Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas Leaves Millions of Americans Broke
Whether you watched Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas or from home, we witnessed one of the most expensive sporting events in history.
The only problem is nobody talks about the impacts that Super Bowl weekend has on the everyday person.
After all the celebration was over, Americans find themselves facing the most crippling financial situations the country has ever seen.
Ticket Prices for Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas
This year, the average ticket cost to attend Allegiant stadium in Vegas was $7,500.
Tickets purchased within a week of kickoff were recorded to sell for over $12,000.
This is a one-of-a-kind stadium and the second most expensive in the world coming right in at $2 billion to construct.
Allegiant stadium has room to seat 65,000 people but for the Super Bowl they expanded the seating to fit 72,000 fans.
Concession Prices for Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas
An article from Yahoo finance shows that a slice of pizza at Allegiant Stadium cost $14.
If you wanted a beer to wash it down, you would be spending another $18 for that.
So, if every person that attended the championship game paid the average ticket price of $7,500.
Then bought a slice of pizza and a beer, that alone added up to a total of $542 million.
At this point each person would have spent $7,595 for the Super Bowl experience, but that’s just the beginning.
Travel Prices to Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas
If you traveled to Vegas from out of town, you paid a premium for it.
According to the New York Times, flights for Super Bowl weekend were over 100% higher than the normal trip to Vegas.
Hotels in the area took advantage of the big event by charging nearly 150% more than what they typically would for a one-night stay.
Based on Priceline data, people paid $750 a night when the average cost is normally $375.
Imagine if everyone traveled, that would add up to $12.6 million for folks to attend Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas
Adding that in with the cost of tickets and concessions, that would bring the average cost per person to $9,282.
Super Bowl LVIII Party Costs
Of course, everyone who watched the game didn’t watch in person.
But those that hit a sports bar or went to a Super Bowl party spent some money too.
Retailers across the Nation got surges of shoppers for team merchandise after the 49ers and Chiefs were named Super Bowl contenders.
And many of us either hosted or attended a Super Bowl party.
When you think about the cost of food decorations, we came out of pocket for that.
We also must include the cost of going to Buffalo Wild Wings or another bar or restaurant to watch the game.
The New York Times even mentioned that Americans bought 11 million wings from Buffalo Wild Wings and 2 million pizzas from Dominos.
In fact, over 112 million people either attended or threw a Super Bowl party.
Another 16 million went to a bar or restaurant to watch the game.
In total across nearly 130 million people, each person spent an average of $86 on food, drinks, and merchandise.
All that adds up to a record-breaking $17.3 billion that consumers spent across the country for Super Bowl Sunday.
Taylor Swift Effect on Super Bowl LVIII
There’s a big reason behind this record-breaking viewership and spending that exposed a major problem in America.
That reason’s name…is Taylor Swift!
Taylor Swift brought an additional 50 million viewers the Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas
She also was the cause of an increase in female viewership and about $22 million worth of brand value for the NFL.
But she also shined a light on a major spending addiction.
Sports Gambling on Super Bowl LVIII
A record-breaking 68 million Americans were reported to have placed online bets on the Super Bowl.
This was a 35% increase from the previous year.
The estimated total Wagers tallied up to be around $23 billion, which is up from $16 billion the year prior.
Thousands of prop bets were placed on how each player would perform throughout the game.
Bets were even placed on if Taylor Swift would show up to the game, and how many times she would be shown on camera.
CNBC expected that millions of Americans also made bets with friends or through a pool or squares contest.
The Impacts of Sports Betting in America
This massive spending is due to the rising popularity of sports betting since it was legalized in 2018.
Since that time, Americans have wagered well over $220 billion on Sports bets.
But based on various studies that have been done only 3% – 5% of all bettors are profitable in the long run.
And unfortunately, it’s also been reported that the 1-800 gamblers helpline has seen a 15% increase in calls over the past 5 years.
How Much Americans Spent for Super Bowl LVIII
Tickets, concessions, and travel for those in attendance in Vegas, consumers spent $668 million.
Merchandise, Super Bowl parties, and restaurants or bars, that adds up to $17 billion.
Wagers placed on the game, that’s another $23 billion.
Taking everything into account, the total amount that consumers spent across the country for Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas, is over $4.6 billion.
Now that is an absurd amount of spending, and if you think that number looks wild, check this out!
America Debt Crisis in America 2024
America is in $1.13 trillion of credit card debt, $1.6 trillion of car debt and $ 1.74 trillion of student loan debt.
Across those three loan types that adds up to $4.4 trillion.
Just fyi, 1 trillion is 1,000 billion.
So, as a country we have spent 956 Super Bowls worth of debt.
If we want to have enough money to retire with dignity, we have to get our spending under control.
For more information about managing your personal finances, feel free to visit our resource center.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What was the average ticket price for Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas?
A: The average ticket price for Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas was a whopping $7,500, with last-minute purchases reaching over $12,000.
Q: How much did Americans spend on concessions at Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas?
A: Concessions at the Super Bowl didn’t come cheap, with a slice of pizza costing $14 and a beer setting fans back another $18.
Q: How much did it cost to travel to Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas?
A: Traveling to Vegas for the Super Bowl was pricey, with flights averaging around $1,000 per traveler and hotel rates soaring to 150% above normal.
Q: How much did Americans spend on Super Bowl parties and gatherings?
A: Americans went all out for Super Bowl parties, spending an average of $86 per person on food, drinks, and merchandise, totaling a record-breaking $17.3 billion nationwide.
Q: How did Taylor Swift impact Super Bowl viewership and spending?
A: Taylor Swift’s presence at the Super Bowl boosted viewership by an additional 50 million and sparked a betting frenzy, with Americans wagering a staggering $23 billion on the game.
Q: What percentage of sports bettors turn a profit?
A: Only 3 to 5% of all sports bettors are profitable in the long run, meaning that the vast majority—95%—end up losing money.
Q: What’s the takeaway from America’s Super Bowl spending spree?
A: While the Super Bowl may be an exhilarating event, it’s crucial to balance the excitement with financial responsibility to secure a stable financial future.
