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Death, taxes and Joey Chestnut consuming an outrageous number of hot dogs on July 4 en route to a victory in Brooklyn, New York.
Chestnut won the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island for the 15th time. At 63 dogs, he finished 20 ahead of runner-up Geoffrey Esper. Nick Wehry was third with 40 hot dogs.
With Monday's triumph, Chestnut can claim to be "better than Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros."
Esper and James Webb were doing their best to keep pace with Chestnut early. By the five-minute halfway mark, though, he had a 14-dog lead on the closest competitor. His dogs-per-minute ratio was holding steady around eight.
The reigning champion slowed down in the second half, which removed any hope of another record-setting showing.
If Michael Jordan had the "Flu Game," then this year was Chestnut's "Crutches Contest." He had to battle through a ruptured tendon in the Coney Island heat.
On the women's side, Miki Sudo made an emphatic return to the competition. She didn't compete in 2021 because she was pregnant, and Michelle Lesco claimed the Pink Mustard Belt.
The 36-year-old remains as sharp as ever, though, consuming 40 hot dogs in a dominant victory. Lesco was a distant second at 26 hot dogs.
Considering Sudo hit 48.5 hot dogs in 2020, she might feel underwhelmed by her 2022 output. That will give her motivation when the road to the 2023 Hot Dog Eating Contest begins.
The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers celebrated their 35-21 win over the Texas State Bobcats in hilarious fashion...with an eating contest against legendary competitive eater Joey Chestnut.
Unsurprisingly, Chestnut took down the competition, but the Chanticleers can't be too upset, as they moved to 9-2 on the season with Saturday's win over the Bobcats.
Chestnut, a 14-time Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest champion, is currently ranked first in the world by Major League Eating, so it's no surprise he had an easy time beating some college football players.
It's also interesting that they decided to have a pizza-eating competition, as Chestnut recently placed second in the Fat Boy's Pizza eating competition near LSU. He ate four-and-a-half two-foot slices in 10 minutes.
After setting a new record by eating 76 hot dogs at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on Sunday, Joey Chestnut needs some time to recover.
"I'm still bloated," Chestnut told TMZ Sports on Monday. "If I start sweating, I'll smell like meat. But I go in knowing that it's going to take a couple days to recover.
"As soon as I can, I'm going to start eating a salad, greens and high fiber."
The 37-year-old is coming off his 14th career title in the annual Fourth of July competition.
Not only does his experience help him continually improve upon his performance, but it also likely helps in knowing how best to recover from such a physical challenge. The good news is he plans to keep competing.
"As long as it’s still fun and as long as I’m healthy, I’ll be doing it," Chestnut said.
Everybody knew Joey Chestnut was going to win the 2021 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. He wins it pretty much every year, after all. The question heading into Sunday was: Can Chestnut break his all-time record?
Somehow, Chestnut did just that, as he continues to find a way to increase the number of hot dogs (and buns) he can consume during the 10-minute competition. This year, he put down 76 dogs, breaking the record of 75 that he set in the 2020 contest. No other competitor ate more than 50 on Sunday.
Chestnut has now won the mustard belt six straight times and in 14 of the past 15 years. He's eaten at least 70 hot dogs in each year of his active winning streak, and he's showing no signs of slowing down, considering he's set a new record in three of the past four years.
As ESPN Stats & Info pointed out, Chestnut holds the top 10 all-time performances in the hot dog eating contest. While he has 14 wins, no other person has more than seven.
Last year, the hot dog contest was held in a private location with no fans because of the coronavirus pandemic. On Sunday, fans again packed Coney Island to cheer on Chestnut as he delivered another historic performance.
"It just felt good," Chestnut said in an ESPN interview (h/t the Associated Press). "Even if I was uncomfortable, having everybody cheer me and push me, it made me feel good."
While it's not known exactly how many calories Chestnut consumed during the 10-minute competition, the Action Network estimates it was around 20,520.
With another dominant showing, Chestnut took home the large prize from the contest. Each year, the victor typically receives $10,000 of the $40,000 total purse (per Edward Sutelan of Sporting News). So once again, the 37-year-old leaves Brooklyn with another large check to deposit into his bank account.
