With a total of 58 hot dogs consumed in 10 minutes, Chicago’s Patrick Bertoletti took down the 2024 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Thursday afternoon on Coney Island.
Bertoletti was a +900 underdog at DraftKings Sportsbook, and the third choice on the odds board before the first meat casing was consumed, behind the favorite Geoffrey Esper (-130) and Australia’s James Webb (+185).
“I just can’t believe it. Always second or third, this is just big,” said Bertoletti, who captured his first mustard belt but with the cloud of the biggest name in competitive eating not on the stage next to him. Joey Chestnut has withdrawn from Major League Eating, as the 16-time champion is embroiled in a contract dispute.
“With Joey here, I knew I had a shot,” said Bertoletti, who said some recent weight loss was a part of his win after a short retirement from the sport.
Bertoletti’s standing world records records include eating 275 jalapeño peppers and 10.8 pounds of Key Lime pie in eight minutes each. He was ranked No. 9 in the world by Major League Eating entering Coney Island today.
Bertoletti still trails far behind Chestnut’s world record in hot dogs, as his 76 beef-and-buns downed in 2021 remains the standard.
