We're just a few weeks away from the annual Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest at Coney Island, and it's time to get serious about placing your bets. There's big money to had with this thing, people! Here's what we're looking at this year.
Sports publicist Jimmy Shapiro told HuffPo that the chances of reigning champion Joey Chestnut again being victorious are 1 in 4. The odds of another competitor (like this guy) taking Chestnut's crown are 5 to 2. And the over-under on how many hot dogs Chestnut will eat is 60.5, despite Chestnut's claims that his body was built to eat 68. Shapiro did not share his picks for the newly announced women's division, though a safe bet would be Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas.
One notable exception to this year's competition is, of course, Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi, who was arrested for bumrushing the stage last year (and subsequently removed from the Hot Dog Wall Of Fame!) following a contract dispute with Major League Eating. Kobayashi will instead be competing in real time via satellite TV from the rooftop lounge at 230 Fifth in Flatiron.