In the women's contest, there was a first-time winner. Seven-time-defending champion Miki Sudo didn't compete this year because she's pregnant. So there was an opportunity for somebody else to win the mustard belt in her absence.
That ended up being Michelle Lesco, who was the favorite heading into the event. She consumed 30¾ hot dogs, while no other female competitor ate more than 24.
But the Fourth of July again belonged to Chestnut, who stole the show with yet another record-breaking performance. It's becoming an annual holiday tradition.
And he may not be done, either. Before this year's contest, Chestnut said at the Friday weigh-in that "76, 77 sounds doable." If that's the case, maybe he'll set another record in 2022.
If there's anybody who can do it, it's definitely Chestnut.
Joey Chestnut cannot be stopped.
The GOAT of competitive eating added another Nathan's Hot Dog Eating contest to his trophy case Sunday, eating a record 76 hot dogs. Chestnut previously held the record with 75 hot dogs eaten, which he set in 2020.
The American has eaten more than 70 hot dogs in each of the last six years. He's the only person in Nathan's history to touch the 70-dog mark.
Chestnut was on a blistering 90-dog pace the first half of the event before slowing down in the final five minutes. He faced no serious competition in the field.
Chestnut said the crowd helped motivate him to keep going when he began slowing down, a stark contrast to the 2020 competition, which didn't allow fans to be in attendance because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the women's competition, Michelle Lesco took home the pink belt with 30 3/4 hot dogs. That number is the lowest for a winner since Nathan's began holding the pink belt competition and almost 18 off the pace of Miki Sudo's 2020 total.
Chestnut's 14 Nathan's championships are the most in history.
There have been plenty of dynasties in sports history. Few have been as dominant as Joey Chestnut's reign over the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Every Fourth of July, Chestnut heads to Brooklyn, New York, and devours an incredible number of hot dogs. He's won the contest each of the past five years and 13 of the past 14. Not only that, but he keeps getting better, as he extended his all-time record to 75 hot dogs consumed in 2020.
Could Chestnut eat 76 (or more) during the 10-minute competition this year? We'll soon find out, as the contest is set to be held Sunday afternoon in Coney Island.
Here's everything you need to know heading into the 2021 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
2021 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Information
Date: Sunday, July 4
Start Time: Noon ET
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: ESPN app
Replays: 2 p.m. ET (ESPNews); 4 p.m. ET (ESPN2); 6 p.m. ET (ESPNews)
Like most of the sports world in 2020, the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest was affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of a huge crowd cheering on as the competitors downed an inordinate number of hot dogs, it was held in a private location in Brooklyn.
But this year, things will be back to normal. And that may only help motivate Chestnut to have an even better performance and down more than the 75 hot dogs he ate in 2020.
"I'm hoping I can find that perfect rhythm were I can keep pushing and I'm comfortable," Chestnut said, per ESPN's David Purdum. "Hopefully 76, 77 sounds doable."
The only time that Chestnut lost the hot dog eating contest over the past 14 years was in 2015, when Matthew Stonie ate 62 while Chestnut consumed 60. Since then, Chestnut hasn't eaten fewer than 70 hot dogs during the competition in the past five years.
Considering that Chestnut has only gotten better at this competition, it's highly unlikely that anybody else in the field can take away the mustard belt this year. Expect it to go right back around the waist of the 37-year-old.
However, there's going to be a new winner in the women's competition this year. Miki Sudo is the seven-time defending champion who ate a record 48.5 hot dogs last year, but she's pregnant and won't be taking part in Sunday's competition.
With Sudo sitting out, the favorite to win the contest is Michelle Lesco, who will be competing for the 10th year in a row. She's never won, though, with her best showing coming in 2017, when she ate 32 hot dogs and finished second to Sudo (41).
Although Lesco may be the most likely women's winner, she's not overlooking some of the others who will be participating—especially considering there have been plenty of people training who missed out on last year's contest because of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
"There are competitors who have been constantly increasing their numbers," Lesco said during a recent appearance on PIX11 Morning News.
Whether or not Lesco wins, you can count on Chestnut coming through. But it will be exciting to see whether he can set yet another record. Although 76 hot dogs is a lot, if there's anybody who could consume that many, it's the 13-time champion.
