- What: 2024 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest
- Where: Coney Island, New York
- When: Thursday, July 4 at 11am ET
- How to Watch: ESPN and WatchESPN
It's that time of year again! Every July, countless people make their way to Coney Island in New York to see both men and women consume an insane amount of hotdogs to celebrate the July 4 holiday. This year is going to be no different, as the stage is set to be packed with people waiting to see who wins it all. Having said that, Geoffrey Esper is the favorite to win the 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. Will he be able to come out on top?
Normally, legendary hot dog eater Joey Chestnut would be the favorite to take down the rest of the field, but he's not going to be participating this year (we'll have more on that below). With Chestnut no longer in the mix, it has opened the door for Esper to step up and hold the top betting odds. He may not be as popular as other eaters, but he's ready to make a name for himself with people who don't know much about his talents.
| Hot Dog Eating Contest odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esper to win | +150 | +150 | +150 |
| Webb to win | +175 | +175 | +175 |
| Wehry to win | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Rest of the field | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
“I got a chance at the belt now,” Esper told the Boston Herald in a recent interview. "It’s still not going to be easy. There are three other guys who are all pretty close, so it should be very close. It just depends on who has a really good day, and we’ll see what happens. I'm just going to go out there and try to do my best."
According to the best sports betting sites, which includes the reliable Bovada sportsbook review, Esper holds +150 betting odds to win the hot dog eating contest. Right behind him is James Webb, who has been set with +175 betting odds. We have a feeling this is going to be a close battle between the two. A lot of people think that Esper is going to be the one to come out on top, but we're actually going in a different direction, as Webb is our pick to be the champion this year.
Joey Chestnut, a 16-time champion of Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating contest, has won the event eight years in a row.
More: https://t.co/1ae6pWtrPs pic.twitter.com/iXUG0zKs3l
— ESPN (@espn) June 11, 2024
Why is Joey Chestnut not participating in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest this year?
Leading up to things on Thursday, plenty of people are wondering why is Joey Chestnut is not participating in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating contest this year? It all came down to Chestnut having a big-time disagreement with Nathan's and Major League Eating. What happened here was that Chestnut started a sponsorship with Impossible Foods. Once this happened, Nathan's and Major League Eating were quite upset, and it led to him not being allowed to compete in this year's contest.
This was shocking news, especially since Chestnut is considered a fan favorite in the competition. Last year, he won again after eating 62 hot dogs. That's impressive, and Esper finished in second. The hope was that Chestnut could try and top his record-breaking number this summer, but that's not going to happen. He remains quite bummed that he won't be able to put on a show for people in Coney Island.
(1/3)I was gutted to learn from the media that after 19 years Im banned from the Nathan's July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest. I love competing in that event, I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title.
— Joey Chestnut (@joeyjaws) June 11, 2024
"I was gutted to learn from the media that after 19 years I'm banned from the Nathan's July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest," Chestnut wrote on social media after the news of his mess broke. "I love competing in that event, I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title."
With Chestnut out of the picture, it indeed has opened the door for Esper and Webb to surface as the new favorites. There's still a loaded field, though, and it's not going to be easy for anyone to come out on top. Still, whoever ends up capturing the top spot is going to have massive shoes to fill, as Chesnut has always been electric. We still think Webb will win, but it's a bummer knowing that Chestnut won't be in Coney Island for this.
Will anyone be able to top 50 hot dogs eaten this year?
Another question people have is will anyone be able to top 50 hot dogs eaten this year? Normally, this would be no problem if Chestnut was competing, as he can finish at least 50 in his sleep. However, it's going to be a bit more tough this time around. Last July, Esper finished in second place behind Chestnut with 49 hot dogs consumed. That's pretty impressive.
As for Webb, he finished the event with 47 hot dogs eaten - also quite strong. Now, both of those guys are going to hope to get to at least 50, but that's going to be difficult. Don't forget about Nick Wehry, who finished in fourth place in 2023 with 45 hot dogs. He has what it takes to surprise a lot of people later this week.
Having said that, we think that it's going to come down to either Esper or Webb to reach the 50 mark. Per the oddsmakers, including the reliable BetOnline sportsbooks review, the over/under for the No. 1 finishes has been set at 49.5 hot dogs, with -110 betting odds for the over and under. It's going to be close, but we're going with the over here.
