Prepare your stomachs and loosen your belts because the Fourth of July is bringing more than just fireworks – it’s serving up a heaping plate of hot dog hilarity at the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island in New York City. Since 1916, this iconic chow-down showdown has tested the limits of human digestion, challenging competitors to scarf down as many hot dogs and buns as they can in 10 minutes. This year, though, there’s a twist: the legendary Joey Chestnut, who has gobbled his way to victory 16 times, is sitting this one out, having switched sides to champion plant-based hot dogs. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!
With Chestnut out of the running, the odds are in favor of Geoffrey Esper from Oxford, Mass., who’s the -120 favorite (that’s betting talk for “he’s got a good shot, folks”) in the men’s division. Meanwhile, on the women’s side, nine-time champ Miki Sudo is the overwhelming favorite at -1200. These gastronomic gladiators will face off at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday, ready to relish the glory.
Before you make any bets, though, you might want to consult with Matt Severance of SportsLine. This guy knows his hot dogs and his stats. Since joining SportsLine, he’s become the go-to guru for multiple sports – and yes, apparently competitive eating is a sport now.
Severance has crunched the numbers and is putting his money where his mouth is. One of his hot takes? Geoffrey Esper to cover the 9.5 hot dog spread (-120) against Miki Sudo. This is no small feat considering Esper’s impressive resume – he’s second only to Chestnut and holds 19 Major League Eating records, including a mind-boggling 281 chicken wings in one sitting. Meanwhile, Sudo’s numbers have been dipping like a soggy bun, from a record 48.5 hot dogs in 2020 to just 39.5 last year. Ouch.
But wait, there’s more! Severance has locked in two other sizzling bets, including one that promises a juicy plus-money payout. So, before you place your bets and stock up on antacids, check out his full lineup of predictions over at SportsLine. It’s bound to be a dog-eat-dog competition, and you won’t want to miss a single bite.
