Nikola Jokic had a fantastic run in the playoffs and Shohei Ohtani is doing things that Babe Ruth could only dream of in the MLB this season, but the most dominant athlete on the face of the Earth is still Joey Chestnut.
On the Fourth of July on Coney Island, Chestnut will be crowned the champion of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest for the 16th time. Last year, his biggest challenger was a protestor who the champ promptly choke slammed before depositing 63 hot dogs and buns into his black hole of a stomach.
Even with Chestnut as a prohibitive favorite on the men's side we can still find some value on the board for betting the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, maybe the greatest tradition that America has to offer. Let's get into the odds and I'll give you my best bet.
Nathan's Hot Dog Contest odds
- Joey Chestnut: -2500
- Geoffrey Esper: +800
- Nick Wehry: +1200
- Darron Breedon: +1400
- Gideon Oji: +2000
- James Webb: +2500
Joey Chestnut prediction and best bet
It's not worth it to bet on Joey Chestnut to win the competition, that's like betting that the Sun will come up tomorrow and Vegas knows that. The odds don't provide any value and there is no way that I'll ever bet against the king. Instead I'll bet against the record and take Chestnut to beat his own mark of 76 hot dogs.
Chestnut has dealt with injuries and last year with a protestor that obviously disrupted his rhythm and yet the competition was still merely a formality. This year, I expect Chestnut to come back with a vengeance after dipping below 70 dogs last year for the first time since his loss to Matt Stonie in 2015. The record better be nervous because Joey is coming for it this season.
Pick: Joey Chestnut to break his own record +255
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change