Joey Chestnut returned to the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2025 and delivered another historic win. His odds were set at -1800 to win the tournament last year. After his success last season, his odds have jumped to -2500 to win it all this year. In 2021, he set a Fourth of July record by eating 76 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs in 10 minutes. He’s probably not going to beat that record, but it’s also unlikely anyone will come close to the Hot Dog King. Below, I’ve added my top 2026 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Picks.
Best 2026 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Picks
(Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook)
Joey Chestnut Over 69.5 Hot Dogs (-110)
Joey Chestnut is expected to win the 2026 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. But how many hot dogs will he actually eat? Last year, he consumed 70.5 hot dogs. The next closest competitor was Patrick Bertoletti, who ate just 46.5 hot dogs.
Meanwhile, Chestnut didn’t compete in 2024 and ate just 62 hot dogs in 2023. That said, the contest was almost canceled and started two hours after the scheduled time. That was likely a reason for his lower score. Additionally, in 2022, Chestnut ate 63 hot dogs, despite being distracted by a protester.
Ultimately, if security does its job and allows Chestnut to compete without distractions, he’s likely to eat 70+ hot dogs again this year.
Joey Chestnut to Win by 20+ Hot Dogs (+170)
If you still want to root for Chestnut but aren’t sold on him eating 70 hot dogs, this is a prop you’ll want to consider. Again, he ate 70 hot dogs in 2025, while Bertoletti ate only 46.5. That’s a major gap.
Chestnut is getting older, but it doesn’t seem like he’s getting worse at eating hot dogs. He posted a higher score in 2025 than in 2022, 2023 or 2024.
As long as Chestnut is competing, he will dominate the competition.
Miki Sudo Over 38.5 Hot Dogs (-110)
Like Joey Chestnut, Miki Sudo will look to defend her recent title in the Women’s Division. She ate only 33 hot dogs in 2025, down from a world-record 51 in 2024.
That was an off day for Sudo. Before the 2025 contest, she ate at least 39.5 hot dogs in four consecutive contests. Let’s give her the nod and bet on her to go over 38.5 hot dogs. The GOATS of hot dog eating should show up today.
