Joey Chestnut Wins 18th Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island

Joey Chestnut secured his 18th victory at the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest held on July 4th at Coney Island, Brooklyn. Competing before approximately 25,000 spectators during the US Independence Day celebrations, the 41-year-old competitive eater consumed 66 hot dogs and buns within 10 minutes. Although this performance was below his personal world record of 76 hot dogs set in 2021, it was enough to reclaim the championship belt.

Chestnut dominated the men's competition from the start, finishing well ahead of runner-up Patrick Bertoletti, who ate 50 hot dogs, and third-place finisher James Webb from Australia, who ate 48. Chestnut attributed the lower tally to challenging weather conditions but maintained composure to add another title to his career achievements. He received a $10,000 prize for his win.

In the women's division, champion Miki Sudo continued her dominance by winning her 12th title with 38.75 hot dogs, though she fell short of her personal best of 51 set in 2024. Despite the lower count, she won by a significant margin over her competitors.

Chestnut's victory marks a notable comeback after missing the 2024 contest due to a sponsorship dispute involving a plant-based food brand. Returning in 2025, he won again and now celebrates this latest triumph on the 250th anniversary of American Independence Day.