Patrick Bertoletti wins Nathan’s 4th of July Hot Dog Eating contest after eating 56 glizzies

Chicago’s Patrick Bertoletti wolfed down 58 hot dogs to win his first men’s title at the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest.

Bertoletti won in a thrilling 10-minute race in which the leader rocked back and forth.

Bertoletti, 39, beat out 13 competitors from around the world in a test to see who could eat the most hot dogs in 10 minutes.

“I wouldn’t stop eating until the job was done,” Bertoletti said.

Bertoletti broke his previous record of 55 hot dogs at the event, which is held every Independence Day on Coney Island in New York.

The Chicago native took the lead late in the game after James Webb led for most of the game

Last year’s winner of the men’s race – Joey Chestnut – has been ruled out due to sponsorship issues

The reigning men’s champion, Joey ‘Jaws’ Chestnut, was absent from this year’s competition due to a sponsor dispute.

Instead, Chestnut will compete later in the day against soldiers at a U.S. Army base in El Paso. Chestnut has won 16 of 17 previous matches.

Earlier Thursday, reigning champion Miki Sudo of Florida won her 10th title in the women’s division. Sudo ate 51 hot dogs in 10 minutes – setting a new world record for women.

“I’m happy to call this my own for another year,” Sudo said after winning her tenth pink belt.

The 38-year-old dental hygiene student won last year after devouring 39 1/2 hot dogs.

Sudo also beat out 13 competitors, including 28-year-old rival Mayoi Ebihara from Japan. Ebihara came in second after eating 37 hot dogs in 10 minutes. She was also the runner-up in 2023.

Miki Sudo set a new world record for the women’s competition by eating 50 hot dogs in 10 minutes

Fans held up cardboard signs to express their disapproval of Chestnut’s exclusion this year in NYC

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT: People wore hot dog costumes in a parking lot in Coney Island, NYC

Bertoletti’s victory marks the first time since 2015 that the famed mustard belt has gone to someone other than Chestnut.

Each year, thousands of fans flock to the event, which takes place outside Nathan’s original location on Coney Island in Brooklyn, a beach destination with amusement parks and a carnival-like summer culture.

Contestants came from more than a dozen states and five continents, with hopefuls from Brazil, Japan, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Australia and the Czech Republic vying for the coveted title and $10,000 prize money.

Last year, Chestnut, from Indiana, fought his way to the title by eating 62 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. The record, which he set in 2021, stands at 76.

Chestnut was initially not invited to the event due to a sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, a company that specializes in plant-based meat substitutes.

Others preferred to show their patriotism by dressing up as Stars and Stripes and Uncle Sam

Participants and fans from all over the world come together to celebrate the annual event

Major League Eating, the organizer of the Nathan’s Famous contest, has since said it has lifted the ban, but Chestnut decided to spend the holidays with the troops anyway.

Chestnut said he would not return to the Coney Island game without an apology.

The event at Fort Bliss Army Base in El Paso, starting at 5 p.m. ET, will feature traditional sausages, with Chestnut attempting to eat four soldiers in five minutes.

Even though he doesn’t eat their vegan products, Impossible Foods is promoting Chestnut’s YouTube livestream of the exhibit by flying planes carrying banners over Los Angeles and Miami.

The company will also donate to an organization that supports military families based on the number of hot dogs eaten during the event, a spokesperson said.