With the July 4 holiday right around the corner, all eyes will be on the annual showdown that takes place in Coney Island in New York. That’s right, we’re talking about the hot dog eating contest, which has seen Joey Chestnut continue his dominance in recent years. In this piece, we have our Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog contest picks. Will there be any surprises?
Tell us if you’ve heard this before, but the one and only Joey Chestnut is once again expected to come out on top. Not a surprise at all, right? The American professional eater has dazzled crowds at Coney Island for a while, as he’s solidified himself as one of the best eaters in the world. When it comes to hot dogs, this really is Chestnut’s bread and butter.
Last year, Chestnut did the unthinkable, as he won his 13th Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog contest. On that memorable day in 2020, Chestnut set a world record by eating 75 hot dogs. Keep in mind, Chestnut didn’t do this in an hour of time. Nope, at the hot dog eating contest, the competitors are given 10 minutes to eat as many as they can in that allotted amount of time.
| Nathan's Hot Dog odds |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chestnut to win | -120 | -120 | -120 | -120 |
| Chestnut +74.5 | even | even | even | even |
| Chestnut -74.5 | even | even | even | even |
| Sudo to win | -120 | -120 | -120 | -120 |
So, Chestnut ate 75 hot dogs in only 10 minutes? That’s 7.5 hot dogs per minute, which is simply insane. How in the world can he fit all of that in his stomach? This has taken him years and years of training. Each time Chestnut competes in this historic event, he’s always ready to put on a show. This will once again be the case in 2021 as he looks for title No. 14.
Entering things, Chestnut has been given -120 odds from the Las Vegas sportsbooks. He’s the heavy favorite and as he should be. It would be an absolute stunner if he wasn’t the winner of this one. With that said, Chestnut is no question our pick here to win the hot dog eating contest. Look for fans to go nuts after he comes out on top as well. Be sure to check out our betting sites if you’re interested in placing a wager as well.
Once July 4 does arrive, people will want to know will Chestnut go on to break his own record? Indeed, last year he downed 75 hot dogs in the 10 minutes, which seems like it should be impossible. It was a performance that people are still talking about, as it’s something that not many folks thought would ever be able to get done in a professional eating setting.
With Chestnut’s legend growing and growing, competitive eating fans are wondering if he’ll be able to break things once again and potentially flirt with 80. If Chestnut were to somehow eat 80 hot dogs, which is eight dogs per minute, you better believe that Twitter, Facebook and Instagram would see everyone go absolutely nuts. However, 80 seems like a bit of a stretch.
However, the over/under has been set at 74.5 hot dogs for Chestnut in 2021. With things being a pick ’em (even odds) for both the over and under, it will be interesting to see what the American will be able to do this summer. Coney Island will be rocking to see if Chestnut can repeat some history here. Even if he were to record 76 hot dogs, it’d be unreal.
However, in terms of us making a selection here, we’re going with the under. What Chestnut did last year with his 75 hot dogs seems like a once in a lifetime kind of a showing. To expect him to somehow beat that number could prove to be too tough. While it wouldn’t be a complete and total stunner for him to reach 76, we’re picking the under here for Chestnut.
Elsewhere leading up to the hot dog eating contest, standout eater Miki Sudo is the overwhelming favorite to win the women’s event. Yes, Chestnut is the big-time attraction for the July 4 showcases, but don’t forget about Sudo for just a second here. She’s a tremendous performer and is known for throwing back hot dogs like one of the best women on the planet.
Sudo has been given -120 odds to win the women’s hot dog eating contest, letting you know that Vegas believes she should cruise to a big-time victory here. At the same time, her over/under has been placed at 45.5 hot dogs. While that’s not quite the 74.5 Chestnut has been set at, being able to eat that many hot dogs is something most folks don’t even dream about.
Because of her impressive past, Sudo is of course going to be our pick for her to take down the rest of the women’s field and be crowned the champion. With the over/under, her odds there are also even, with a pick ’em being the option for betters who want to place some action on that. Again, we’re picking Sudo to win and we’ll also pick her to top the 45.5 hot dogs.
