When Super Bowl 48 kicks off here at MetLife Stadium February 2, millions of Americans will be making predictions on the outcome. But a RiseSmart analysis shows that one of the most accurate predictors of Super Bowl success comes from the unlikeliest of sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) unemployment data.

Here's the story:

WHAT: The team whose metropolitan area boasts the lower unemployment rate during the previous calendar year has won 20 of the past 25 Super Bowls – an impressive 80 percent success rate. Based on this correlation, the Seattle Seahawks should defeat the Denver Broncos in the Big Game. Through November, the 2013 unemployment rate for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan statistical area was 5.9 percent, compared to 6.7 percent for the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield metropolitan statistical area.

WHY: A case can be made that a fan base with higher employment is more likely to have expendable income to attend games, buy team merchandise, and cheer on their team at sports bars and restaurants. Maybe that additional fan support gives their team an edge that ultimately drives them to Super Bowl victory.

THE DATA: View a news release with a data table correlating teams and BLS jobless rates for the past 25 years, or see the data in a colorful Super Bowl infographic.

WHO: This analysis of employment data and Super Bowl prowess comes from RiseSmart, a leading provider of enterprise career management solutions. RiseSmart's president and CEO, Sanjay Sathe, is available to discuss the Super Bowl forecast and the impact of employment on Big Game success. Says Sathe: "Never underestimate the power of having a job."