He got that dog in him: An interview with reigning hot dog champion Patrick Bertoletti

Every year on the Fourth of July, millions of God-fearing Americans tune in to watch our nation’s most cherished tradition: a 10-minute battle to eat as many hot dogs as humanly possible. Of course, I’m referring to the annual Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Despite its humble origins, the Coney Island gathering has grown into the world’s biggest competitive eating showdown. It’s also become big business, as elite eaters from around the globe battle not just for prize money, but for sponsorships and social media clout.

Reigning champion Patrick Bertoletti (follow him on Instagram and YouTube) has been a fixture in the world of competitive eating for nearly two decades. A former chef with a record-setting appetite (he once ate 18.5 pounds of blueberries in eight minutes), Bertoletti spent years chasing the July 4th title before finally landing it last year after inhaling a whopping 58 dogs.

This year, as he returns to defend his title, Bertoletti will once again face Joey Chestnut, who’s rejoining the field after sitting out the contest in 2024. And for the first time ever, Kalshi is offering markets on the iconic event.Last week, we were able to ketchup with this bona fide American hero to talk training, variables that could affect this year's contest, and whether he can still enjoy a hot dog like a normal human being.

Click here to see all our 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest markets.

This is an opinion, not financial advice. The views expressed are solely those of the interviewer and interviewee. Neither party is permitted to trade on the platform.

Kalshi: I guess the first question is why? What drove you to enter the world of competitive eating?Patrick Bertoletti: I grew up loving food. It was comforting and brought me the most pleasure. I also had a knack for eating a lot of it. I guess both are the case to this day.Kalshi: It’s my understanding that you first won a burger challenge at a restaurant back in 2007. But what made you decide to go pro?Patrick Bertoletti: I realized that I had what it took to compete with the other professional eaters at the time. My first event was actually a pizza eating contest in 2004 where I tied a professional for third place. I won a DVD player and an upset stomach, but I never looked back.

Kalshi: Last year, you won your first Coney Island 4th of July hot dog title. But you’ve placed in the top three there several times, spanning three different decades. How did it feel to notch that win, and how does the contest today compare to the contests back in the early 2010s?Patrick Bertoletti: Wow, I never realized it spanned three decades. It doesn't seem like that long ago. I think the overall cast of characters has changed. We take it a lot more seriously than before. There is prize money and YouTube channels to promote. That is likely the biggest difference: the online eating community. The Internet has embraced competitive eating via YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and eaters are making a living from that.It felt incredible winning last year. It was a dream I never thought I would realize. It's the biggest and best contest on the planet. I am truly honored to cement my name in the history books.

Kalshi: This year, Chestnut is back and is currently priced as the favorite. What’s your mindset with Joey back in the field?Patrick Bertoletti: I think that it relieves a lot of pressure, as people will not be looking at me when all their attention is Joey. I would much rather have this be the case. Undersell and overperform is kind of my motto. I am just happy to be sharing a table with Joey and all the other incredible eaters. It doesn't feel right without him being on the biggest stage.

Kalshi: What does your training week look like leading into July 4?Patrick Bertoletti: It’s really just a few practices a week. Lots of Tums, salads, and liquids in between practices.Kalshi: Do you train with a number in mind, or is it all about pushing to your max?Patrick Bertoletti: I would like to improve on my personal best, and I think that is a reasonable goal. I don't usually have a number in mind.Kalshi: Our market currently forecasts that the winner will eat 73.5 dogs. Would you take the over or under on that?Patrick Bertoletti: There are too many outside factors, like the weather, for me to weigh in on that. I can't with 100% certainty say.

Kalshi: Are there any insights you can give to traders on what might affect the outcome? For example, what variables affect an eater’s performance on the 4th? Weather? Crowd energy? Something else most people overlook?Patrick Bertoletti: It’s mostly just weather. Low humidity and mid-to-low 80s is ideal. If that is the case, the numbers will be sizable.Kalshi: Is there anything fans tend to think matters that actually doesn’t?Patrick Bertoletti: It could be that we are eating natural casings hot dogs, which are a lot more difficult to eat. It could also be what a lot of eaters think they actually need in these events are a distraction. You look at Joey and he drinks water and isn't using headphones. He is 100% driven and to the point. With that said, I listen to music during [laughs].

Kalshi: You’re also a chef. Do you feel that it gives you any sort of edge, since you know how the sausage is made, so to speak?Patrick Bertoletti: I think being in the food world helps me with sourcing food for practices and to have a realistic sense of what the food will be like in competitions, while being able to predict issues that may arise for temperatures and textures. I think the craziest part is that I still love to eat hot dogs. This is on top of my years training and competing and two tours of hot dog factories.

Kalshi: Aside from your hot dog title, you’ve won several contests featuring other foods, and you hold several records. I assume some foods are easier than others to take down? What was your favorite? Least favorite?Patrick Bertoletti: I am most proud of the blueberries—18.5 pounds in eight minutes. That was fun and refreshing. Fudge is something I don't really like in normal eating, and when eating in such great quantities it can be very challenging.Kalshi: Obviously, you have to have a pretty strong stomach to enter the world of competitive eating. But what’s the craziest, or most disgusting thing you’ve seen at a contest? Are there any dirty secrets that the general public doesn’t know about?Patrick Bertoletti: From a chef’s point of view, it’s really just the food sitting out for a very long time before events in the past. I do have an iron stomach. Nothing is really sticking in my mind as too gross. It’s hard to offend or gross me out.

Kalshi: As a chef and Chicagoan, what’s your favorite restaurant in the city right now? More importantly, what’s your favorite hot dog spot (assuming you’re still able to enjoy a hot dog like a normal human being)?Patrick Bertoletti: My all-time favorite restaurant was Hot Doug’s. They served gourmet sausages with fun and out-of-the-ordinary toppings. I must have eaten there 30+ times, and it was always great. They have since closed.

I don't have a favorite spot at the moment. But the best things I have eaten of late were Middle Eastern milkshakes from Ragadan restaurant and pan pizzas from Milly’s Pizza in the Pan.

Hot dog places are everywhere in Chicago, but for my money the ones at Home Depot are the most consistently good. I will be burned at the stake for saying this, I'm sure.Kalshi: As I mentioned above, our traders currently price Chestnut as the favorite. What would you say to any doubters out there who are thinking about putting money on Bertoletti “No”?Patrick Bertoletti: 20+ years of experience. This is not my first competition.Kalshi: Do you have a message for Joey?Patrick Bertoletti: Joey who?

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