You can now place a wager on whom can eat the most hot dogs this holiday weekend. In New Jersey, Colorado, or New Hampshire, DraftKings is offering betting lines on the 2020 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
This is the first year the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has approved betting on the eating contest, most likely to keep money wagered within the state and not in offshore sportsbooks.
Major League Eating announced the DraftKings partnership with the event earlier this week.
“We like to be in the entertainment realm as well as the race and sports area,” DraftKings director of race and sports operations Johnny Avello told Gaming America. “We are exploring other options beside just your traditional sports. We partnered with Nathan’s and thought why not offer some betting opportunities for our patrons.”
Joey Chestnut, winner of 12 of the last 13 years, is the heavy favorite. “The question wasn’t who to make the favorite but how big a favorite to make Joey Chestnut,” said Avello. He said 57% of the money bet has been on Chestnut, listed at 1 to 10 odds. The field of five other men competitors are +550 underdogs. DraftKings lists Miki Sudo, winner of the last five women’s contest, at around a -800 favorite in her division. There are also propositions on the number of hot dogs each favorite can eat, 72 ½ and 74 ½ for Chestnut, and 40 ½ for Sudo.
DraftKings is also offering a list of eight to nine free-to-play online propositions with a $25,000 prize pool. This free-to-play option is not limited to any state and available to all DraftKings customers on their app.
The July 4 eating contest will not take place at Coney Island or in front of fans. It will be held in a private location in Brooklyn with no fans and limited participants with health and safety guidelines in place.
