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Does God care about the game? What the numbers tell us about the Super Bowl
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We're just about three weeks away from Super Bowl LI. So it's only natural that Americans begin planning their annual traditions. - photo by Herb Scribner
We're just about three weeks away from Super Bowl LI. So it's only natural that Americans begin planning their annual traditions.

Only four teams remain in the 2016-17 season: the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Atlanta Falcons and the Green Bay Packers. That means four sets of regional fans remain, but it's no question that billions of Americans tune into the Super Bowl.

Last year's game drew 111.9 million viewers the third highest broadcast of all time, according to CNN.

And it's time to get going again.

New survey findings from the last few weeks show that Americans have already begun gearing up for the gridiron extravaganza, buying televisions and planning snacks and appetizers for the biggest game in football.

We've broken down some of the findings below.

This is what Super Bowl parties are like

A survey from the research company Influence Central found that 45 percent of Americans plan their parties a few weeks in advance, with 36 percent saying they make decisions about their parties once the final few teams start to become clear.

About 82 percent of hosts serve chips, appetizers and dips. Meanwhile, 49 percent serve heartier meals, like hamburgers, hot dogs and pulled pork, according to the Influence Central survey.

It's actually a great time to buy a TV

That's why televisions are such a commodity this time of year, too. About 76 million Americans plan to buy a TV in 2017, with 9.26 percent of those people buying it before the Super Bowl.

And it's for good reason, according to a survey from Best Black Friday. Even though only 10.43 percent see this time of the year as a good time to buy a TV, the deals are strong.

But not everyone watches the Super Bowl on television. About 66 percent of Americans (165 million Americans) will watch the game on the internet or out of their home.

People only watch the Super Bowl for two things

Social media also takes up people's time. About 78 percent of people will spend the game on social media, with 38 percent of people saying their top activity is commenting on commercials, according to the Influence Central survey.

In total, 22.45 percent of people watch the game for the commercials, according to the Best Black Friday survey.

Mothers plan more than anyone else

Who run the parties? Moms.

According to Influence Central, about 95 percent of women plan the Super Bowl parties, with 92 percent of those women having children.

Most parties are family-friendly, too. According to the survey, 64 percent of parties have a mix of adults and children, with only a quarter of planners having an adults-only celebraton. A lowly 1 percent of parties will be "guys only."

Americans split on how God impacts the game

The Best Black Friday survey also found that 25.5 percent of people close to 64 million Americans feel that God plays a significant role in the Super Bowl's outcome.

This is in direct contrast with a Lifeway Research survey from last year that found just 8 percent of Americans feel God influences the game, with 88 percent saying that he doesn't impact the football season's final match.
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