There are few better ways to celebrate America’s 250th birthday than with the 2026 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. As always, it’ll be held on Independence Day, at the corner of Surf and Stillwell at Nathan’s Famous original location on Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. Some of the best eaters in the world, like legend Joey Chestnut, will see how many hot dogs they can stomach in 10 minutes. Let’s dive into the 2026 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest best bets.
The highly coveted “Mustard Belt” is the trophy on the line in this one. Of course, it’s of second most importance to being one bad-ass American if you win this contest. In 2025, it was Joey Chestnut scarfing down 70.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes to capture his 17th Mustard Belt. The question for the heavy favorite in 2026 is less about if he will win, and more about by how many. Miki Sudo picked up her 11th victory in 2025, with 33 hot dogs and buns eaten on the women’s side of the game.
The women’s contest begins around 10:45 a.m. ET on ESPN. Main event coverage starts at noon ET. The men’s contest begins around 12:30 p.m. ET, when ABC joins for a national simulcast.
Joey Chestnut Hot Dogs Eaten 76+ (+400)
We’re not wasting any time with this betting card; we’re going straight for the jugular, or in this case the record. In 2021, Chestnut set the all-time dog record at 76 hot dogs and buns consumed in 10 minutes. He’s gunning for that record this year. It’s really the only motivation for Chestnut in this competition. Just by showing up, he’s going to win. This is how he can push himself.
Chestnut has been outspoken about trying to top his own record. In 2026, while America celebrates 250, everything is bigger this year; everything is amplified. It just feels fitting that the greatest competitive eater the world has ever seen would take down his own record and further cement himself in glory as he wins his 18th Mustard Belt.
Men’s Winner by 20+ Hot Dogs (+175)
This bet is labeled under the “Winning Weiner Margin” on Caesars Sportsbook. Shoutout to whoever labeled this bet; I envy your job! Last year, Joey Chestnut defeated Patrick Bertoletti by 24 hot dogs. Chestnut consumed 70.5; Bertoletti scarfed down a lowly 46.5 to claim second place. This year, as we’ve already established, we’re betting on Joey to snag the all-time record, and you think anyone is going to get at least five dogs closer if he does that? Absolutely not. Hot doggity, this is a steal at +175.
James Webb Over Patrick Bertoletti (+190)
Patrick Bertoletti has been strong in this contest each year, coming home second to Chestnut last year, and winning the 2024 contest when Chestnut wasn’t allowed to compete. But James Webb is always close behind Bertoletti, and at almost 2/1 odds to win this head-to-head battle. It’s worth looking in Webb’s direction.
Webb managed 52 hot dogs and buns to finish theirs in 2024 when Bertoletti downed 58. Last season, both had down years, but Webb shrank the difference to just one dog. Bertoletti consumed 46.5 hot dogs, while Webb ate 45.5. Outside of Chestnut going for the record and obliterating the field, this matchup between two rivals will be worth keeping an eye on, especially getting a juicy number like this one.
Miki Sudo Over 40.5 Hot Dogs Eaten (-110)
Over to the women’s side of things. Miki Sudo is in her own right one of the best to ever do it, and like Chestnut, she is the heavy favorite on the women’s side to win again. Sudo has won 11 titles over the last 12 years. She missed claiming the 2021 win due to being pregnant and not participating in the event. Every other year, she just rolls the competition like a hot dog roller.
Last season was a little bit of a downer, just consuming 33 dogs. But fear not, this small-framed 5’4” New Yorker might not look scary when you roll up to the hot dog contest. But boy can she eat! In 2024, she set the women’s world record with 51 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. That was off the heels of a 39.5 and 40-dog performance in 2022, fresh off giving birth to her child. She’s hit this number in three of the last five events. After a down year, I’m expecting a big return by Sudo as she cruises past 40.5 hot dogs, and who knows, maybe that record of 51 is in jeopardy.
