- Joey Chestnut is the king of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, winning the annual event a staggering 16 times, and holding the record for most eaten in ten minutes with 76.
- Chestnut was barred from the 2024 edition, due to sponsorship conflicts with a vegan company he was working with.
- Chestnut will be back for the 2025 contest, claiming last year was a miscommunication between him and Nathan’s.
Joey Chestnut and Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest go together like fireworks and the Fourth of July, when the event was held. The contest was popular before, but it really hit the mainstream once Chestnut started entering in 2006.
The start of competitive eating didn’t participate in the 2024 contest as he had a sponsorship with a vegan company. But Chestnut and Nathan’s have set aside their differences. The “Michael Jordan of hot dog eating” will return to the competition on the Fourth of July in Coney Island.
Chestnut Returns, Claims “Miscommunication” Kept Him Away from the 2024 Contest
Chestnut announced his return to the contest on Monday, June 16.
The 16-time Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest champion then explained that a miscommunication was the reason he was banned from last year’s event.
“While I have and continue to partner with a variety of companies, including some in the plant-based space, those relationships were never a conflict with my love for hot dogs. To be clear: Nathan’s is the only hot dog company I’ve ever worked with.”
I respect that there were differences in interpretation, but I’m grateful we’ve been able to find common ground. I’m excited to be back on the Coney Island stage, doing what I live to do, and celebrating the Fourth of July with hot dogs in my hands!”
Chestnut was sponsored by a vegan-based company, and Nathan’s banned him from the competition. However, it seems like the two sides realized that they needed each other. The 2024 contest had its lowest ratings in over a decade, largely due to Chestnut’s absence.
Meanwhile, Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi met in “Unfinished Beef”, in a competition of former hot-dog eating contest champions. However, that didn’t get enough viewers to even show up on Netflix’s charts.
Both sides should get a boost in popularity and ratings with their reunion on the Fourth of July in Coney Island!
Is Joey Chestnut the Favorite for the 2025 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest?
The early Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest odds have Chestnut as a considerable favorite for the 2025 edition. To no one’s surprise, Chestnut is favored at -2500 at Bovada to win this contest for the 17th time.
Last year’s winner, Patrick Bertoletti, is next at +950. Bertoletti ate 51 hot dogs last year, which is four short of Chestnut’s 62 from 2023. Chestnut also defeated Kobayashi in their competition, downing 83 hot dogs, while his rival ate “only” 66.
Chestnut told TMZ he would be shooting for 80 hot dogs in July, and there is an excellent chance he does it. That would break his 2021 record of 76 hot dogs. I would rather bet on him doing it, then betting against the champion!
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