You’ve seen the photos. It’s the middle of summer on Coney Island, and there is a man or woman standing behind a table, looking like they’re in a fight for their life against a mountain of processed meat.
The Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest is basically the Super Bowl of the "stomach-centric" sports world. But honestly, most of the casual viewers who tune in once a year have no idea how much drama actually happens behind the scenes. They see the yellow mustard belt, they hear George Shea’s booming, poetic introductions, and they assume it’s just Joey Chestnut winning every single time.
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Well, 2024 and 2025 changed that narrative in a huge way.
The year everything broke: Nathan's eating contest winners in 2024
If you weren't paying attention in 2024, you missed the biggest scandal in the history of competitive eating. Joey Chestnut—the guy who had won 16 out of the previous 17 contests—was banned.
The reason? A plant-based hot dog.
Major League Eating (MLE) basically told Chestnut he couldn't represent a rival brand (Impossible Foods) and still compete on the Fourth of July. It was a mess. Fans were devastated. But as they say, the show must go on. Without the "G.O.A.T." on the stage, the 2024 men’s competition was the most wide-open race we’ve seen in decades.
Patrick Bertoletti eventually stepped up and took the crown.
He’s a Chicago native and a legend in his own right, but he’d been in a bit of a retirement phase. He came back and downed 58 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. While 58 is a massive number for any normal human, it was a far cry from the world record of 76 that Chestnut set back in 2021.
On the women's side, things were much more predictable but arguably more impressive. Miki Sudo didn't just win; she obliterated the competition. She ate 51 hot dogs and buns, setting a new world record for women. She became the first woman to ever break the 50-dog barrier. It was a masterclass in technique and pace.
Joey's revenge: The 2025 results
Fast forward to 2025. After a year of legal back-and-forth and a very high-profile Netflix special where Chestnut faced off against his old rival Takeru Kobayashi, the prodigal son returned to Coney Island.
The atmosphere was electric. You could tell the fans missed him, but you could also tell the other eaters were a little bit intimidated. Patrick Bertoletti was there to defend his title, but let's be real—everyone knew who the favorite was.
Joey Chestnut reclaimed his throne in 2025 with a staggering 70.5 hot dogs.
He didn't quite hit his 76-dog record, but 70.5 was more than enough to put the rest of the field in his rearview mirror. Bertoletti finished in second with 46.5 dogs. That’s a 24-dog gap. In the world of competitive eating, that is a lifetime.
Miki Sudo also kept her streak alive in 2025, winning her 11th title. However, the numbers were a bit lower than usual. She finished with 33 hot dogs. Afterward, she mentioned that the buns felt "more filling than usual." It sounds like a weird excuse, but when you're eating for speed, the density of the bread matters more than the meat itself.
Why the "winners" aren't always who you think
When we talk about Nathan's eating contest winners, people usually only remember the person holding the belt. But the real story is often about the people who almost made it.
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- Geoffrey Esper: This guy is consistently ranked in the top three. He's a teacher from Massachusetts who just happens to be able to eat 50+ dogs like it's a light snack. In 2025, he finished with 43 7/8 dogs.
- James Webb: An Australian eater who has been climbing the ranks rapidly. He’s become a fan favorite because of his "down under" energy and his legit chance at one day unseating the American titans. He took third in 2025 with 45.5 dogs.
- Nick Wehry: Not only is he a top-tier eater, but he’s also Miki Sudo’s husband. Imagine the grocery bill in that house. He finished 2025 with 41 3/4 dogs.
The science of the "stretch"
How do they do it? It’s not just about being hungry. In fact, being hungry has almost nothing to do with it.
Competitive eaters train their stomachs like a muscle. They use "water loading," where they drink gallons of water in a short period to stretch the stomach walls without adding calories. They also eat massive amounts of low-calorie, high-fiber foods like cabbage or broccoli to keep that stretch active during the off-season.
There’s also the "Solomon Method," which is the technical name for breaking the hot dog in half and dipping the bun in water. The water acts as a lubricant, allowing the bread to go down without the eater needing to chew it into oblivion. If you watch a pro like Sudo or Chestnut, they aren't really "eating" in the traditional sense; they are basically just sliding food down their gullet.
The dark side of the belt
We have to acknowledge the elephant in the room: this isn't exactly "healthy."
Takeru Kobayashi, the man who put this sport on the map in the early 2000s, officially retired in 2024. He revealed in a Netflix documentary that he basically broke his brain's ability to feel hunger. He went three days without eating because his body just stopped sending the signals. Doctors found that the sight of food triggered his "competition mode," which meant his brain was suppressing his satiety signals to the point of permanent damage.
He wanted to live a long life, so he walked away.
It’s a reminder that while we cheer for 70+ hot dogs on the Fourth of July, these athletes are pushing their internal organs to a breaking point that we don't fully understand yet.
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What to look for in the next contest
If you're planning on following the next circuit, keep an eye on the "dog-to-bun" ratio. The rules are strict: you have to eat the whole thing. If an eater has a pile of "debris" (crumbs or meat bits) left on their plate at the end, they get penalized.
Also, watch the weather. High humidity on Coney Island is a killer. It makes the buns sticky and harder to swallow. The winners are usually the ones who can maintain their "rhythm" even when the heat is pushing 95 degrees.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Eaters
If you want to understand the sport better or just want to impress your friends during the next broadcast, keep these points in mind:
- Follow the MLE Rankings: The Nathan's contest is just one stop. Major League Eating tracks rankings year-round for everything from tacos to asparagus. Check their official site to see who's actually on a hot streak before July 4th.
- Watch the Technique: Don't just look at the faces. Look at the hands. The best eaters have a "robotic" hand-to-mouth movement that never breaks. Any pause in the rhythm usually means they are hitting "the wall."
- Don't Try This at Home: Seriously. The biggest risk in competitive eating isn't a stomach ache; it's choking. These pros have medics standing by and years of esophageal training. Pushing yourself to eat fast without that prep is a recipe for a trip to the ER.
- Check the Betting Odds: Even if you don't gamble, the Vegas odds are usually the best indicator of who has been training hard in the "dark" months. In 2024, Bertoletti was a +900 underdog—a massive payout for anyone who saw his comeback coming.