Quick Summary
Joey Chestnut reclaimed the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest title at Coney Island on Saturday, defeating runner-up Patrick Bertoletti, who ate 50 hot dogs, though Chestnut fell well short of his own 2021 world record of 76. In the women’s competition earlier that morning, Miki Sudo won her twelfth championship, eating 38.75 hot dogs and buns to easily beat second-place finisher Michelle Lesco. Both champions competed in temperatures near 90 degrees as part of a heat wave gripping the Northeast during America’s 250th birthday weekend.
What Happened
Fourteen men competed for the Mustard Belt and $10,000 cash prize Saturday afternoon at Coney Island, with Chestnut, widely regarded as the sport’s most dominant competitor, taking the win. Bertoletti’s 50 hot dogs secured second place, well behind Chestnut’s winning total. Both champions said afterward that the heat, which pushed temperatures in Brooklyn to roughly 90 degrees during the competition, made the physical challenge notably harder than in cooler years.
Earlier Saturday morning, ten women competed for the pink Mustard Belt and matching $10,000 prize. Sudo, 40, of Tampa, Florida, downed 38.75 hot dogs and buns in the allotted ten minutes to win her twelfth title, though she did not approach her own personal best of 51 hot dogs, set in 2024. Lesco, who had previously won the women’s title in 2021, finished a distant second with 22 hot dogs and buns. After her own competition, Sudo stayed to watch her husband, who famously proposed to her in 2021 immediately after breaking a world record for fastest consumption of boiled eggs, compete in the men’s event.
Background
The Nathan’s Famous contest has run at Coney Island since 1972, evolving from a local boardwalk curiosity into a nationally televised Independence Day tradition broadcast live on ESPN. Chestnut’s dominance of the men’s competition has made him arguably the most recognized figure in competitive eating, a status that faced an unusual test earlier this year when he was arrested for allegedly slapping a man during an incident at an Indiana bar. He was placed on probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery, but the case did not affect his travel privileges or his eligibility to compete, according to contest organizer Major League Eating.
Chestnut’s own 2021 record of 76 hot dogs and buns in ten minutes, roughly 7.6 hot dogs per minute, remains the benchmark by which every subsequent contest is measured, a mark that has proven remarkably difficult even for Chestnut himself to approach in the years since.
Why It Matters
The competition’s survival amid a legal controversy involving its most famous competitor, followed by a title defense conducted in near-90-degree heat as part of a historic national holiday, reflects both the durability of the event as American cultural tradition and the practical challenges extreme weather now poses to outdoor gatherings of every kind, from Independence Day parades to competitive eating contests.
Expert Analysis
Cultural impact: The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest occupies a distinct place in American popular culture as an unserious, widely mocked, yet consistently watched Fourth of July fixture, drawing national television coverage precisely because of its absurdist spectacle rather than despite it.
Athletic impact: Both champions’ acknowledgment that the heat measurably affected their performance underscores that competitive eating, often dismissed as a novelty, involves genuine physical strain that extreme temperatures can meaningfully worsen, similar to the effect heat has on endurance athletes in more conventional sports.
Institutional impact: Major League Eating’s decision to allow Chestnut to compete despite his pending legal matter suggests the organization prioritized his star power and the contest’s television draw over any reputational risk associated with the incident, a decision that appears to have generated no material backlash based on available reporting.
Statistics & Context
Chestnut’s all-time record stands at 76 hot dogs and buns in ten minutes, set in 2021. Bertoletti finished this year’s men’s competition with 50 hot dogs. Sudo has now won twelve women’s titles, with her personal best of 51 hot dogs and buns set in 2024; this year she finished with 38.75. Temperatures during Saturday’s competition reached approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit in Brooklyn.
What’s Next
Both Chestnut and Sudo are expected to return to defend their titles at next year’s contest, barring injury or disqualification, continuing a rivalry-free but highly competitive tradition that has become as fixed a part of Fourth of July as fireworks themselves. Major League Eating has not indicated any changes to competition rules or heat-safety protocols following this year’s event.
FAQ
Did Joey Chestnut break his own record this year?
No. He won the men’s competition but did not approach his personal best of 76 hot dogs and buns, set in 2021.
How many hot dogs did the winners eat this year?
Chestnut’s exact winning total was not specified in available reporting, though runner-up Patrick Bertoletti ate 50. Miki Sudo won the women’s competition with 38.75 hot dogs and buns.
How many times has Miki Sudo won the women’s competition?
This year’s win marked her twelfth championship title.
Did the heat affect the competition?
Yes. Both champions said the roughly 90-degree temperatures in Brooklyn made the competition noticeably more difficult than in cooler years.
Was Joey Chestnut’s eligibility affected by his recent arrest?
No. Despite being placed on probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery from an earlier incident at an Indiana bar, contest organizer Major League Eating confirmed the case did not affect his eligibility to compete.
Editorial Note: This article was prepared using publicly available information from international news organizations and official sources available at the time of publication. Facts may be updated as authorities release new information.
Sources: