If you missed your chance at tickets for the official Super Bowl LII tailgate party, don’t despair. Your bad luck is your friends’ good fortune when you use it as an opportunity to host the Super Bowl party. That is — if you manage to pull off playing the role of host this year.Don’t take any chances by settling for a basic viewing party. If you expect to pull off a shutout on Sunday, you need to up your gameby using this super simple guide to the big day.

Sure, the promise of beer and chicken wings helped your friends make their decision, but the main reason why they accepted your invitation was to watch the game. Don’t invite more people than your space can handle and expecta few will bail at the last-minute. There needs to be enough comfortable seating for everyone who’s thinking of coming, so make sure you have enough seats for each of your friends. 

If you find yourself coming up short, pull ottomans, lawn chairs, and stools from other parts of your house. You can also rent seating from a local party supply store. However you do it, just make sure each seat in the house offers an unobstructed view of the TV. 

One-bite party snacks and comfort food are a requirement of every Super Bowl party, so don’t drop the ball by offering a single bowl of unsalted chips. It’s important to avoid going overboard as well. Everyone’s eyes are glued to the screen, so you don’t want to curate a menu that involves serving elaborate dishes. Contrary to its name, no Super Bowl party should involve bowls of soup as its main dish.

Snacks to get you in the red zone should include all the typical chips and dips, so make sure your table has nacho and bagel chips to scoop up guacamole, salsa, and three-bean dip. Scorea touchdown with classic finger foods like buffalo wings, pigs in a blanket, and anything else from this list of Food Network-approved choices. If you aren’t into making food, delivery is always an option.Pizza deliveries see their orders double on the big day, so place your order ahead of time to make sure you get your pie at the right time. Dessert is optional, but it could be the detail that goes through the uprights.

Next to the game and food, the beer in your buddies’ hands is the most important part of the Super Bowl experience. Make sure your fridge is fully stocked with a solid lager, and keep an eye on the shelves to ensure a bottle from the box replaces every one that leaves the fridge. If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding into the mix a few cans of a local handcrafted IPA or stout. Whatever you do, don’t forget to offer non-alcoholic beverages for your friends who pulled the designated driver duty. There should be more than just water to drink, so make sure you have juice, sodas, and other tasty options for these heroes.

They may not be the eco-friendliest option, but plastic plates and cutlery will save you a lot of clean up. Your friends can load up on the feast as much as they want during the game without dooming you to a night of washing dishes. Set out a few permanent markers for the designated drivers to write their names on their solo cups, so they can keep track of their drinks. This will cut down on the number of half-drunk cups you find throughout game day. 

When everything is disposable, youcan throw everything into a garbage bag and call it a night. If you know from experience your friends will dip their chips while keeping their eyes on the game, things can get messy. Leave stacks of paper napkins or paper towels on the table, and you’ll keep spills to a minimum.

 

If you were to turn off the TV, would you be able to tell you were hosting a Super Bowl party? If the answer is no, you need to add a few fun reminders of the occasion to your home. A football is a natural addition. It lets any antsy guests blow off some steam in between plays. Party essentials like football decorations are an easy way to update any boring basement setup. Official NFL themed serving platters and other dishes are a simple way to show team pride, too. 

But let’s not forget about the biggest, most obvious way to show your allegiance. What you choose to wear on the big day contributes to the overall ambience of your party, so choose the color of your shirt or sweater wisely. It doesn’t have to be an NFL official hoodie, jersey, or Snuggie.  (Yes, you read that right, you can get a Snuggie in your team’s uniform). What’s important is that it’s obvious which team you want to win. Look your best for Sunday’s game with head-to-toe coordination by including your Android or iPhone in on the mix with an Android or iPhone skin in your team’s colors. When you learn how to customize your gadget in tailormade Android or iPhone skins, you can transform your phonefrom a typical black rectangle to a Super Bowl-ready device in 5 minutes or less. 

Your Super Bowl doesn’t have to be fancy to be successful. Whether you opt for nachos over buffalo wings, or you stick with iPhone skins over team Snuggies, isn’t the important detail. Your main task as host is to create a welcoming and fun place to catch football’s most important game — and, let’s be honest, Justin Timberlake’s halftime show, too. As long as you use this list to guide your plans, your Super Bowl LII will go off without a hitch.