Hot dogs, wagers and Chestnut return to Coney Island on July 4

Americans are expected to eat 150 million hot dogs on July 4, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, while the country’s best-known eating contest draws fresh attention in Coney Island. The holiday food ritual also has become a betting event, with major sportsbooks and prediction markets listing odds on Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest.

The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council says the Independence Day total would be enough hot dogs to span the distance from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles more than five times. The council also says the period from Memorial Day through Labor Day, known in the industry as hot dog season, produces about 38% of yearly retail hot dog sales, or roughly $1.16 billion.

July alone accounts for 10% of annual retail hot dog sales, according to the council. This year’s holiday falls as the United States marks its 250th Independence Day.

Chestnut favored in Coney Island

Nathan’s annual contest is returning to Surf and Stillwell avenues, the Coney Island corner tied to the event. Joey Chestnut, who has won 17 titles, is favored to win again and is expected by oddsmakers to eat about 70 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.

Chestnut’s personal best at the event is 76 hot dogs and buns, set in 2021, according to the contest record cited by Fortune. Miki Sudo, the women’s record holder with 51 hot dogs and buns, is seeking a fifth consecutive title and her 12th overall.

Chestnut missed the 2024 Nathan’s contest after signing a sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, a plant-based competitor to Nathan’s. Major League Eating described the split at the time as “devastating,” and Patrick Bertoletti won the men’s title that year in Chestnut’s absence.

Chestnut returned last year and won the Mustard Belt with 70.5 hot dogs, according to Fortune. He comes into this year’s contest after pleading guilty this spring to misdemeanor battery tied to an incident at an Indiana bar and serving a 180-day probation sentence, Fortune reported.

World Cup crowds may lift turnout

Nathan’s expects larger-than-usual crowds because New York is also drawing World Cup visitors. Phil McCann, vice president of marketing at Nathan’s Famous, told Fortune that the event typically brings about 35,000 in-person spectators on July 4.

McCann said the NYPD expects attendance to be higher this year because of World Cup tourism and the contest’s appeal to visitors. He said Nathan’s has been working with city agencies, including the NYPD, on security planning.

McCann also told Fortune that Nathan’s has seen higher sales than a year earlier at its flagship and Coney Island boardwalk sites. Fortune noted that sports economists have questioned how much host cities benefit from World Cup-related spending overall.

Betting markets expand

DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM are offering boards on the Nathan’s contest, with Chestnut listed as high as -2500 to win and his total set at 70.5 hot dogs, according to Fortune. Kalshi, a regulated prediction market, is also offering contracts on the winner and the winning total, including whether Chestnut tops his 76-dog record.

The American Gaming Association says Americans legally wagered $166.94 billion on sports in 2025, up 11% from 2024 and a record for the industry. Fortune reported that Kalshi processed $871 million in trading volume on Super Bowl Sunday this year, as prediction markets press into sports-related events that traditional sportsbooks have long handled.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.