Consumers Expected to Spend $16.5 Billion Celebrating the Big Game in 2023

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How many chicken wings does $16 billion buy?! 

Although you probably won’t find football’s big game on any official holiday calendars, for roughly a third of Americans, it may as well be a national holiday. Indeed, more than 190 million people plan to watch the game in some fashion, with the majority of those throwing or attending a party dedicated to the celebration.

As you might suspect, all that partying doesn’t come cheap. Well before people get into the friendly wagers, their personal finances already have a pretty big stake in the game: Celebrants are expected to spend up to $16.5 billion — yes, that’s billion, with a b — on supplies and paraphernalia, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation.

$16.5 billion = $85.36 per person

If the idea of a $16.5 billion football party boggles your mind, here is another thing to consider: That’s actually an increase of nearly $2 billion — that’s about 12% — from last year’s numbers. And that was already up nearly $600 million, or 5%, from 2021.

Perhaps the most shocking of all, however, is that these numbers all pale in comparison to the peak spending we saw in 2020, just before the pandemic hit. That year, spending on the big game topped out at a record-high $17.2 billion.

Of course, at this size, the numbers feel completely abstract. So let’s break that down a bit more. This year’s $16.5 billion in spending boils down to $85.36 per person. (That’s a lot of wings!) For comparison, the 2020 record year saw folks spending about $88.65 apiece.

190 million celebrants

So, where are those billions of dollars actually going? It turns out most of it will wind up in the coffers of the grocery stores, restaurants, and bars.

Around 103.5 million watchers plan to host or attend a party to watch and celebrate the game. On top of that, about 18 million (17.8 million, to be specific) people are hitting the local watering hole or wing joint for a no-fuss event.

Whether you’re watching the game or not, this many celebrations are bound to impact your weekend. For example, about 79% of the expected spending will go to food and drinks, which means the grocery stores, bars, and restaurants are going to be crowded.

In other words? Don’t expect to stop into your favorite pub for a quick meal this Sunday. Tables are bound to fill up fast.

Ways to save

If you’re one of the many folks expecting to shell out nearly $100 on supplies this weekend, you’re in luck. There are tons of ways to shave a little off your spending without hurting your fun.

For the hosts, plan on doing some comparison shopping before you ever leave the house. Most grocery stores have ads online nowadays, so you can easily compare sales on everything from wings to bean dip. While you’re at it, clip some digital coupons or download a good cash back app for extra savings.

And, of course, whether you’re partying down or hitting the bar, be sure you’re packing your best rewards credit card. You can find cards with up to 6% back in grocery store rewards. For the bar-goers, grab a good dining rewards card. Most issuers include bars in their dining category!

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