Latest news with #Bertoletti


Fox Sports
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox Sports
2025 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Best Bet: Back Bertoletti To Cover Spread
There's nothing more American than betting on the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest every Fourth of July at Coney Island. Last year's winner, Patrick Bertoletti, crushed 58 hot dogs and buns to win his first career mustard belt in a wide-open field without Joey Chestnut. The first hot dog "total" posted on Bertoletti for this year's event was O/U 49.5, an offshore number that felt way too low. DraftKings opened his number at 50.5 last week and their number is up to 53.5 one day out. Circa Sports is currently the highest on Bertoletti at 55.5. "He was the toughest eater to price," Circa risk manager Dylan Sullivan told me late Wednesday night. "He's been pretty inconsistent over the years, but I saw the direction his market was being bet and wanted to be high. I would rather build a cushion near the ceiling than get run over with Over bets." Patrick Bertoletti +17.5 hot dogs vs. Chestnut Truth be told, my "Bet Sweats" co-host Joe Ostrowski and I loved Bertoletti's prop at Over 49.5, but we won't have a single cent Over 55.5. Chestnut is back at the event this year after being banned last July for a sponsorship issue with Impossible Foods. The 16-time Nathan's champion is the unquestioned favorite, and he's as high as -2500 to win. That means you've got to lay $2500 to win a Benjamin. No thanks. Chestnut's total is very polarizing at O/U 71.5 because we've seen him eat as many as 76 dogs and buns in 2021, but only 63 and 62 in 2022 and 2023, respectively. "You would think he would be motivated to destroy the competition," one bettor told me. "But weather is the most important factor. If it's too hot, the pace slows down and if it's on the cooler side, the food gets cold." "Let's be real, you're gambling on a bet at [O/U] 71.5." Chestnut was on Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" podcast this week and said "it'll take perfect conditions" to beat his world record of 76. Temperatures are expected to be in the high 60s, so I have little interest in betting on him to eat 77 or more at a price of +300. As for the women's event, Miki Sudo is the clear favorite, and it's such a forgone conclusion that she'll win her 11th title that most sportsbooks aren't even booking a women's future pool. That's how dominant she is. Sudo's total is in the 45.5 to 46.5 range. I did eye Sudo (+115) against Nick Wehry in a head-to-head matchup at DraftKings. Sudo ate a women's record 51 dogs and buns last year, and I would much rather bet the best woman to beat the fourth-best man heads up. At the end of the day, I can't ignore this betting blitz on Bertoletti. The hot dog sharps have already spoken, gobbling up the Overs from 49.5 to 53.5, and I'm not as confident as the market is that Chestnut will reach 70. Let's see what happens. PICK: Patrick Bertoletti (-130) +17.5 dogs vs. Chestnut Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and the BetMGM Network. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! in this topic


Time of India
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Patrick Bertoletti eyes '60‑Dog Club' as Joey Chestnut returns to Nathan's Contest 2025
Image via Instagram/ Patrick Bertoletti Patrick Bertoletti, the reigning champion of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, is gearing up for a high-stakes title defense at Coney Island. After downing a personal best of 58 hot dogs last year to clinch the coveted Mustard Belt in Joey Chestnut's absence, Bertoletti is now focused on pushing past the '60‑dog club. ' 'I'll be eating next to [Chestnut] and he's crazy fast out of the gate. That's just extra motivation and drive,' he tells TMZ Sports. With Chestnut—the long-time 'Jaws' of competitive eating—making his comeback, what was a surprise championship could turn into one of the most intense rivalries in hot dog history. How Bertoletti's competitive streak makes him the perfect candidate for this challenge Joey Chestnut on 2025 Return to Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Bertoletti, 40, began competitive eating in 2007, earning the nickname 'Deep Dish' through his record-breaking performances in events like chicken wings, cream-filled doughnuts, and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. With that experience fueling his confidence, he's embracing new pressure as the defending champ. 'It does feel weird because […] I'm not used to being the champ…but it feels good,' he explains in the TMZ video. Bertoletti says the anxiety linked to the title isn't negative—it's energizing. With the goal of breaking the 60‑hot‑dog barrier, he's strategically pushing his training. 'The goal is to improve on 58…if I could get into the 60 club, […] but 60 would be great,' he states . He anticipates that Chestnut's blistering pace will ground him in focus: 'If you have somebody like that next to you pushing the pace, […] you're just gonna be focusing on keeping up with him. ' What is at stake for Bertoletti A NEW CHAMPION 🌭 Patrick Bertoletti wins 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 🏆 Joey Chestnut, a 16‑time Nathan's champion, was controversially barred from the 2024 contest due to a vegan sponsorship conflict but is set to return on July 4, 2025. With a staggering 76‑hot‑dog record in 2021 and an ambitious 80‑dog target this year, Chestnut's comeback sets the stage for a showdown. His absence last year left fans and athletes like Bertoletti feeling the competition was incomplete. For Bertoletti, Chestnut's presence is not just a challenge—it's validation. 'It didn't feel right without him there,' he reflected. For Bertoletti, this year's contest brings more than the title. Establishing himself in the '60‑dog club' would cement his status among the elite of the sport. Equally, it's a rare shot to beat Chestnut head‑to‑head—a victory that could redefine his career. The contest's broader narrative—legendary return, underdog champion, historic milestone—is captivating audiences beyond typical food‐sport fans. Also read: Celebrities spotted at Wimbledon 2025: David Beckham, Nick Jonas, John Cena and more As Independence Day approaches and Coney Island prepares for its annual spectacle, the clash between Patrick Bertoletti and Joey Chestnut promises to deliver drama, records, and edge‑of‑seat competition. Bertoletti's 58‑dog triumph was historic; a 60‑dog performance would be groundbreaking. Yet the spotlight now shifts to Chestnut, the unbeatable force eager to reclaim his throne. Whether a new era begins or the old guard reasserts dominance, this Fourth of July showdown stands poised to become one of the most memorable chapters in hot dog eating lore. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.


