At a glance
The short version
CRTLAB measured every fair value gap on the S&P 500 from 2022-07-01 to 2026-11-06: 15,997 on the 15-minute chart (about 13.0 a day) and 3,934 on the 1-hour. Below is how often price came back to them, against a fake gap drawn the same distance on the other side, and a chart that opens with the S&P 500's FVGs already marked so you can test your own entry.
How often the S&P 500's fair value gaps get revisited (measured)
On the 15-minute chart, price came back into a S&P 500 gap within 1 hour on 66.7% of gaps, within 4 hours on 82.2% and within 24 hours on 93.2%. It filled the gap completely within 24 hours on 87.6%.
The control matters more than the headline: a fake gap the same distance on the other side of price was reached within 24 hours on 93.5%. When the real gap and the fake one are hit about as often, the revisit is mostly just price moving around, not the gap pulling it back. On the 1-hour chart the real gap was revisited within 24 hours on 84.9%, the fake one on 86.1%.
| S&P 500 | Gaps | Back within 24h | Fake gap within 24h | Fully filled 24h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-minute | 15,997 | 93.2% | 93.5% | 87.6% |
| 1-hour | 3,934 | 84.9% | 86.1% | 74.1% |
Testing an FVG entry on the S&P 500
A count of revisits is not a strategy. What decides it is your entry inside the gap, your stop and the session you trade, and those are the parts only a replay can test. Open the S&P 500 with fair value gaps drawn, hide the future, and step candle by candle: mark each gap you would take, place the stop and target, and let the journal keep score. A hundred trades on the S&P 500 is an evening, not a year.
Frequently asked questions
Do fair value gaps fill on the S&P 500?
Price came back into a 15-minute S&P 500 gap within 24 hours on 93.2% of 15,997 gaps and filled it completely on 87.6%; a fake gap the same distance away was reached on 93.5% (CRTLAB, 2022–2026).
How many fair value gaps does the S&P 500 make a day?
About 13.0 a day on the 15-minute chart and 3.6 on the 1-hour, measured on 19,931 gaps.
Can I backtest fair value gaps on the S&P 500 for free?
Yes, free every day. You get the S&P 500 with fair value gaps drawn, with every tool the product has, and 2,000 candles of replay every day, no card needed. CRTLAB Unlimited ($14.99 a month) or CRTLAB Lifetime ($99 once) removes the daily limit. FVGs, every other ICT concept and the journal are on from the first candle.
