The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest: A Look Back at 22 Years of Competitive Eating

The History of the Contest

The Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest is an annual American hot dog competitive eating competition. It is held each year on July 4 at Nathan's Famous in Coney Island, New York. The contest was first held in 1916, and it has been held every year since then, except for 1941-1945, when it was suspended due to World War II. In 2011, the contest was split for men and women for the first time since 1975. The men's and women's contests are now held on separate days, with the men's contest being held on July 4 and the women's contest being held on July 5.

The Winners

The following is a list of the winners of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest over the last 22 years: * **2022:** Joey Chestnut (76 hot dogs) * **2021:** Joey Chestnut (76 hot dogs) * **2020:** Joey Chestnut (75 hot dogs) * **2019:** Joey Chestnut (74 hot dogs) * **2018:** Joey Chestnut (74 hot dogs) * **2017:** Joey Chestnut (72 hot dogs) * **2016:** Joey Chestnut (70 hot dogs) * **2015:** Joey Chestnut (60 hot dogs) * **2014:** Joey Chestnut (61 hot dogs) * **2013:** Joey Chestnut (69 hot dogs) * **2012:** Joey Chestnut (68 hot dogs) * **2011:** Joey Chestnut (62 hot dogs) * **2010:** Joey Chestnut (54 hot dogs) * **2009:** Joey Chestnut (66 hot dogs) * **2008:** Joey Chestnut (59 hot dogs) * **2007:** Joey Chestnut (66 hot dogs) * **2006:** Joey Chestnut (53 hot dogs) * **2005:** Takeru Kobayashi (49 hot dogs) * **2004:** Takeru Kobayashi (44 hot dogs) * **2003:** Takeru Kobayashi (43 hot dogs) * **2002:** Takeru Kobayashi (45 hot dogs) * **2001:** Takeru Kobayashi (46 hot dogs) Joey Chestnut has won the contest 15 times, more than any other competitor. He is the current world record holder for the most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes, with 76 hot dogs.

The Rules

The rules of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest are simple: competitors have 10 minutes to eat as many hot dogs as they can. The winner is the person who eats the most hot dogs in that time. There are a few rules that competitors must follow, however. First, they must eat the hot dogs whole, including the bun. Second, they cannot use their hands to help them eat the hot dogs. Third, they cannot vomit or regurgitate any of the hot dogs that they have eaten. The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is a popular event that attracts thousands of spectators each year. It is a fun and exciting way to celebrate the Fourth of July.