Ratings: Super Bowl XLVI Is Most-Watched TV Program Ever, With 111.3 Million Viewers

When it comes to the ratings for Super Bowl XLVI, the numbers were appropriately giant.

According to updated Nielsen data released on Monday afternoon, the New York Giants’ victory over the New England Patriots was seen by 111.3 million total viewers, edging out last year’s match-up (which drew an even 111 million). That makes it the most-watched television program in U.S. history, having bested the mark set a year ago.

The Top 5 most-watched programs in U.S. TV history now stack up like this:
1 | Super Bowl XLVI, NBC (111.3 million total viewers)
2 | Super Bowl XLV, Fox (111.0 million)
3 | Super Bowl XLIV, CBS (106.5 million)
4 | M*A*S*H series finale, CBS (106.0 million)
5 | Super Bowl XLIII, NBC (98.7 million)

And with a 47.0 overnight rating and a 71 share (up two percent from Super Bowl XLV), this year’s Big Game stands as the highest-rated Super Bowl since 1983 (when the Bears played the Patriots).