On Sunday, February 11, all eyes will be on Super Bowl LVIII, where the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers will battle it out for the championship title. In a tradition upheld by EA Sports, the Big Game is simulated, and the results are released ahead of time. This year’s simulation forecasts the Chiefs emerging victorious with a score of 30-28.
According to the simulation, Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes is predicted to be the Super Bowl MVP, marking his second consecutive year receiving this honor in the virtual realm.
EA Sports’ simulations have garnered attention for their accuracy in the past. Notably, in 2015, the simulation accurately predicted the New England Patriots’ comeback victory against the Seattle Seahawks, including the final score and the specific play that sealed the win. However, the predictions aren’t always spot on, sometimes missing the mark entirely.
As anticipation builds for this year’s Super Bowl, let’s take a retrospective look at EA Sports’ Madden Super Bowl simulations over the past decade-plus. The track record for predicting the winner has been a mixed bag.
EA started strong, correctly predicting the Super Bowl winners for four consecutive years, from Super Bowl 38 to Super Bowl 41. However, since then, the simulation hasn’t been consistently accurate, with the prediction missing the mark for the past three Super Bowls.
Over the past decade-plus, EA’s simulations have accurately predicted the Super Bowl winner roughly half the time, indicating that while the simulations offer insight, they’re far from infallible.
EA’s annual simulations utilize the latest rosters to forecast the outcome and storylines of the Super Bowl. Yet, variables beyond player stats, such as unforeseen events or influences like Taylor Swift’s impact on the game, remain outside the simulation’s scope.
Off the field, the Super Bowl continues to be a hotspot for advertisers, with companies shelling out as much as $7 million for a 30-second spot on CBS, which is broadcasting the game this year alongside Paramount+ and Nickelodeon. Viewers can expect a plethora of commercials during the broadcast.
For those interested in picking up a copy of Madden NFL 24, the game is currently discounted by 70% and will be available on Game Pass starting February 8.
As we await the outcome of Super Bowl 58, set to kick off on Sunday, February 11, at 6:30 PM ET on CBS, let’s reflect on EA Sports’ Madden Super Bowl simulations and their intriguing yet imperfect predictions over the years.
