Bet on the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest
Joey Chestnut Returns to the Iconic Fouth of July Event in an attempt to reclaim the Mustard Belt
The Fourth of July is a holiday steeped in tradition.
Each year, Americans celebrate the official start of the United States of America with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We plan beach days, grill burgers, drink beer, celebrate with friends, and watch fireworks displays.
But the oddest and most satisfying tradition to come out of Independence Day is the annual Nathan’s hot dog eating contest, held at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island, Brooklyn.
Though there is speculation (and a possible publicity stunt) that says the first Nathan’s hot dog eating contest was held way back in 1916, the first recorded Nathan’s hot dog waiting contest was held on July 4, 1972.
Nathan’s loves a good story, so this year, according to Brooklyn’s most famous “dog” shop, marks the 103rd contest.
The rules are simple: the winner is the person who downs the most hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. There are two competitions (one for men and one for women), with each winning the coveted “Mustard Belt”. The total purse for the 2025 contest is $40,000, which gets split between the male and female divisions. Men's and women's first-place champions get $10,000 apiece, second-place finishers get $5,000 apiece, and third-place finishers get $2,500 apiece.
The reigning men’s champ, Joey Chestnut, holds the Nathan's hot dog eating contest record for the most hot dogs eaten at 76 in 2021. Miki Sudo holds the women’s record with a record 51 hot dogs eaten in last year’s competition.
Last year, Patrick Bertoletti won the men’s competition by eating 58 hot dogs. Crowd favorite Joey Chestnut was banned from competing in 2024 over an Impossible Meat sponsorship deal.
This year, Chestnut returns in an attempt to reclaim his title and the coveted “Mustard Belt”, which he last won in 2023.
Don’t let all the hyperbole fool you, however. The Nathan’s hot dog eating contest is truly a sport, with each contestant training for the big day. In addition, there are nationwide qualifiers for a chance to take the stage in Coney Island on July Fourth — this isn’t your state fair eating contest — this is a real competition sanctioned by its own organization, Major League Eating (MLE). Chestnut, by the way, is ranked the number one competitive eater by the MLE.
And, like all other sporting events, the competition is covered by ESPN, with nearly a full day’s roster of events planned:
*All times Eastern
10:45 a.m. - Women's Contest - ESPN3
11 a.m. - Miki Sudo Cam - ESPN3
12 p.m. - Men's Contest - ESPN2
12:30 p.m. - Joey Chestnut Cam - ESPN3
5 p.m. - Main event re-airing
9 p.m. - Main event re-airing
Like pretty much all sporting events, you can even bet on the action. Online betting site, Draft Kings’ bookmakers are bullish on Chestnut for the win, with -2000 odds posted (yes, that’s a negative). If there’s anyone who wants to wager against Chesnut, they’ll get a substantial payout if another contestant manages to win.
Whether you’re a betting person or not, the annual Nathan’s hot dog eating contest is one of the most unusual (and long-standing) ways to celebrate Independence Day and exactly how the founding fathers likely envisioned their countrymen would celebrate two-and-a-half centuries later.
Hmmm….Maybe Lin-Manuel Miranda should write a musical about it?