Betting On Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

While no one knows exactly when hot dogs became synonymous with July 4th in America, we can tell you that betting on Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has been popular for over a century. Around 1916, what was rumored to have begun as a contest of patriotism is now an annual spectacle that New Yorkers look forward to each Independence Day. In fact, the entertaining competitive eating contest now draws contestants and spectators from all over the world. The event is sanctioned by Major League Eating (MLE), which believe it or not, is a professional organization for competitive eating events. MLE has brokered a deal with ESPN, which broadcasts the event each year and will do until at least 2024.

You bet on the NBA, NFL, and other sporting events broadcast on ESPN, so why not start betting on Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest? Most viewers are not even aware that wagers can be placed on the insatiable event, but there are plenty of New York sports betting sites that feature Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest betting odds each year. Once you understand the structure of the contest, you place bets that are more than just entertaining and actually profitable. We will walk you through the types of odds and prop bets that you will see posted for betting on Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest odds are posted at online sportsbooks like BetOnline and SportsBetting a few months before the contest is scheduled to take place. The odds for betting on Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest will vary from book to book, but you can always compare lines in order to find the best value. There are certain bets that you will come across no matter which New York sports betting site you use, and we have listed some of the most popular Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest bets that you can make ahead of Independence Day.

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest – Odds to Win

There will usually be a field of around 20 contestants that enter the contest and you can bet on who the outright winner will be. When it comes to betting on Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest outright, there are typically two main contenders. That is why you will typically see odds for a certain contestant against the field. Joey Chesnut, for example, has won 10 Mustard Belts and has been an odds-on favorite by bookmakers for years.

• Joey Chestnut to Win (-400)
• The Field (+200)

If you bet on Joey Chesnut to win Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, you will need to risk $400 to potentially win $200. To bet on any other contestant to win, wager $100 to win $200.

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest – Women’s Winner

Betting on Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest also involves the women’s side of the competition, which follows the same exact format as the men’s contest. Women first started competing in Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2011. The winner from year to year tends to vary more than on the men’s side, so you can expect to see more betting options. Here is an example of a bet you might see on the women’s winner:

• Miki Sudo (-500)
• Sonya Thomas (+225)
• Michelle Lesco (+575)
• The Field (+3500)

If you were to bet on the odds for Miki Sudo to win, you would need to wager $500 in order to win $100. Bet on Michelle Lesco to win Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, and you can win $575 from a $100 wager. If you wager on anyone else to take the Mustard Belt, you will win $3500 off of a $100 bet.

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest – Win Margin

Betting on how many hot dogs a contestant will win by is also a popular bet to make. You can bet on the margin of victory in a head-to-head championship match, or on the contest as a whole. Here is an example of what a winning margin bet might look like:

• Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - Margin of Victory
  Over/Under 10

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest – Hot Dogs Eaten

A bet on the total hot dogs eaten in Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest can come in several different formats. You might bet on the over/under of hot dogs eaten for a particular contestant, or on the championship as a whole. With this bet, it helps to look at past totals and then average them out to make the most informed wager. Here are a few examples:

Men’s Championship – Total Hot Dogs Eaten By Winner

• Over 71.5 (-250)
• Under 71.5 (+110)

Total Hot Dogs Eaten - Miki Sudo

• Over 39.5 (-160)
• Under 39.5 (+120)

Total Hot Dogs Eaten At Halfway Mark – Carmen Cincotti

• Over 36.5 (-140)
• Under 36.5 (+110)

Let’s take a closer look at the last example. If you were to bet on Carmen Cincotti to eat more than 36.5 by the halfway mark of the competition, you would need to risk $140 to win $100. If you think Cincotti will eat under 36.5 hot dogs in Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, put up $100 to potentially win $110.