Which States are the Biggest Super Bowl Partiers?
Published on: 2023/01/24
The snow is accumulating in the heartland, the snowbirds are heading to Florida, and NFL Redzone has lost its appeal. These signs of the time can only mean one thing: Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner. That’s right, the pseudo-holiday where we gather, eat tons of junk food, and enjoy four hours of commercial-heavy football is upon us. So, with the big game just around the corner, we decided it was time to solve one of the country’s burning mysteries: which state is home to the most spirited Super Bowl partiers? To determine this, we asked 2,000 US residents over 21 years of age if they were planning to attend or host a Super Bowl Party. As a bonus, we also dug a bit deeper to find out exactly why and how hard they party for them. As part of the process we provided the participants with a no deposit bonus to entice them in providing us with accurate information.
It turns out Pennsylvania (51.3%) is the state whose residents are the biggest Super Bowl partiers. This should come as no surprise though. As home to both the Eagles and Steelers, Pennsylvania houses two of the NFL’s most diehard fanbases.
By a razor-thin margin, Illinois (50.9%) landed as the nation’s second-biggest party state. Despite little success in recent decades, fans of the Chicago Bears apparently still love a good Super Bowl gathering.
Rounding out the top three is the Hoosier state. That’s right, Indiana (50.3%) ranks as the third biggest Super Bowl party state in the US. Although the team has struggled in recent years, there’s no denying the legacy left by Peyton Manning & Co. has produced a ravenous fanbase that still goes hard to this day.
On the other side of the coin, some of our states just don’t have that insatiable appetite for a Super Bowl party. Our most northern state, Alaska (10.3%) has the fewest Super Bowl partiers. Also near the bottom of the list is South Dakota (10.8%) in 49th and college football powerhouse Alabama (15.2%) in 48th. One key characteristic of states whose residents shun a Super Bowl shindig is the lack of a team within their state. Of the bottom 20 states in our study, only three have an NFL team to call their own.
Now that we’ve uncovered where the parties will be held on February 12, it’s time to take a look at how and why they celebrate America’s most-watched TV broadcast. Among those who will revel on Roger Goodell’s big night, 36.5% will play the role of gracious host. These party QBs will break out the snacks, drinks, and other accouterments to put on the best Super Bowl soiree they can for the lucky 63.5% who will simply attend a party.
Despite these gatherings being named for the big game, only some of those who attend are actually in it for the football. Sure, 39.2% of our respondents said the game itself is the most important part of Super Bowl Sunday. But an additional 29.7% shared they’re in it for the commercials. Another big chunk, 20.6% prioritize the halftime show. And a shameless few of us, 10.5%, admit we’re just in it for the food.
Speaking of snacks, we are a nation divided. The old standby, chips & dip, ranked as the favorite snack food of our respondents. For something spicier, the number two most popular Super Bowl snack in America is hot wings, followed by burgers or sliders. Completing the top five we find chili in fourth place, followed by cheese & crackers in fifth. Of course, with all the snacking and potential anguish if your favorite team isn’t winning, it’s only natural that knocking back a few cold ones will be on most party animals’ agendas. Our team of experts found out the average Super Bowl party-goer consumes about 3.9 adult beverages throughout the evening — a modest sum by most standards.?
Whether you attend one of the mega Super Bowl bashes in Las Vegas to wager some real money on the game, or have a simple get-together at home with friends and family, there’s no denying this once-a-year tradition is a quintessential part of Americana. Now, if we could only get the bonus of our bosses granting us the following Monday off…