The Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest was without its biggest star today, as Joey Chestnut, the top dog in the world of competitive eating, was forced to sit on the sidelines due to a sponsorship dispute with a plant-based hot dog manufacturer.
The 10-minute July 4 holiday chow-down showdown still went down on Coney Island, and the person who has long highlighted the undercard took on the starring role. New York-born Miki Sudo, 38, a dental hygienist in training, needs no introduction to anyone who has followed the annual holiday hot dog eating contest.
Sudo was the heavy favorite to win the women’s competition, with ESPN Bet listing her at -750. Sudo didn’t disappoint, as she wolfed down 51 hot dogs and buns during the 10-minute period to set a new women’s world record.
I’m just happy to call this mine for another year,” Sudo said after winning her 10th Pink Belt.
Sudo outate 13 other women. Her performance today was 11.5 dogs and buns more than what she got down during the 2023 competition.
Sudo Stars
Since the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest added a women’s division in 2011, Sudo has been crowned the champion in 10 of the 14 competitions.
With her 10th victory, Sudo becomes the second all-time winningest Nathan’s champion behind only Chestnut, who after being forced out of the Coney Island spectacle opted to participate in an event at a U.S. Army base in El Paso.
Sudo topped 50 dogs for the first time in her Nathan’s career. She says she isn’t finished.
Even 10 years into this year, I still have even more to show,” she said. “The women’s record is just going to improve from here on out and there’s a lot of exciting things to come.”
Sudo arrived on the Nathan’s scene with the 2014 event where she unseated Sonya Thomas who had won each of the previous three hot dog eating contests. Sudo has never been defeated, as she skipped the 2021 event won by Michelle Lesco due to being pregnant.
Rising Star
On the 14-eater men’s side, betting was much more interesting with Chestnut out.
A closely contested 10 minutes ended with Chicagoan Patrick Bertoletti, 39, the victor with 58 hot dogs and buns. Bertoletti won over Geoffrey Esper of Massachusetts who managed 53 hot dogs.
Always the bridesmaid, with Joey not here, I knew I had a shot,” Bertoletti said afterwards.
Before the men’s contest, Bertoletti had the third-shortest odds at +850. Esper, who finished second last year with 49.5 dogs to Chestnut’s 62, was the betting front-runner at even money. James Webb was third at +150.
ESPN Bet said had Chestnut been allowed to participate, the sportsbook would have listed him around -2500, which implies a winning likelihood of over 96%. A winning $100 bet on that line would net just $4.
Sudo’s husband, Nick Wehry, was off to an early lead in the men’s event before slowing down in the second half. He finished third with 46 dogs.
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