The Super Bowl is a major cultural event, particularly in the United States.

Every aspect of the annual ritual has taken on huge significance: the awesomely expensive commercials, the at-home parties with friends, the endless bottles of beer, the drama of the national anthem, the flyover fighter jets, the friendly (and not-so-friendly) wagers, the over-the-top halftime show that always launches a thousand memes (see below), and of course the game itself. Even non-sports fans take part in this pseudo-holiday because it's such a big deal.

So it should come as no surprise that 2015's game, Super Bowl XLIX, brought in the biggest ratings for any live broadcast in TV history. It was a nail-biter of a game, with the New England Patriots holding onto a four-point lead over the Seattle Seahawks to take home the Lombardi Trophy.

NBC is reporting that its early ratings estimates suggest that the Patriots vs. Seahawks scored a 49.7 rating. This is the largest rating for a Super Bowl ever, topping the previous record holder, 2013's Super Bowl XLVII matchup of the Baltimore Ravens vs. the San Francisco 49ers. That game delivered a 48.1 rating.

The series finale of M*A*S*H still holds the record for the all-time highest rated television broadcast. That episode was watched by 60.2% of all American households.