3 Best Bets For Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2023

Outside of MLB, the 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is the only thing to bet on the Fourth of July. The biggest lock in all of sports, if you want to call the eating competitions a "sport," is Joey Chestnut at the hot dog eating contest.

Roughly 20 Major League Eating (MLE) "athletes" compete for the Mustard Belt. The challenge is to eat as many hot dogs and buns as possible in 10 minutes. Nathan's used to be a 12-minute contest but changed to 10 minutes in 2008.

Chestnut has won seven consecutive Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contests and 15 of the last 16. His odds to win his ninth straight Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at DraftKings Sportsbook are -4000.

This would be like if prime Tiger Woods entered a college golf tournament in 2007. Heck, even Shohei Ohtani has lower odds to win the 2023 AL MVP.

Joey Chestnut is a sizable favorite to win the 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at DraftKings as of Monday, July 3rd.

The only guy to ever beat Chestnut, Matt Stonie in 2015, isn't in this year's field. Stonie hasn't competed in one of these since 2019.

JOEY CHESTNUT CHOKED OUT A PROTESTOR ON WAY TO HIS 15TH NATHAN’S HOT DOG EATING CONTEST TITLE

Fortunately for all of you sports betting sickos that want action daily, myself included, DraftKings offers a market sans Chestnut.

Betting odds for the 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest without Joey Chestnut from DraftKings.

Miki Sudo is the Annika Sörenstam to Chestnut's Tiger. Sudo is 3rd in the MLE rankings behind Chestnut and Geoffrey Esper (+1000), who's the second-favorite at the 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Sudo has won the women's bracket in eight of the last nine Nathan's eating contests. The only year Sudo didn't beat all the women, 2021, she sat out because of pregnancy. Her odds in the women's bracket is similar to Chestnut with the men.

Odds for the most hot dogs eaten by a women in the 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Fading Chestnut in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is like betting against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Esper at -300 odds in the "winner without Joey Chestnut" market is a no-go.

Sudo's record for hot dogs eaten (48.5) is higher than Michelle Lesco's 2021 winning mark of 30.75. Instead let's hit the following 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest bets at DraftKings ...

Miki Sudo Total Nathan's Hot Dogs Eaten: 43.5

In the eight times Sudo won the women's bracket in the Nathan's contest, she's only eaten more than 43.5 hot dogs and buns once. Last year, Sudo ate the most hot dogs and buns of any female with 42.0.

Miki Sudo reacts after eating 40 hot dogs in 10 minutes, during the 2022 Nathans Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, Brooklyn. (Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images)

Furthermore, Sudo has hit the 40 hot-dog-and-bun mark in just three of those eight Nathan's winning performances. While Sudo will probably win the women's side, she'll most likely won't need 40 hot dogs and buns to do so.

Geoffrey Esper vs. Joey Chestnut Dog Line (Spread)

The hot dog eating contest is "Joey Chestnut's world and everyone is just living in it." But, Esper is clearly the 2nd-best eater in the MLE. Esper has set two eating records this year: 344 Jack's Donut Holes and 17.75 Bagels With Cream Cheese, both in eight minutes.

At another Nathan's contest in Ohio this May, Esper ate 50 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, 23 more than the 2nd-closest eater. In last year's July 4th Nathan's, Chestnut only consumed 16 more hot dogs and buns than Esper (63-47).

Competitive eaters Nick Wehry, Joey Chestnut and Geoffrey Esper participate in the 2022 Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest. (Bobby Bank/Getty Images)

Granted, perhaps Chestnut's weaker performance by his standards in last year’s Nathan's was because of him having to choke-out a protester during the contest. Regardless, I think Esper does enough to cover the dog line vs. Chestnut on July 4th.

Gideon Oji Total Nathan's Hot Dogs Eaten: 38.5

DraftKings knows it'll be tough for Oji to pass 38.5 hot dogs and buns eaten. That's why the Under is more expensive than the Over. DraftKings is trying to entice people in betting Oji's Over 38.5 hot dogs and buns eaten.

Competitive eater Gideon Oji participates in the 2021 Nathan's Famous 4th Of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

Oji's best result in the Nathan's contest was 38 hot dogs and buns eaten on July 4th, 2016. Last year, Oji ate just 29 hot dogs and buns and 37.75 in 2021. He ate just 35 hot dogs and buns in Washington D.C.'s Nathan's contest in late June.

His Bib Sheet in the MLE is impressive and Oji is definitely the best athlete in this field considering he played college hoops at Clayton State. But he just doesn't have the stomach size to eat 39 hot dogs and buns. And DraftKings knows it.