Electronic Arts, like most major video game publishers, has never let a good PR opportunity slip past. Still, it might be a mistake to dismiss the company’s annual Super Bowl predictions.
The Madden franchise has an eerily accurate track record when it comes to predicting Super Bowl winners—and this year, the game says the Cincinnati Bengals will come out on top.
A simulation of the game, run on Madden NFL 22, predicts the Bengals will beat the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 24–21. Joe Burrow will capture the MVP title, according to the game.
Here’s how Madden sees the big game playing out. The first quarter will be a back-and-forth contest, ending in a 7–7 tie. Before halftime, though, the Rams will come back and be on top by a score of 14–7, thanks to a 32-yard catch from Cooper Kupp.
The Bengals will tie it up again in the third quarter, and the fourth quarter will be an offensive explosion, like pretty much every postseason game has been in 2022.
So why rely on a video game when deciding where to place your bet? Well, the Madden franchise has accurately predicted the Super Bowl winner in 13 of the past 18 years, including perfectly forecasting the score in Super Bowl XLIX. (You might not want to rely on it for the over/under, though.)
Want some historical perspective before deciding how much faith to put into Madden’s forecast? Here’s a look at the game’s full track record to date:
Super Bowl LV
Madden: Chiefs 37, Buccaneers 27
Actual Score: Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9
Super Bowl LIV
Madden: Chiefs 35, 49ers 31
Actual Score: Chiefs 31, 49ers 20
Super Bowl LIII
Madden: Rams 30, Patriots 27
Actual Score: Patriots 13, Rams 3
Super Bowl LII
Madden: Patriots 24, Eagles 20
Actual Score: Patriots 34, Eagles 28
Super Bowl LI
Madden: Patriots 27, Falcons 24
Actual Score: Patriots 34, Falcons 28
Super Bowl 50
Madden: Panthers 24, Broncos 20
Actual Score: Broncos 24, Panthers 10
Super Bowl XLIX
Madden: Patriots 28, Seahawks 24
Actual Score: Patriots 28, Seahawks 24
Super Bowl XLVIII
Madden: Broncos 31, Seahawks 28
Actual score: Seahawks 43, Broncos 8
Super Bowl XLVII
Madden: Ravens 27, 49ers 24
Actual score: Ravens 34, 49ers 31
Super Bowl XLVI
Madden: Giants 27, Patriots 24
Actual score: Giants 21, Patriots 17
Super Bowl XLV
Madden: Steelers, 24, Packers, 20
Actual score: Packers 31, Steelers 25
Super Bowl XLIV
Madden: Saints 35, Colts 31
Actual score: Saints 31, Colts 17
Super Bowl XLIII
Madden: Steelers 28, Cardinals 24
Actual score: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23
Super Bowl XLII
Madden: Patriots 38, Giants 30
Actual score: Giants 17, Patriots 14
Super Bowl XLI
Madden: Colts 38, Bears 27
Actual score: Colts 29, Bears 17
Super Bowl XL
Madden: Steelers 24, Seahawks 19
Actual score: Steelers 21, Seahawks 10
Super Bowl XXXIX
Madden: Patriots 47, Eagles 31
Actual score: Patriots 24, Eagles 21
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Madden: Patriots 23, Panthers 20
Actual Score: Patriots 32, Panthers 29
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