For the first time, gambling on the iconic Nathan Hot Dog Food Contest on July 4 is on the table for US sports betting houses.The event has long been a top favorite. Sea, but with three states, New Jersey, Colorado and New Hampshire, surrendering their approval, the 2020 bid numbers will be a game that players will enjoy.
Chestnut, a 13-time champion, has been installed as a -1000 favorite (a bet of $ 1,000 wins $ 100) by Draft Kings. The gambling website, which partnered with Major League Eating for the event, places Chestnut at 72.5 francs. A year ago, Chestnut consumed 71 hot dogs and scones, and owns the all-time brand of 74, a number it totaled in 2018.
“Nathan’s famous International Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest is an iconic tradition in the United States that epitomizes American competition,” said Ezra Kucharz, commercial director of DraftKings, in a press release. “We are proud to have partnered with Major League Eating to offer people around the world the opportunity to participate in such a classic event.”
According to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Control, bets will be offered “before the event and will cease immediately before the event begins.” Also, bets will be limited to the event itself, meaning players will not be able to bet on “non-event bets, such as the color of someone’s clothing or the weather.”
The coronavirus factor
The annual event is traditionally held at Coney Island in Brooklyn at Nathan’s famous flagship restaurant. But due to Covid-19, the 2020 edition will take place in an undisclosed restaurant, with established social distancing measures.
And the pandemic may tip the hot dog trays even further in Chestnut’s favor, as his top challenger, and the only man who beat him, Matt Stonie, is being sidelined in California as a result of travel restrictions. (Chestnut is also a California resident, but he headed to New York before the self-quarantine rules went into effect.)
In 2015, Stonie stunned the competitive world of food, beating Chestnut with 62 hot dogs to 60.
Nick Wehry, who is eighth, “will dine in his place,” Major League Eating announced.
On the women’s side, six-time defending champion Miki Sudo will resume her seat at the table, and has been installed as a big -500 favorite. Players will also be able to drill down on additional bets, including bets on whether there will be a deadlock in the event of a tie.
Experts estimate that up to $ 1 million is bet on Nathan’s bites each July; The legalization of gambling suggests that the figure will inflate like the stomachs of the world’s best eaters.
Nathan’s Famous said it would donate 100,000 hot dogs to the New York City Food Bank before the event, as it has in previous years. But this year, the contest will also be dedicated to raising money and awareness for food banks across the country. The hot dog company also said the contest would honor essential workers, “who continue to serve the public despite the risks to themselves during this pandemic.”
How to look
ESPN coverage of the competition begins at 12pm on Saturday. Coverage of the women’s competition will begin at 12:20 pm with the men following at 12:40 pm Each round lasts 10 minutes.
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