How much do Americans spend on food and drinks for the Super Bowl?

From the millions that it costs to place an advertisement during its broadcast, to the thousands that it will set you back to get inside the stadium, the Super Bowl is truly the proverbial cash cow. Yet, what do you know of the countless parties and gatherings that families and friends host so they can watch the big game together? There’s a cost for all of that too. The question is, ‘How much?’

Americans are going to spend big on the Super Bowl

While it’s clear that the NFL is by far the most lucrative sporting league in the world, it’s not often that you get a clear look at just what kind of cash we’re talking about. With that in mind, the following figures are likely to be quite sobering and even more so because they pertain to consumer spending specifically. Indeed, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce predicting that Americans will spend in record numbers for this year’s edition of the Super Bowl, some context is needed.

For starters, more than 200 million U.S. adults are expected to watch the NFL’s biggest game this Sunday, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation. To be clear, that is more than half of the country’s population which currently stands at approximately 335 million. Of those fans who plan to watch, more than half have indicated that they intend to either host or attend a watch party. Then, there are another 16 million fans who plan to watch the game in either a bar or restaurant. This is all to say that the Super Bowl - if you weren’t aware - is a very big deal, especially from an economic perspective.

The specifics of Super Bowl expenditure

It’s all well and good to talk about how big fans are expected to spend, but what kind of numbers are we talking about, and what are fans spending on? According to surveys, the primary areas in which folks will be spending are food, drinks, apparel, party decorations, and other categories related to the Super Bowl with a projected grand total of $17.3 billion, according to the NRF. Yep. If you’re wondering, that’s roughly a $1 billion increase from last year’s game and breaks down to $86 per person more or less.

This of course brings us to Las Vegas itself. As things stand, the city is expected to generate an additional $500 million for its economy when the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers get down this Sunday. That comes from but is not limited to the projected 150,000 visitors who are expected to descend upon the city this coming weekend. From the $215 million that is set to be spent on food and beverages, to hotel rooms and game-related merchandise, Sin City is going to do well. Of course, that’s before we even touch on the massive amounts that will be wagered on the game itself. After all, we’re talking about the gambling capital of the United States, a place that is expected to see as many as 68 million American adults betting on the contest.

A snapshot of Super Bowl spending by region

In the name of clarity, we thought it a good idea to give you some insight as to what the Chamber of Commerce has projected in terms of expenditure by region. It’s worth noting that the following figures are not limited to the three cities that are involved i.e. Kansas City, San Francisco and the host city of Las Vegas.

Super Bowl LVIII is set for February 11th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. Don’t miss it!