Joey Chestnut is a massive -2000 favorite ($2,000 bet to win $1,000) to win the men's edition of the 2021 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, per DraftKings Sportsbook.
No other individual competitor is named on the odds ledger, but bettors can place a +1000 wager ($100 bet to win $1,000) on any participant in the field to take down Chestnut.
The 13-time champion's reign began in 2007, when the California native defeated competitive eating legend Takeru Kobayashi, who had won the six previous iterations of the event.
The 37-year-old Chestnut has won every year from 2007 to 2020, outside 2015, when Matt Stonie upset the champion by eating 62 hot dogs to the champion's 60.
Chestnut found another gear in 2016, though, becoming the first person to ever eat 70 hot dogs in the contest.
Somehow, Chestnut has surpassed 70 hot dogs each year since, capped by a contest-record 75 hot dogs in 2020.
On the women's side, Miki Sudo, who has won the last seven titles, will not compete because she is pregnant with her first child. Michelle Lesco, who took second behind Sudo in the last time she took part in the competition (2019), is a -900 favorite. The rest of the women's field is a +600 underdog.
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The Fourth of July is nearly here, so you know what that means: It's time to watch Joey Chestnut eat an inordinate number of hot dogs. It's a tradition that has become as synonymous with the holiday as the American flag, fireworks and backyard cookouts.
Chestnut has won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest for five straight years and 13 of the past 14. And he's still reaching new heights, as the 75 hot dogs he consumed last year broke his all-time record in the event (previously 74, which he set in 2018).
On Sunday, Chestnut will look to defend his crown while also trying to further extend his record. And as always, there's a good chance the 37-year-old at least gets close.
Meanwhile, the women's competition is guaranteed to crown a new winner this year. Seven-time defending champion Miki Sudo (who ate a record 48.5 hot dogs last year) won't be participating in the contest because she is pregnant with her first child.
Here's the list of complete results from the hot dog eating contest over the years.
All-Time Hot Dog Eating Contest Results
Men's
2020: Joey Chestnut, 75
2019: Joey Chestnut, 71
2018: Joey Chestnut, 74
2017: Joey Chestnut, 72
2016: Joey Chestnut, 70
2015: Matt Stonie, 62
2014: Joey Chestnut, 61
2013: Joey Chestnut, 69
2012: Joey Chestnut, 68
2011: Joey Chestnut, 62
2010: Joey Chestnut, 54
2009: Joey Chestnut, 68
2008: Joey Chestnut, 59
2007: Joey Chestnut, 66
2006: Takeru Kobayashi, 53.75
2005: Takeru Kobayashi, 49
2004: Takeru Kobayashi, 53.5
2003: Takeru Kobayashi, 44.5
2002: Takeru Kobayashi, 50
2001: Takeru Kobayashi, 50
2000: Kazutoyo Arai, 25.125
1999: Steve Keiner, 20.25
1998: Hirofumi Nakajima, 19
1997: Hirofumi Nakajima, 24.5
1996: Ed Krachie, 22.25
1995: Ed Krachie, 19.5
1994: Mike DeVito, 20
1993: Mike DeVito, 17
1992: Frank Dellarosa, 19
1991: Frank Dellarosa, 21.5
1990: Mike DeVito, 16
1989: Jay Green, 15.5
1988: Jay Green, 10
1987: Don Wolfman, 13.5
1986: Mark Heller, 15.5
1985: Oscar Rodriguez, 11.75
1984: Birgit Felden, 9.5
1983: Emil Gomez, 10.5
1982: Steven Abrams, 11
1981: Thomas DeBerry, 11
1980: Paul Siderman and Joe Baldini, 9
1979: Thomas Stash, 19
1978: Manel Hollenback, 10
1974: Roberto Muriel, 10
1972: Jason Schechter, 14
Women's
2020: Miki Sudo, 48.5
2019: Miki Sudo, 31
2018: Miki Sudo, 37
2017: Miki Sudo, 41
2016: Miki Sudo, 38
2015: Miki Sudo, 38
2014: Miki Sudo, 34
2013: Sonya Thomas, 36.75
2012: Sonya Thomas, 45
2011: Sonya Thomas, 40
Results courtesy of Nathan's Famous website.
