Joey Chestnut overwhelming favorite in 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest odds

Joey Chestnut is the overwhelming favorite for the 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, as expected for the long-reigning champion.

Since winning his first title in 2007, Chestnut has won every single Mustard Belt since, except the 2015 contest won by Matt Stonie. Chestnut also holds the world record for most hot dogs consumed in the contest with 76 back in 2021.

As expected, Chestnut is the favorite to win another title and it’s not even close. You’ll have to place a large sum to get anything out of it.

Below are the odds for this year’s contest, courtesy of Bet MGM.

2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest odds

Joey Chestnut: -5000

Geoffrey Esper: +1200

Nick Wehry: +2000

James Webb: +2500

The Field: +3000

Bartley Weaver IV: +4000

Gideon Oji: +5000

Ren Zoza: +5000

Darrien Thomas: +6600

Adrian Morgan: +6600

It’s amazing when you look at the hot dog eating contest odds and taking “the field” is a smarter bet, so to speak, than five other competitors.

Esper is the one to watch out for this year. The 48-year-old Major League Eating veteran is ready to take the belt from Chestnut this season. According to his MLE bio, he has quite the multi-faceted palette. 

“He is a true multi-disciplinary eater—as comfortable eating 83 slices of John’s Incredible Pizza in 10 minutes as he is in eating 281 Hooters wings in the same amount of time,” Esper’s bio reads. “He is the 2017 and 2019 Hooters wing-eating Champion and the champion of the Fortune Bay Indian Taco and the Jack’s Donuts Donut Holes. On June 17, 2023, Esper secured his third straight strawberry shortcake eating record by downing 21 pounds of the treat in eight minutes.”

Some top tier competition for Chesnut? We shall see.

If anything, Chesnut’s 2023 season might be a renaissance year for the 39-year-old. Once he set the hot dog record of 76 two years ago, Chestnut ate just 63 last year, but don’t forget the protestor who interrupted the show and was immediately placed in a chokehold by Chesnut.

In 2023, Chestnut won the first-ever Qdoba World Burrito Eating Championship in Milwaukee (Wisc.) where he consumed 14.5 burritos in 10 minutes.

That seems to be a nice warmup act for the biggest competition of the year.

The 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating begins at 12:00 p.m. ET Tuesday, July 4th on ESPN2. Will Chestnut win his 16th Mustard Belt? It certainly seems like it.