Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest may lack the betting frenzy of major events like the World Cup or Super Bowl, yet the July 4 celebration is undeniably the highlight of competitive eating. With the majority of prominent US sportsbooks now offering odds on the contest, every fraction of a frankfurter could mean the difference between a winning ticket and disappointment – or maybe even indigestion.
The phrase “Confusion over the number of dogs consumed” might seem bizarre, yet it accurately describes the chaos at this year’s contest, where post-event score adjustments turned what appeared to be winning bets into losers, leaving some bettors feeling queasy.
The most significant debate arose around women’s champion Miki Sudo, who secured her 12th title. Initially credited with consuming 34 hot dogs and buns in the designated ten-minute period, her official tally was later increased to 38.75 after judges completed their count.
Feeling Under the Weather
This error had major implications for those who had wagered under on sportsbooks like DraftKings and BetMGM, where Sudo’s over/under was set at 38.5 hot dogs. A seemingly surefire win turned into a losing ticket by just half a frank.
Sudo’s husband, fellow competitor Nick Wehry, saw his unofficial score surge too, rising from 40 hot dogs to an official 45. This change not only influenced betting outcomes but also propelled him from sixth place to fourth, providing him with a larger slice of the prize pool.
George Shea, co-founder of Major League Eating (MLE), attributed the discrepancy to a straightforward counting mistake.
“A plate was miscounted,” Shea told USA TODAY Sports, noting that head judge Sam Barclay identified the blunder during the official review process. Since each serving plate contains five hot dogs, missing just one plate can significantly impact the total count.
Not everyone is satisfied with this explanation.
The ‘Double Plate’ Hypothesis
USA TODAY’s review of ESPN’s broadcast suggested Sudo only consumed 34 hot dogs, although varying camera angles made verification challenging.
While allegations of corruption in competitive eating are far-fetched, veteran eater Geoff Esper suggested the scoring dilemma might stem from “double plating,” where two paper plates stick together during the high-speed contest. If an extra empty plate is mistakenly counted, it could inflate a competitor’s score by five hot dogs.
“It’s an uncommon but plausible situation that can happen during the competition,” Esper explained. “This instance really raises questions about why those two might have been double plated.”
Frank Assessment
A similar issue arose in 2018 when legendary eater Joey Chestnut’s total was revised upward by ten hot dogs after the contest, overturning previously winning over/under bets.
Former competitor Darron Breeden remarked that as the contest transitions into a mainstream betting affair, it must improve its reliability on human counters instead of modern technology.
“I agree that standards have to be elevated for the eaters, the spectators, and especially for those who have money at stake,” Breeden stated.