When a website experiences an overwhelming number of requests within a short period, it may return a “429 Too Many Requests” error to users. This response is sent by the server to indicate that it has reached its maximum capacity and can no longer process any further requests.
The “429” status code in this context signifies that the rate at which the user is making requests exceeds the allowed threshold, as determined by the website’s traffic policies. The purpose of these policies is to prevent abuse and maintain a stable performance for all users.
In many cases, the error message will contain specific instructions for how long the user must wait before attempting another request. This allows the server time to recover from its current load and resume normal operations.
Some websites use techniques such as rate limiting or IP blocking to manage excessive traffic. Rate limiting restricts the frequency at which a specific resource can be accessed, while IP blocking temporarily prevents users from accessing certain areas of the site based on their IP address.
While “429 Too Many Requests” errors are generally not a cause for concern, repeated occurrences may indicate underlying issues with the website’s infrastructure or performance optimization.
Source: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2025-nfl-mock-draft-predicting-every-teams-first-round-pick-before-night-one-kicks-off-from-green-bay