The Odds of Spotting a UFO in New York

The notion that there might be UFOs and extra-terrestrial life out there has excited Americans for generations, with an astonishing 5,582 total reported sightings in New York alone since records began — the fifth highest of all U.S. regions and more than nearby Massachusetts and New Jersey combined. 

But when are you likeliest to catch sight of alien life?

To work this out, we analyzed every UFO sighting reported to the National UFO Reporting Center, breaking down the time and date of each sighting. We were then able to reveal when you have the best odds of seeing an alien in each city across the state of New York.

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When Do You Have the Best Chance of Seeing a UFO in New York?

Of the 5,582 total UFO sightings in New York, they’re most common at 9 p.m. (300 sightings), followed by 11 p.m. (293), 8 p.m. (235), 9:30 p.m. (164), and 10:30 p.m. (154), while 6 p.m. (101) is the final time of day to have more than 100 recorded sightings. 

By date, the most common day of the year for an alien sighting is April 7, with a total of 93 reports, while June appears three times in the top five, the 6th (73 sightings), 30th (61) and 15th (60), ahead of Aug. 15 (54). Interestingly, Halloween doesn’t even rank among the 20 most common days for UFO sightings in New York, with just 18 sightings on Oct. 31. 

So, in short, you have the best odds of catching a glimpse of a UFO at 9 p.m. on April 7! And just so you know what to look out for, the most commonly reported alien representations in New York are clear light (1,039), fireballs (391), circles (678), triangles (479), and disks (384).

Where and When Do You Have the Best Chance of Seeing a UFO By City?

We’ve looked at your odds of spotting an alien in New York, but how about each of the state’s top cities?

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New York City — 847 UFO Sightings

New York City has recorded a total of 874 UFO sightings, with your greatest odds of catching sight of alien life being 9 p.m. (34) on June 30 (16). 

Meanwhile, 8 p.m. (33) is when you’ll have the second-best chance of seeing a UFO, followed by 11 p.m. (24), 7:30 p.m. (20), and 6 p.m. (19). 

By date, the rest of the top five likeliest days of the year to spot an alien are June 1 (13), Oct. 1 (12), Nov. 9 (12), and July 4 (11) — Happy Independence Day! Halloween, on the other hand, has only ever seen two alien sightings in NYC.

Buffalo — 145 UFO Sightings

There have been 145 UFO sightings in Buffalo, with your best chance of spotting an alien being 9 p.m. (8) on July 4 (5). Nine-thirty and 11 p.m. (7) are when you have the second-best odds of seeing a UFO in Buffalo, followed by 10:30 p.m. (5) and 8 p.m. (4). 

Meanwhile, Oct. 15, June 21, Aug. 13, July 20, and July 31 are the dates with the joint-second-most sightings (3), well ahead of the spookiest night of the year: Halloween (0).

Yonkers — 23 UFO Sightings

There have only been 23 reported UFO sightings in Yonkers, so your odds of catching sight of alien life here are slim. However, your chance is greatest if you head out at 9 p.m. (2) on Feb. 17 or March 29 (2).  

The next-likeliest times of day are 12:05 a.m., 2:15 a.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. (1), while the next best dates to go alien spotting are Oct. 15, Aug. 12, and Nov. 1, with Halloween seeing just as much UFO action.

Rochester — 151 UFO Sightings

Rochester has seen the second-most UFO sightings of all cities we’ve looked at, with 151 recorded reports of alien life. 

For the best chance of seeing an alien here, head outside between 10:30 p.m. (6) and 11 p.m. (6) on July 4, Aug. 13, July 21, Aug. 16, or Nov. 12. Meanwhile, Halloween is a no-go, with zero sightings in Rochester on Oct. 31. 

Failing that, you have the next-best odds of catching sight of extra-terrestrial life at 8 p.m., 7:30 p.m., or 9:30 p.m. (5).

Syracuse — 102 UFO Sightings

There have been 102 UFO sightings in Syracuse, with your best odds of spotting alien life being July 4 (5) at 9 p.m. (9). 

The next-likeliest dates are Dec. 15 (4), June 6 (3), Aug. 29 (3), and Nov. 3 (3), while other top times include 11 p.m. (6), 8 p.m. (4), 10:30 p.m. (3), and 9:30 p.m. (3). 

Finally, just like other cities across the state, Halloween is remarkably un-spooky when it comes to UFO sightings, with no Oct. 31 reports in Syracuse. 

Until Next Time

While we might have gone past the time of year that gives you the best odds of catching a UFO sighting, there’s no harm in keeping an eye out as we work our way through the autumn months. In the meantime, for even more insight from our gambling experts, head on over to Empire Stakes for the best NY sportsbook promos.

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Editorial Staff

The experts at EmpireStakes who bring you the latest updates in New York sports betting as well as the state's casinos. We pull together decades of experience to give you analysis as well as comparisons of the best NY online gambling apps.

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