Joey Chestnut wins 4th of July hot dog eating contest for 18th time

Chestnut, 41, managed to eat 66 hot dogs in 10 minutes, which won him his 18th Mustard Belt title and $10,000.

Published: July 4, 2026 3:09pm

Hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut took the top spot at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York, on Saturday. 

Chestnut, 41, managed to eat 66 hot dogs in 10 minutes. It won him the Mustard Belt title for the 18th time and a $10,000 prize, the New York Post reported

The 66 dogs he swallowed didn't beat his record of 76 dogs he ate in 2021. 

Patrick Bertoletti, 41, of Blue Island, Ill., came in second with 50 hot dogs. For that, he won a $5,000 prize. Third place was Australian James Webb, 37, who ate 48 hot dogs and took home $2,500. 

 

 

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