Joey Chestnut Wins His 17th Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Return Performance: 'I Love Pushing Myself'

NEED TO KNOW

• Joey Chestnut has won his 17th title at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest
• The competitive eater, who was absent from last year's competition, takes home a $10,000 cash prize after finishing 70.5 total dogs
• His win comes shortly after Miki Sudo took home the women's title

He's surely a tough nut to crack.

Joey Chestnut has chomped his way to glory once again, winning his 17th Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. The 41-year-old shoveled 70.5 hot dogs and buns into his mouth in just 10 minutes.

It was a close race behind Chestnut, as 2024's victor Patrick Bertoletti finished second in the men's competition with 46.5 hot dogs and buns, while James Webb placed third with 45.5. 

As for personal stats, Chestnut downed just over five fewer dogs than his record of 76 hot dogs and buns in 2021. The event took place in New York’s Coney Island on Friday, July 4, from 11 a.m. to around 1 p.m, with the women's competition kicking things off before the men gobbled down their dogs.

Chestnut took home a $10,000 prize for his efforts.

"Showing up is the hardest part sometimes," Chestnut told ESPN after his win. "But I love being here. As soon as I found out I was coming, my body was easy to train. I love doing it. I love pushing myself and beating the heck out of people."

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Entering the men’s competition, Chestnut or "Jaws," was the overwhelming favorite to win with -2500 odds to win on BetMGM. The world’s greatest eater has an impeccable résumé, winning eight straight times twice and only losing once during his 18-year career. 

Chestnut sat out the event in 2024 after Major League Eating, the contest’s governing body, announced that due to his partnership with Impossible Foods, a plant-based alternative, he couldn't compete. 

He later announced on June 16 that he signed a three-year deal with Nathan’s and the International Federation of Eating, which runs the competition. “While I have and continue to partner with a variety of companies, including some in the plant-based space, those relationships were never a conflict with my love for hot dogs,” Chestnut said. “To be clear: Nathan’s is the only hot dog company I’ve ever worked with.”

In Chestnut's absence from the 2024 competition, Bertoletti led the way to first place after he ate 58 hot dogs and buns within 10 minutes. Geoffrey Esper placed second with 43.

Chestnut broke a world record last year after he devoured 83 hot dogs and buns within 10 minutes against his longtime rival Takeru Kobayashi during the Sept. 2 Netflix event, Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef. 

As for the women's competition this year, Miki Sudo scored her 11th Nathan's Famous title after downing 33 franks — falling below her 2024 record of 51.

After her win, she told ESPN that the "hot dogs were great, the weather’s beautiful, the crowd had me going."

“I’m thinking the buns were more filling than usual. It’s OK," she said. "A win’s a win. Thank you for the support.”

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