America celebrates its 250th birthday on Saturday, July 4, and Americans will consume around 150 million hot dogs to mark the occasion. Last year, 676.75 of those hot dogs were scarfed down at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island — an American tradition.
The field for the 2026 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has been announced with familiar names, including reigning champions Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo, which means Hot Dogs Eaten projections for every contestant are now live on PrizePicks.
This year, world-record holder and 17-time winner Joey Chestnut will return to claim his crown.
Below, we’ll give you everything you need to know for the 2026 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, including projections for hot dogs eaten from PrizePicks, stats, and who may have a chance to defeat Chestnut, the greatest competitive eater of our lifetime.
Joey Chestnut needs to down just one hot dog at the 2026 Hot Dog Eating to hit his Max Discount pick on PrizePicks — available now on the HOTDOG board! That means you only need to get one more pick right in any sport to cash in this Fourth of July!
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What Time is the 2026 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Today?
The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is a July 4 tradition. This year is no different, with both the men’s and women’s contests going down on July 4 in Coney Island, NY.
The women’s contest begins at 10:45 a.m. ET in the ESPN App, with coverage of the men’s contest starting at 12 p.m. ET, live on ESPN2 and simulcasted on ABC at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Each contest runs 10 minutes. Whichever contestant finishes the most hot dogs and buns in the allotted time frame will be crowned the Hot Dog Eating Contest champion.
Who Won the 2025 Hot Dog Eating Contest?
Well, if you are reading this, you probably already know. Joey Chestnut, who has won each of the last nine Nathan’s Hot Dog contests that he has entered, won his 17th title with 70.5 hot dogs consumed in 10 minutes, squeaking out the win by 24 hot dogs over defending champion Patrick Bertoletti.
Wait, Patrick Bertoletti was the 2024 champion? Yes, the 2024 Hot Dog Eating Contest will forever have an invisible asterisk by the winner, as Joey Chestnut was required to sit out the contest, as he was banned due to his partnership with Impossible Foods, which is considered a competitor to Nathan’s with their plant-based hot dogs.
Before the one-year ban, Chestnut won the contest 16 times, including every year between 2016 and 2023 and from 2007 to 2014, only losing in 2015. That span included his world record of 76 hot dogs — 7.6 per minute — in 2021.
In the women’s division in 2025, Miki Sudo won with 33 hot dogs and buns, beating Michelle Lesco by 10.25 dogs. Sudo has won the last 11 times she entered, missing 2021 due to her pregnancy.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2026: Stats, Projections & Predictions
Here are all of the projections for the top contestants available on the PrizePicks Hot Dog Eating Contest Board, as well as the history of their most recent performances in the nation’s most-watched competitive eating contest.
Joey Chestnut Hot Dog Stats
Joey Chestnut is projected to down 70.25 hot dogs on PrizePicks for the 2026 contest. Here are Joey Chestnut’s last five Hot Dog Eating Contest stats:
- 2025: 70.5 hot dogs
- 2024: 83 hot dogs* (Netflix’s Unfinished Beef, not Nathan’s)
- 2023: 62 hot dogs
- 2022: 63 hot dogs
- 2021: 76 hot dogs
While the main projection is 70.5, you can also take Chestnut to eat 0.5 hot dogs on PrizePicks — an easy win! He only needs to eat one glizzy to cash this pick! It’s as close to free as you can get!
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Patrick Bertoletti Hot Dog Stats
Patrick Bertoletti is projected to down 52.75 hot dogs on PrizePicks for the 2026 contest. Here are Patrick Bertoletti’s last five Hot Dog Eating Contest stats:
- 2025: 46.5 hot dogs
- 2024: 58 hot dogs (champion)
- 2022: 33 hot dogs
- 2012: 51 hot dogs
- 2011: 53 hot dogs
James Webb Hot Dog Stats
James Webb is projected to down 48.25 hot dogs on PrizePicks for the 2026 contest. Here are Webb’s last five Hot Dog Eating Contest stats:
- 2025: 45.5 hot dogs
- 2024: 52 hot dogs
- 2023: 47 hot dogs
- 2022: 41 hot dogs
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Geoffrey Esper Hot Dog Stats
Geoffrey Esper is projected to down 45.75 hot dogs on PrizePicks for the 2026 contest. Here are Esper’s last five Hot Dog Eating Contest stats:
- 2025: 43.75 hot dogs
- 2024: 53 hot dogs
- 2023: 49 hot dogs
- 2022: 47.5 hot dogs
- 2021: 50 hot dogs
Nick Wehry Hot Dog Stats
Nick Wehry is projected to down 42.75 hot dogs on PrizePicks for the 2026 contest. Here are Wehry’s last five Hot Dog Eating Contest stats:
- 2025: 41.75 hot dogs
- 2024: 46.75 hot dogs
- 2023: 45 hot dogs
- 2022: 40.5 hot dogs
- 2021: 44 hot dogs
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Miki Sudo Hot Dog Stats (Women’s Event)
On the women’s side, Miki Sudo is projected to down 38.25 hot dogs on PrizePicks for the 2026 contest. Here are Sudo’s last five Hot Dog Eating Contest stats:
- 2025: 33 hot dogs
- 2024: 51 hot dogs
- 2023: 39.5 hot dogs
- 2022: 40 hot dogs
- 2020: 48.5 hot dogs
Find more Women’s Hot Dog Eating Contest stats and projections here
Michelle Lesco Hot Dog Stats (Women’s Event) – 23.75 Hot Dogs Eaten
On the women’s side, Michelle Lesco is projected to down 23.75 hot dogs on PrizePicks for the 2026 contest. Here are Lesco’s last five Hot Dog Eating Contest stats:
- 2025: 22.75 hot dogs
- 2024: 23.75 hot dogs
- 2023: 24 hot dogs
- 2022: 25 hot dogs
- 2021: 30.75 hot dogs (champion)
Make Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Predictions on PrizePicks
The heat wave is here, and America is turning 250 years old. What does that mean? It means it’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest time.
Joey Chestnut looks for his 18th title, looking to better his 70.5 hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes from last July 4. And if he eats just one hot dog, he’ll cash his 0.5 hot dogs eaten Max Discount on PrizePicks — a special July 4 promo!
Claim the Joey Chestnut 0.5 Hot Dogs Eaten promo on PrizePicks HERE!
As we near the mecca of competitive eating on Independence Day, you can make predictions on the 2026 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on PrizePicks.
Just pick More or Less on hot dogs eaten for the top competitors in this year’s field, and you can win real money with your predictions!
Find more July 4 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest stats, analysis, and predictions on Playbook — your home for daily sports pics.
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