Sure, we all understand football betting odds, and how to make our favorite tailgating treat, but understanding the Big Game's relationship to Wall Street is a bit hard to grasp, at best. And yes, we think it's a giant coincidence. Still, here's the basic gist: The Super Bowl indicator holds that a victory by an NFC team or an original (pre-1970 merger) NFL team—the Browns, Colts, and Steelers—point to a bullish market the following year. An AFC victory signals a bearish drop in the market. The Super Bowl Theory has been an accurate indicator 37 times out of the past 46 times. Those are pretty good odds.
1967/I - (Up) Packers, NFL
1968/II - (Up) Packers, NFL
1969/III - (Down) Jets, AFL
1970/IV - (Up) Chiefs, AFL*
1971/V - (Up) Colts, Old NFL
1972/VI - (Up) Cowboys, NFC
1973/VII - (Down) Dolphins, AFC
1974/VIII - (Down) Dolphins, AFC
1975/IX - (Up) Steelers, Old NFL
1976/X - (Up) Steelers, Old NFL
1977/XI - (Down) Raiders, AFC
1978/XII - (Down) Cowboys, NFC*
1979/XIII - (Up) Steelers, Old NFL
1980/XIV - (Up) Steelers, Old NFL
1981/XV - (Down) Raiders, AFC
1982/XVI - (Up) 49ers, NFC
1983/XVII - (Up) Redskins, NFC
1984/XVIII - (Down) Raiders, AFC
1985/XIX - (Up) 49ers, NFC
1986/XX - (Up) Bears, NFC
1987/XXI - (Up) Giants, NFC
1988/XXII - (Up) Redskins, NFC
1989/XXIII - (Up) 49ers, NFC
1990/XXIV - (Down) 49ers, NFC*
1991/XXV - (Up) Giants, NFC
1992/XXVI - (Up) Redskins, NFC
1993/XXVII - (Up) Cowboys, NFC
1994/XXVIII - (Up) Cowboys, NFC
1995/XXIX - (Up) 49ers, NFC
1996/XXX - (Up) Cowboys, NFC
1997/XXXI - (Up) Packers, NFC
1998/XXXII - (Up) Broncos, AFC*
1999/XXXIII - (Up) Broncos, AFC*
2000/XXXIV - (Down) Rams, NFC*
2001/XXXV - (Down) Ravens, AFC
2002/XXXVI - (Down) Patriots, AFC
2003/XXXVII - (Up) Buccaneers, NFC
2004/XXXVIII - (Up) Patriots, AFC*
2005/XXXIX - (Up) - Patriots, AFC
2006/XL - (Up) - Steelers, Old NFL
2007/XLI - (Up) - Colts, Old NFL
2008/XLII - (Down) - Giants, NFC*
2009/XLIII - (Down) - Steelers, Old NFL
2010/XLIV - (Down) - Saints, NFC
1968/II - (Up) Packers, NFL
1969/III - (Down) Jets, AFL
1970/IV - (Up) Chiefs, AFL*
1971/V - (Up) Colts, Old NFL
1972/VI - (Up) Cowboys, NFC
1973/VII - (Down) Dolphins, AFC
1974/VIII - (Down) Dolphins, AFC
1975/IX - (Up) Steelers, Old NFL
1976/X - (Up) Steelers, Old NFL
1977/XI - (Down) Raiders, AFC
1978/XII - (Down) Cowboys, NFC*
1979/XIII - (Up) Steelers, Old NFL
1980/XIV - (Up) Steelers, Old NFL
1981/XV - (Down) Raiders, AFC
1982/XVI - (Up) 49ers, NFC
1983/XVII - (Up) Redskins, NFC
1984/XVIII - (Down) Raiders, AFC
1985/XIX - (Up) 49ers, NFC
1986/XX - (Up) Bears, NFC
1987/XXI - (Up) Giants, NFC
1988/XXII - (Up) Redskins, NFC
1989/XXIII - (Up) 49ers, NFC
1990/XXIV - (Down) 49ers, NFC*
1991/XXV - (Up) Giants, NFC
1992/XXVI - (Up) Redskins, NFC
1993/XXVII - (Up) Cowboys, NFC
1994/XXVIII - (Up) Cowboys, NFC
1995/XXIX - (Up) 49ers, NFC
1996/XXX - (Up) Cowboys, NFC
1997/XXXI - (Up) Packers, NFC
1998/XXXII - (Up) Broncos, AFC*
1999/XXXIII - (Up) Broncos, AFC*
2000/XXXIV - (Down) Rams, NFC*
2001/XXXV - (Down) Ravens, AFC
2002/XXXVI - (Down) Patriots, AFC
2003/XXXVII - (Up) Buccaneers, NFC
2004/XXXVIII - (Up) Patriots, AFC*
2005/XXXIX - (Up) - Patriots, AFC
2006/XL - (Up) - Steelers, Old NFL
2007/XLI - (Up) - Colts, Old NFL
2008/XLII - (Down) - Giants, NFC*
2009/XLIII - (Down) - Steelers, Old NFL
2010/XLIV - (Down) - Saints, NFC
2011/XLV - (Up) - Packers, NFC
2012/XLVI - (Up) - Giants, NFC
*INCORRECT
