Nathan’s famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest quickly became a Fourth of July gambling tradition.
Split into men’s and women’s competitions, the world’s best competitive eaters will gather at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island to chomp down some food for a chance to win a combined prize of $40,000.
As an American who loves gambling and hot dogs, this event was a must-see for me.
I am a proud former driver of an Oscar Mayer Wienermobile and have long loved the cultural influence of hot dogs and the brave men and women who eat them in search of fame and fortune.
Competitively and otherwise, I’ve probably eaten more hot dogs than most people will see in a lifetime.
Thus, my Independence Day will never be complete until I have basked in the patriotic fervor that only this uniquely American televised program can evoke.
But since 2007, the men’s tournament has become a gourmet version of Secretariat’s dominating victory at Belmont in 1973.
Such is the overwhelming strength of Joey “Jaws” Chestnut.
The legendary American competitive eater has won at Coney Island nearly every year for a span of four presidential administrations, with Chestnut winning 16 of the last 17 competitions.
Remembering the world before Nathan’s storied dominance is like remembering the New York Knicks under coach Isaiah Thomas: ancient history.
But surprisingly, Chestnut will not be taking part in this year’s competition.
After a sponsorship dispute last month, Major League Eating, the organization that organizes the event, disqualified him from participating.
But just as the American food gods close their doors, so too does a window of gambling opportunity open.
The betting market is currently predicting it will be a two-man battle in the men’s division.
The -120 favorite at BetMGM is Jeffrey Esper, a vocational high school teacher from Massachusetts.
Despite being runner-up to Chestnut three times in this tournament, the 49-year-old Esper’s odds changed this week based on the popularity of his biggest rival.
James Webb, a 35-year-old Australian who is 14 years Esper’s junior, is the undisputed hot dog eating champion of the Southern Hemisphere.
Webb is listed at +200 on DraftKings, suggesting he is indeed a very dynamic player.
While I do believe that more experienced espers have an advantage in this contest, I would rather focus on the total number of “losing dogs” than penalize the winners.
On his last three visits to Coney Island, Esper has consumed 50, 47.5 and 49 hot dogs, respectively, bringing his current total to 49.5.
Last year, Webb improved his 2022 performance by over six fish, rising to 47.5.
Such marked improvement is not unusual for an inexperienced but highly motivated eater, which explains his current total score, which has risen from 46 to 47.5.
Despite Thursday’s hot and humid weather and both players’ increasing win totals, I know there’s only one way to bet on this event.
In the mustard-tinted depths of my soul, I am reminded of the old saying, “Iron sharpens iron,” and the same can be said about competitiveness.
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To celebrate the 248th anniversary of the founding of our great country, we will all witness the first truly competitive men’s match in a long time, with $10,000 in prize money and national television rights on the line.
In these exciting circumstances, I expect young Webb to continue his upward trajectory in the tournament and surpass his own record total.
chooseWebb (+200, DraftKings)
Matt Mitchell breaks down the eating contest on The Action Network.
