Getty Joey Chestnut is searching for his 16th win in the Nathan's Famous 4th Of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
The annual 4th of July tradition is back, with Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest taking place at Coney Island.
The men’s competition (Noon ET start time) will be televised on ESPN2, but if you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream on FuboTV or DirecTV Stream, which both come with a free trial.
Those are the two best live stream options if you’re cutting cable, but there are also some other alternatives, so here’s a full guide on the different ways to watch the 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest streaming live online:
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FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of ESPN and 100-plus other live TV channels on FuboTV, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch the 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest live on the FuboTV app or FuboTV website.
Compatible devices for the FuboTV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Fubo credentials to do that.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” ESPN is included in every one, and you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch the 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest live on the DirecTV Stream app or DirecTV Stream website.
Compatible devices for the DirecTV Stream app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your DirecTV Stream credentials to do that.
Sling TV
You can watch a live stream of ESPN and 40-plus other live TV channels via Sling TV’s “Sling Orange” bundle. This option doesn’t include a free trial, but it’s the cheapest long-term streaming service with the ESPN channels, and you can get your first month for half off:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch the 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest live on the Sling TV app or Sling TV website.
Compatible devices for the Sling TV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Sling credentials to do that.
Hulu With Live TV
You can watch a live stream of ESPN and 65+ other TV channels via Hulu With Live TV, which now also includes access to both ESPN+ and Disney+ at no added cost:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch the 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest live on the Hulu app or Hulu website.
Compatible devices for the Hulu app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, Nintendo Switch, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Hulu credentials to do that.
Vidgo
You can watch a live stream of ESPN and 65+ other TV channels on Vidgo, which does not come with a free trial:
Once signed up for Vidgo, you can watch the 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest live on the Vidgo app or Vidgo website.
Compatible devices for the Vidgo app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or Android tablet.
You can also watch live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Vidgo credentials to do that.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2023 Preview
Competitors will have 10 minutes to consume all the hot dogs and buns they can, with the winner consuming the most. The first place winner will be awarded $10,000, the second place contestant will win $5,000, third place wins $2,500, fourth place wins $1,500, and fifth place gets $1,000. The winner on the men’s side will win the Mustard Yellow Belt
Chestnut, whose own record for most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes is 76, a feat he accomplished in 2021, is the favorite to win his 16th title.
“Hot dogs are a weird thing,” Chestnut told USA Today. “There can be just a natural variation in hot dogs because there’s a natural casing. I don’t know why, but some years the hot dogs are faster than others, and some years they’re way slower. The casings are harder to bite through, and that’s just the way it is. If this year they’re cooked to the point where they’re spitting oil early, you can bite them and they snap, you’ll feel the juices flowing. Oh my God. The juicy hot dog is the best way.”
On the women’s side, Miki Sudo had won the competition eight times, and she’s not only looking to get victory No. 9, she’s hoping to break the 50 dog mark. Her personal best is 48.5 hot dogs consumed in the competition.
“There’s practicing with food, which a lot of people see on social media. You line up 10 minutes worth of hot dogs and just practice like you play,” Sudo said. “The other part is in the gym. I like to get my cardio endurance up so that I can fight really hard in the New York heat. And the third part is the mental component. I go back and rewatch my tapes. I really anticipate the mental challenges that I’m going to encounter during the contest.”
Courtesy of Wager Talk, here are some of the rules for the competition:
- Competitors must be over 18 years of age.
- Competitors must be able to fit into a size 42 waist.
- Competitors must sign a waiver that releases Nathan’s Famous from liability.
- Competitors must eat as many Nathan’s Famous hot dogs and buns as they can in 10 minutes.
- Hot dogs must be eaten whole, including the buns.
- Competitors are allowed to drink water or other beverages during the contest.
- Competitors are not allowed to regurgitate any food.
- Competitors who are caught cheating will be disqualified
Here are the odds for both men’s and women’s sides this year:
Men’s competition:
- Joey Chestnut: -4000
- Geoffrey Esper: +1200
- Nick Wehry: +2000
- James Webb: +2500
- Field: +3000
Women’s competition:
- Miki Sudo: -5000
- Michelle Lesco: +1500
- Field: +2500