Patrick Bertoletti wins Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest with 58 as Miki Sudo sets new women’s division record with 51

4th of July excitement reaches a fever pitch in New York

NEW YORK – It is the dawn of a new era Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago won the men's division with 58 hot dogs and buns.

For the first time in years, the men's competition it was wide openwith Joey Chestnut does not compete.

The competition was tight from the start due to the absence of Castanyera.

Bertoletti, the world's new foodie according to Major League Eating, grabbed an early lead, closely followed by Geoffrey Esper of Oxford, Massachusetts and Nick Wehry of Tampa, Florida. Halfway through the contest, Australia's James Webb briefly took the lead. Bertoletti came back and held the lead until the end.

Esper was third with 53. Webb was third with 52.

See the full list of male and female competitors.

Why Joey Chestnut didn't compete this year

Chestnut, the 16-time champion, did not appear this year because of his association with a rival company that makes plant-based hot dogs. Instead, this year he will appear at Fort Bliss in Texas, where he will compete against four service members at 5 p.m.

Chestnut holds the all-time record which he set in 2021 by eating 76 hot dogs and buns.

Miki Sudo sets a new record in the women's division

Miki Sudo set a new record in the women's division at 2024 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest with 51 hot dogs and buns.

Sudo, 38, has won every year since 2014 except 2021 – that year she sat out due to pregnancy. His personal best had previously been 48.5 hot dogs and buns, which he shattered this year with 51.

Sudo successfully defended his title for the tenth time. As Major League Eating's top-ranked female eater in the world, Sudo fended off a stiff challenge from Japan's Mayoi Ebihara, who ate 37.

Sudo thanked Ebihara for “pushing me so much.”

Sudo said he was getting “excited” and that he “really wanted to win.”

Sudo is married to fellow competitor Nicholas Wehry. With 51, he has now surpassed his total of 48.

Michelle Lesco placed third in the women's division with 23 hot dogs and buns.

Thousands of spectators attended the annual show at Nathan's Famous flagship restaurant at Surf and Stillwell avenues. The show also included dance and music performances.

The 4th of July tradition dates back to 1916.

In addition to winning the coveted mustard yellow belt, there is a cash prize of $20,000.

At Thursday's event, Eric “Badlands” Booker set a new record in the Nathan's Lemonade Drinking Competition, consuming a gallon in 21 seconds.

And, in keeping with tradition, Nathan's Famous is donating 100,000 hot dogs to the New York City Food Bank.