does right:
- Rapid improvement trajectory (reliability up 12% year-over-year)
- ESPN content integration (useful for casual bettors)
- Good customer service during outages
- Competitive uptime for a newer platform
ESPN BET's weaknesses:
- Higher crash frequency during peak events
- Slower odds updates
- More frequent bet rejections
- Infrastructure still scaling
Best for: ESPN ecosystem fans. Casual bettors. Anyone willing to sacrifice some reliability for ESPN Bet Tracker integration.
#6: Fanatics Sportsbook — New Kid, Growing Pains
Overall Reliability Score: 7.6/10
| Metric | 2025 Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall Uptime | 98.7% |
| Total Outages | 38 incidents |
| Avg Outage Duration | 13 minutes |
| Major Outages (>30 min) | 3 incidents |
| Peak Event Issues | 15 incidents |
Why Fanatics is #6:
Fanatics Sportsbook is the newest major entrant (launched 2023), and it shows. Uptime is decent for a startup, but reliability lags behind established platforms.
That said, Fanatics has deep pockets (backed by Fanatics Inc.) and is improving fast. By 2027, this could be a top-3 platform.
What Fanatics does right:
- Fanatics Rewards integration (shop for team gear with betting winnings)
- Improving app stability
- Strong promotional offers
- Fast customer support
Fanatics' weaknesses:
- Frequent outages during peak events
- Infrastructure still immature
- Limited live betting markets
- Higher bet rejection rates
Best for: Fanatics Rewards collectors. Casual bettors. Early adopters willing to bet on future potential.
#7: Caesars Sportsbook — Brand Name, Brittle Infrastructure
Overall Reliability Score: 6.8/10
| Metric | 2025 Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall Uptime | 98.7% |
| Total Outages | 41 incidents |
| Avg Outage Duration | 19 minutes |
| Major Outages (>30 min) | 7 incidents |
| Peak Event Issues | 14 incidents |
| NFL Sunday Success Rate | 9/18 clean Sundays |
Why Caesars ranks last:
Caesars is the most disappointing sportsbook in America. Massive brand. Huge marketing budget. Generous Caesars Rewards program. And... the worst reliability among major books.
The problem: legacy infrastructure from multiple acquisitions (Caesars legacy + William Hill merger) creates technical debt. Systems don't play well together, leading to frequent, unpredictable outages.
What Caesars does right:
- Strong customer service (when you can reach them)
- Caesars Rewards integration (earn hotel/dining comps)
- Good market coverage (available in most legal states)
Caesars' critical weaknesses:
- Worst uptime among major sportsbooks
- Longest average outage duration
- Frequent NFL Sunday crashes (only 50% clean Sundays)
- Terrible live betting reliability
- High bet rejection rate
Best for: Caesars Rewards collectors ONLY. Not recommended for serious betting.
The Smart Bettor's Reliability Strategy
Here's what experienced bettors do to maximize reliability:
1. Have Multiple Funded Accounts
Keep 2-3 sportsbooks funded:
- Primary: FanDuel or DraftKings (best overall reliability)
- Secondary: BetMGM (stable backup)
- Tertiary: ESPN BET or bet365 (for specific markets)
When one goes down, you instantly switch.
2. Check Status Before Big Events
Visit BettingStatus.com 15-30 minutes before major games:
- Super Bowl
- NFL playoff games
- March Madness
- NBA Finals
If your primary sportsbook is reporting issues, start on your backup.
3. Avoid Caesars for High-Stakes Bets
Use Caesars for promos and Rewards bonuses, but don't rely on it for important bets during peak windows. The crash risk is too high.
4. Favor Reliability Over Promos
A 20% profit boost means nothing if you can't place the bet. Prioritize platforms with proven uptime over flashy promotions.
Reliability by Betting Style
For NFL Bettors:
- FanDuel (best Sunday uptime)
- DraftKings
- BetMGM
For Live Betting:
- FanDuel (most consistent)
- DraftKings (fastest)
- BetMGM
For March Madness:
- FanDuel (most stable during tournament)
- BetMGM
- DraftKings
For NBA/NHL:
- DraftKings (speed matters)
- FanDuel
- bet365
For Soccer/International:
- bet365 (best global infrastructure)
- FanDuel
- BetMGM
Real Bettor Experiences
"I used to chase Caesars promos. Then I missed a playoff hedge because the app crashed. Moved everything to FanDuel. Haven't looked back." — Tom, NJ
"Keep DraftKings and FanDuel both funded. When one slows down during a game, I switch. Saved me multiple times during NFL season." — Lisa, PA
"BetMGM is boring, but boring is good. I've never missed a bet because of downtime. That's worth more than any promo." — Kevin, MI
The Bottom Line: Which Sportsbook Should You Use?
For most bettors: FanDuel is the most reliable choice. Best uptime, best peak event performance, fewest surprises.
For speed enthusiasts: DraftKings if you're willing to accept slightly higher crash risk for the fastest betting experience.
For conservative bettors: BetMGM offers steady, predictable reliability without the flash.
For everyone: Have backups. The smartest bettors use 2-3 platforms and switch when problems arise.
Monitor Sportsbook Status in Real-Time
Don't get caught off guard. Check live status before you bet:
Related guides:
- DraftKings vs FanDuel Reliability →
- BetMGM vs Caesars Comparison →
- Best Sportsbooks for Live Betting →
- Super Bowl Sportsbook Status →
FAQ
What is the most reliable sportsbook in 2026?
FanDuel is the most reliable sportsbook in 2026, with 99.6% uptime, the fewest major outages, and the best peak event performance. It maintained stable service on 78% of NFL Sundays—better than any competitor.
Which sportsbook has the least downtime?
FanDuel has the least downtime among major U.S. sportsbooks, averaging just 11 minutes per incident and only one major outage (>30 minutes) in all of 2025. DraftKings is close behind with 14-minute average outages.
Is Caesars Sportsbook reliable?
No. Caesars has the worst reliability among major sportsbooks, with 98.7% uptime, 41 outages in 2025, and 19-minute average downtime. It experienced issues on 50% of NFL Sundays. Use FanDuel, DraftKings, or BetMGM instead for reliable betting.
Should I use multiple sportsbooks for reliability?
Yes. Experienced bettors keep 2-3 funded sportsbook accounts (typically FanDuel + DraftKings + one backup). This allows instant switching when one platform experiences issues during big games. It's the single best reliability strategy.
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