Can anybody defeat Chestnut this year? It's highly unlikely. Can he set another new record? There's a much stronger possibility of that happening than him losing his crown.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Chestnut's odds to win are -3335, meaning you would need to bet $3,335 in order to win $100. So don't go looking for an upset.
Still, it will be exciting as always to see just how many hot dogs Chestnut can put down during the 10-minute competition. He keeps reaching new heights in the event, as he's eaten at least 70 hot dogs in each of the past five years, a number that nobody had previously consumed in the contest.
But will Chestnut be able to eat more than the 75 he consumed last year?
"I'm hoping I can find that perfect rhythm where I can keep pushing and I'm comfortable," Chestnut said, per Natalie Duddridge of CBS New York. "Hopefully, 76, 77 sounds doable."
This year's contest is going to look more normal than the 2020 edition, which didn't have any fans in attendance because of the coronavirus pandemic. It was held indoors in Brooklyn, rather than at its typical outdoor location in Coney Island.
With fans returning in 2021, Chestnut may perform even better.
"Last year was so weird eating in a quiet room. I could hear myself eating. I could hear the guys next to me eating. It was awkward," Chestnut said, per Duddridge. "So I'll be really excited to have an audience yelling at me and then pushing me along."
Sudo's run as the women's champion will be coming to an end, but she's made it known that she hasn't retired. So after giving birth later this year, perhaps she will be back to try to win again in 2022.
As for this year's women's competition, DraftKings Sportsbook gives Michelle Lesco (-1000) the best odds to win. And she has plenty of experience when it comes to this event.
Lesco will be competing in the hot dog contest for the 10th consecutive year as she looks to win the title for the first time. Her previous best finish at the event came in 2017, when she ate 32 hot dogs and placed second behind Sudo.
Not even Joey Chestnut had ever eaten 75 hot dogs in 10 minutes. The 36-year-old has dominated the competitive-eating scene for years, and the 74 hot dogs he consumed during the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2018 set a world record. But Saturday, he was looking for more.
At a time when little has been normal in the sports world, Chestnut did what he does every Fourth of July: handily won the men's hot dog eating contest. He consumed 75 hot dogs in 10 minutes to break his own world record.
Chestnut, who ate at least 70 hot dogs for the fifth consecutive year, has won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in 13 of the past 14 years, and he's showing no signs of slowing down after his best performance yet.
"It was hard," Chestnut said, according to ESPN. "I knew I was fast in the beginning. It was like blistering speed. And the dogs were cooked really well."
By eating 75 hot dogs and buns, Chestnut consumed "roughly 21,750 calories," per ESPN. Darron Breeden, who finished second in the men's competition, ate 42 hot dogs, making Chestnut's 33-dog margin of victory the largest since the contest separated into men's and women's competitions in 2011.
As ESPN Stats & Info pointed out, Chestnut could have stopped eating with 5 minutes and 35 seconds to go in the competition and still won. ESPN's broadcast also shared that Chestnut is the first competitor to eat 1,000 hot dogs over his appearances at the Fourth of July event, which started to be sanctioned by Major League Eating in 1997.
The coronavirus pandemic meant there were changes to this year's contest. Rather than taking place outdoors in Coney Island in front of a large crowd, the competitors were indoors and separated by plexiglass. And instead of 15 men and 15 women taking part, both contests were limited to five participants.
"Minute Six is where I really missed the crowd...and I hit a wall, and it took me a little bit more work to get through it," Chestnut added, per ESPN. "This is a crazy year, and I'm happy I was able to get a record."
It wasn't a close competition on the women's side, either, as Miki Sudo won the contest for the seventh consecutive year. Her seven career victories rank second in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest history behind only Chestnut (13).
Sudo ate 48.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes, breaking the record of 45 that was set by Sonya Thomas in 2013. And like Chestnut, she won by a wide margin, eating 32.5 more dogs than second-placed Larell Marie Mele.
As long as Chestnut and Sudo continue to compete, it will be hard for anybody else to win the mustard belt. And perhaps the records are poised to be broken again in the years to come.
