No Joey Chestnut? Who people bet will win Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

With Joey Chestnut banned from the 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, last year’s runner up Jeffery Esper becomes this year’s favorite, based on odds from international sportsbook Bet U.S.

Chestnut won’t be competing in this year’s Fourth of July competition because of his marketing deal with Impossible Foods that sells a rival hot dog made from plant-based meat.

So unlike previous years, the biggest question before the contest won’t be how many more hot dogs Chestnut will eat, but who will take his throne. Esper is ranked No. 2 in the Major League Eating rankings .

Favorites to win Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest this year

Esper, who downed 49.5 hotdogs in 2023, may be this year’s favorite, but two other competitors – James Webb and Nick Wehry – could give Esper a run for the $10,000 first-place prize, according to the odds at Bet U.S.

Chestnut consumed 62 hot dogs in last year's competition – his lowest hot dog total since 2015 – and still defeated Esper by about 15 hot dogs.

This Fourth of July won't be without Chestnut, though. The 16-time champion will be competing in a five-minute, hot-dog contest against soldiers at the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas. The Coney Island competition lasts 10 minutes, but Chestnut says he hopes to out-eat the Nathan's winner in half the time.

How many hot dogs has Joey Chestnut eaten before?

Who will win the women's hot dog eating competition?

In the women's competition, Miki Sudo is the clear favorite to repeat. The moneyline on Bet U.S. is tilted so much in her favor, you'd need to bet $3,000 just to win $100.

Since 2014, Sudo, the third-ranked eater in the world, has won nine of the last 10 Nathan's Famous competitions. She didn't compete in 2021 because she was pregnant with her son.

Sudo won in 2023 with 39.5 hot dogs. She holds the Nathan's Famous record of 48.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: No Joey Chestnut? Who people bet will win Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest