Joey Chestnut’s absence had huge impact on Hot Dog Eating Contest betting

Jul 3, 2022; New York, New York, USA; American competitive eater Joey Chestnut ignited the smoke stacks before the game between New York City FC and Atlanta United at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Joey Chestnut did not compete in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on the 4th of July for the first time in two decades, and gambling markets were a lot quieter because of it.

According to ESPN gambling reporter David Payne Purdum, the BetMGM handle on Thursday’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was only one-third of what the sportsbook received in 2023. The drop-off can undoubtedly be attributed to Chestnut’s absence.

Yesterday's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating contest attracted "1/3" of the betting interest compared to the previous year at @BetMGM sportsbooks, per @johnewing.

Joey Chestnut, the 16-time champion, did not compete in yesterday's event.

— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) July 5, 2024

Chestnut had competed in every annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest since 2004. He was banned last month from participating due to a conflicting endorsement deal. Chestnut now has plans to compete against Takeru Kobayashi in a Netflix event in September.

On Thursday, Chestnut ate 57 hot dogs in just five minutes (the Nathan’s contest is 10 minutes) while squaring off against members of the military in an event to raise money for military families.

While there were some uniquely entertaining moments during the Nathan’s event on Thursday, the buzz surrounding it was considerably lower with Chestnut not involved. It is no surprise sportsbooks were impacted.