National Football League

Super Bowl 51: Top 5 Best Themed Drinking Games For The Big Game

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:26 p.m. ET

Fansided, Chris Stephano/FanSided via The Jet Press

Feb 2, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; A general overall view of NFL official Wilson Duke football with Super Bowl LI logo at NRG Stadium prior to Super Bowl LI between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Whether you’re a die-hard NFL fan or a fan of the commercials, these drinking games will keep you entertained during Super Bowl 51.

Well, it’s almost that time of year again. This Sunday, the New England Patriots will take on the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51.

The Super Bowl is one of those rare events that transcends itself. Even people who hate football watch it. Practically speaking, it has become an American holiday.

So whether you hate football or only hate the Patriots, you will still probably be watching the big game. We all might as well enjoy it. And what better way to enjoy anything than by incorporating drinking into it!

Regardless of whether or not you like football, or whether you’re a rookie or Pro Bowl level drinker, the following list contains Super Bowl themed drinking games for everyone. Enjoy!

5. We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming

The Super Bowl is almost as famous for commercials as it is for football. The bizarre and amusing testaments to American consumerism are often nearly as enjoyable as the game itself.

But why just watch commercials when you can turn them into a fun drinking game?

There are nearly endless ways to turn watching commercials into a drinking game, but here’s a basic idea to get you started. Every time a new commercial airs, the first person to correctly guess the product being advertised can force the other participants to drink.

Be careful, however. If you guess incorrectly, you have to take two drinks.

Jan 31, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Joe Buck is interviewed during the Fox Sports press conference at the George R. Brown Convention Center prior to Super Bowl LI. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

4. Dominate the headlines

Old men, bad hair, and cliches are mainstays in the world of sports broadcasting. But while the first two are just depressing, the third has the potential for a great drinking game.

This one is simple. Prior to kickoff, gather your group together and try to guess what cliched story lines will be repeated again and again by the broadcasters. Maybe Joe Buck will reference Deflategate for the 1,233rd time. Perhaps Troy Aikman will wax poetically about the MVP-caliber season of Matt Ryan.

Choose your party’s top five predictions and write them down. Every time a broadcaster references one of your talking points, take a drink.

Finally bland, uninspired broadcasting is good for something!

Jan 30, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Carlos Perez of Mexico wears a split Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots jersey during Super Bowl LI Opening Night at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

3. Your favorite player

An essential part of being a sports fan (or at least a sports fan for a day) is choosing a favorite player. And what’s the point of having a favorite player if you don’t wear his jersey?

The casual fan, however, may not understand why a grown adult would choose to wear clothing with the name of a stranger on the back. So why not jazz up the jersey wearing process?

In order to play this game, everyone at the party needs to wear a jersey (or at least a t-shirt) representing one of the players in the Super Bowl. Every time that player’s name is mentioned, the person wearing his jersey drinks.

Not only is this game super simple, it can also be customized according to one’s alcohol tolerance. On that note, select a quarterback’s jersey at your own risk.

Oct 8, 2016; Corvallis, OR, USA; Oregon State Beavers fans play beer pong prior to the Beavers’ game against Oregon State at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cole Elsasser-USA TODAY Sports

2. An old favorite

Sometimes the best drinking game is the one you already know.

One of my favorite games is a variation of beer pong called “Baseball.” Four cups are placed in a straight line, and players shoot for hits. Cups represent hits (singles, doubles, triples, home runs). Misses are outs.

As far as I’m concerned, the game is a classic to be enjoyed year-round.

But in honor of the Super Bowl, why not get creative? Instead of assigning cups to hits and having misses represent outs, why not let cups represent completed passes and have misses mark incompletions? I haven’t fully worked out the modified rules. But when it comes to drinking, the journey is often as fun as the destination.

If all else fails, you can always play regular pong with football-themed cups.

Feb 2, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Recording artist Lady Gaga during the Super Bowl LI halftime show press conference at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

1. Halftime karaoke

No Super Bowl is complete without the halftime show. This year, Lady Gaga will be headlining the entertainment.

But why just listen when you can be an active participant? Turn that bland halftime show into an impromptu karaoke session! After a person sings, all other participants must have a drink to toast the performance.

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Does any of this make sense? Not really. But since when has anything involving alcohol consumption made sense? Just go with it and see what happens. Regardless of who wins Sunday, have fun and be safe. Happy Super Bowl Sunday!