The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is a hallowed Fourth of July tradition. Is there a better way to start a day full of grilling than to watch a bunch of people absolutely house boiled hot dogs?
Every year, competitors line up to challenge Joey Chestnut in the men’s bracket and Miki Sudo in the women’s. Sudo reclaimed her title last year after not competing in 2021 due to a pregnancy, eating 40 dogs in the allotted 10 minutes. Chestnut, meanwhile, is the six-time reigning champion. His last loss was in 2015 to Matt Stonie.
What is the reward for this display of an iron stomach? Aside from bragging rights, there is a prize money pool to be divided among the top five finishers of both the men and women’s divisions.
Chestnut and Sudo enter as the overwhelming favorites to win once again, and it’s hard to imagine betting against them. Both have been so dominant for so long, and 2022 only reasserted that dominance.
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As the most prolific eaters in Nathan’s history, they’ve both made solid coin over the years. Here’s what to know about what the winners of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating contest make for their victories.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest prize money
Major League Eating has typically given winners in the men’s and women’s competition a top prize of $10,000 each, with incrementally smaller prizes going to the remaining eaters in the top five.
The total prize pool is $40,000. Here is how the purse has traditionally broken down:
- First place: $10,000
- Second place: $5,000
- Third place: $2,500
- Fourth place: $1,500
- Fifth place: $1,000
For the men, Chestnut will be trying to defend his title, while Sudo tries to start a new winning streak after reclaiming the top spot last year.
The winner of the men’s division also gets the mustard belt and the winner of the women’s side gets the pink mustard belt.
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What is Joey Chestnut’s net worth?
Chestnut is perhaps the only man on Earth who has made competitive eating a viable lifestyle.
The 14-time winner of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest — not to mention countless other Major League Eating competitions — has a net worth of $2.5 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. According to the site, he can make between $250,000 and $500,000 per year from winning competitions and sponsorship deals.
In addition to his winnings and sponsor money, Chestnut has his own line of condiments for hot dogs, brats, sausages, wings and sandwiches.
MORE: Full list of Joey Chestnut’s 55 competitive eating world records
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest past winners
Chestnut set a record at the 2021 event with 76 hot dogs, but fell short of that mark last year with 63 in 10 minutes.
Chestnut will be back on Coney Island in 2023 to try to win for the eighth consecutive year, while Sudo will return looking for her second straight win after eating 40 in 2022.
Below are the contest winners dating to 1997.
| Year | Winner | Hot dogs eaten | Time |
| 2022 men’s | Joey Chestnut | 63 | 10 mins. |
| 2022 women’s | Miki Sudo | 40 | |
| 2021 men’s | Joey Chestnut | 76 | 10 mins. |
| 2021 women’s | Michelle Lesco | 30.75 | |
| 2020 men’s | Joey Chestnut | 75 | 10 mins. |
| 2020 women’s | Miki Sudo | 48.5 | |
| 2019 men’s | Joey Chestnut | 71 | 10 mins. |
| 2019 women’s | Miki Sudo | 31 | |
| 2018 men’s | Joey Chestnut | 74 | 10 mins. |
| 2018 women’s | Miki Sudo | 37 | |
| 2017 men’s | Joey Chestnut | 72 | 10 mins. |
| 2017 women’s | Miki Sudo | 41 | |
| 2016 men’s | Joey Chestnut | 70 | 10 mins. |
| 2016 women’s | Miki Sudo | 38.5 | |
| 2015 men’s | Matt Stonie | 62 | 10 mins. |
| 2015 women’s | Miki Sudo | 38 | |
| 2014 men’s | Joey Chestnut | 61 | 10 mins. |
| 2014 women’s | Miki Sudo | 34 | |
| 2013 men’s | Joey Chestnut | 69 | 10 mins. |
| 2013 women’s | Sonya Thomas | 36.75 | |
| 2012 men’s | Joey Chestnut | 68 | 10 mins. |
| 2012 women’s | Sonya Thomas | 45 | |
| 2011 men’s | Joey Chestnut | 62 | 10 mins. |
| 2011 women’s | Sonya Thomas | 40 | |
| 2010 | Joey Chestnut | 54 | 10 mins. |
| 2009 | Joey Chestnut | 68 | 10 mins. |
| 2008 | Joey Chestnut | 59 | 10 mins. |
| 2007 | Joey Chestnut | 66 | 12 mins. |
| 2006 | Takeru Kobayashi | 53.75 | 12 mins. |
| 2005 | Takeru Kobayashi | 49 | 12 mins. |
| 2004 | Takeru Kobayashi | 53.5 | 12 mins. |
| 2003 | Takeru Kobayashi | 44.5 | 12 mins. |
| 2002 | Takeru Kobayashi | 50.5 | 12 mins. |
| 2001 | Takeru Kobayashi | 50 | 12 mins |
| 2000 | Kazutoyo Arai | 25 | 12 mins. |
| 1999 | Steve Keiner | 21.5 | 12 mins. |
| 1998 | Hirofumi Nakajima | 19 | 12 mins. |
| 1997 | Hirofumi Nakajima | 24.5 | 12 mins. |