Joey Chestnut once again emerged victorious at the Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest on Saturday, marking his 18th career win. Chestnut consumed 66 hot dogs and buns in the 10-minute competition, held in Coney Island before an estimated 25,000 spectators, to claim the $10,000 prize and his signature "Mustard Belt." While this total fell short of his personal record of 76 hot dogs set in 2021, it was enough to secure the championship.
Chestnut, 41, had expressed optimism before the event, telling "Good Morning America" that he was "feeling good" and anticipating a "great Fourth of July." He previously described competitive eating as "the most patriotic sport we've got" in an Instagram post. This year's victory comes after he pleaded guilty in April to a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from an altercation at a bar. According to court records, Chestnut admitted to striking an individual after an interaction he later described as being "pretty drunk" and not remembering.
His guilty plea meant he was on probation during the competition. This is not the first time Chestnut's personal matters have drawn attention around the contest. He had previously been reportedly banned from the 2024 contest due to a deal with Impossible Foods, which had launched a plant-based hot dog. That situation allowed Patrick Bertoletti to win the competition that year, marking the first time since 2015 someone other than Chestnut had claimed the title.
In the women's competition, Miki Sudo won her 12th championship, eating 38.75 hot dogs and buns. Her partner, competitive eater Nick Wehry, also participated in the men's contest.