Unemployment Rate Predicts Patriot Super Bowl Win

During Super Bowl week, every American becomes an expert sports handicapper no matter how little they know. This year a new player is getting in the prediction action, the unemployment rate. Turns out that less than lovable number is picking a big win for the Patriots.
By the Numbers
According to a study by San Jose outplacement firm Risesmart.com the team from the city with the lower unemployment rate the previous year has a serious edge in the big game.
So sorry New York City and your 8.5 percent unemployment rate. It looks like Boston and their 6.8 unemployment rate are going to be riding out of Indianapolis with the Vince Lombardi trophy.
Solid Success Rate
According to Risesmart that number has predicted 17 of last 20 winners. An 85 percent success rate is pretty impressive for straight up picks whether it’s monkeys or numbers doing the picking. It’s definitely better than other popular correlations like the coin toss winner. Coin toss winners run away with the NFL championship only 52% of the time.
Heck, the unemployment even out picks Madden Football simulations.  The popular NFL video game only has a 75 percent success rate with the Super Bowl. Madden disagrees with unemployment and is going with the Giants.
Recommended reading: Super Bowl 2012: What It Means for Gaming Affiliates
Of course no method is perfect, including this one. While it’s only been off the mark three years, 2007 was one of them. That’s also the year that New York Giants beat the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVII.
What off the wall methods do you use to pick Super Bowl winners? Let us know in our General Discussion Forum.