New York Post
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Reigning Coney Island hot dog champ wants Joey Chestnut back even if it means losing title
This news is hard to swallow. Reigning Nathan's hot dog-eating champ Patrick Bertoletti fears he may no longer be the top dog amid rumors that notorious eater Joey Chestnut might be back for the annual Coney Island contest. 'Joey is the best hot dog eater ever, so to say I have a chance to win — I guess you can say it, but I don't know. It's difficult to beat him. He's the best for a reason,' Chicago's pride Bertoletti told The Post Wednesday. Advertisement 3 Patrick Bertoletti won the Mustard Belt after wolfing down 58 franks at last year's Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog eating contest. Paul Martinka Bertoletti took home the 2024 Mustard Belt at last year's Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest — which Chestnut was dramatically barred from over a contract dispute related to a sponsorship deal with another hot dog brand. Had the the 16-time Nathan's champ been there, he would have been a hard nut to crack for Bertoletti, who won by wolfing down 58 dogs — which is nearly 20 less than Chestnut's Nathan's personal best of 76 franks. Advertisement Chestnut also hadn't eaten less than 60 at the Coney Island contest since 2011 — and just two months after missing last year's Nathan's contest, Chestnut won another event with a record-breaking 83 franks. It was revealed Tuesday that Chestnut and Major League Eating were actively negotiating to have him return to the annual Coney Island event, though nothing was yet confirmed. Bertoletti also shot down any suggestions that the contested back-and-forth could have been a PR stunt, saying: 'I don't think anyone was that good to do that. I mean, if he does come back, it's probably make the contest bigger than ever. But I don't think that at all.' While hard to digest, the news isn't the wurst, Bertoletti emphasized — calling Chestnut his dining buddy for more than two decades. Advertisement 3 Joey Chestnut celebrates after eating 57 hotdogs in five minutes at the Pop Goes the Fort eating contest on Fort Bliss, Texas on July 4, 2024. Justin Hamel for the NY Post 'It didn't feel right without him there. I know if he wasn't there I'd have a better shot to win, but I'd rather he'd be there than anything else,' Bertoletti said, revealing he was fresh off a video chat with his hungry rival. That doesn't mean he's not going to give Chestnut a run for his money, he warned: 'I'm a realist. But what I'm saying is, out of anyone else who has a chance to beat him?' Bertoletti admitted he was looking forward to having the heat off him if Chestnut returns, noting that he liked 'flying under the radar' throughout the last few years of competition. Advertisement 'Being a returning champ, everyone is looking at me, which is weird because I'm not used to that,' Bertoletti said. Bertoletti has been conducting miniature hot dog 'practices' several times a week — and even posted some videos of him curling packs of Nathan's dogs in preparation for the big contest. 'It's just it's not pretty. It's not interesting either. Just a lot of hot dogs,' he said of his training, adding that it's easy because he never gets tired of eating the franks. 3 Bertoletti hopes to beat his record of 58 franks, with a new goal of gobbling up at least 60. Paul Martinka While he would relish in first place, the current title holder has his eyes on setting a new personal dog record and hopes to eat at least 60 — a far cry from the world record-breaking 83 franks Chestnut gobbled up last September. After being banned from the Coney Island contest, Chestnut competed instead at the Pop Goes the Fort eating contest on Fort Bliss, where he scarfed down 57 dogs in just five minutes. Advertisement And more importantly, Bertoletti is looking forward to having fun. 'I would have never expected the reigning hot dog champion. This past year has been awesome and I'm just trying to enjoy it. I don't take myself too seriously,' he added.