Each and every year, millions of people all around the world cook up their favorite junk foods and settle in to view the National Football League's championship game. The Super Bowl is televised in many countries all around the world, which has caused American football to rise in popularity. Viewing parties have become extremely popular and are a tradition within many social circles in the United States. Super Bowl Sunday is practically an American national holiday and spawned a culture all its own.

The first Super Bowl was held in 1967 and featured the Green Bay Packers versus the Kansas City Chiefs. Green Bay beat the Chiefs with ease and were crowned the champions of the newly formed NFL. Each year, a host city is chosen for the Super Bowl and all the events surrounding the game. Because of its massive popularity and draw, local businesses flourish during the week leading up to the event. Tickets for the Super Bowl are often scarce and expensive, so most people elect to watch the game from the comfort of their own home or at a local sports bar. No matter where you choose to watch the game, food and drink is an integral part of the experience.

According to a number of sources, Americans consume nearly as much food on game day as they do on Thanksgiving. Popular snacks include the standard chicken wings, nachos, chips, and other typically unhealthy fare. Many fans will also drink an excessive amount of soda, beer, and liquor. Although the game falls on a Sunday every year, that doesn't stop die hard Super Bowl fanatics from throwing a large game-viewing bash. Some even take the following Monday off from work so they can let loose and really enjoy the game. It's also common for fans to place a variety of different wagers on the game.

Exclusive broadcasting rights are sold to one of the major television networks each year. Extremely high ratings have caused Super Bowl commercial airtime to become the most expensive and sought after advertising slots. Many companies produce completely original and entertaining commercials just for the event and fork over millions of dollars for a very small number of runs during the game. A number of people that don't particularly like football watch the game just for the advertisements. The day after the game, the talk around water coolers all across America tends to be more about the commercials than the actual Super Bowl itself.