Massachusetts teacher hopes to topple Joey Chestnut in 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest

The Miracle on Ice. The Helmet Catch. Namath’s Guarantee. These famous sports upsets will echo through the years.

A Massachusetts teacher is hoping to add a sausage stunner to the list.

Oxford’s Geoffrey Esper looks to stand in the way of Joey Chestnut’s record 16th Mustard Belt at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest in Coney Island, Brooklyn Tuesday. Chestnut, the unquestioned hot dog-eating G.O.A.T, has won the last seven Independence Day contests.

Even a ruptured tendon didn’t stop Chestnut from downing 63 dogs in sports’ messiest 10 minutes in 2022.

Although Esper, a local school teacher, is the #2-ranked competitive eater in the world, he opens at extremely long odds to conquer Chestnut.

On Monday, Caesars Sportsbook listed Chestnut as a -3,000 odds-on favorite to win, according to ESPN. In other words, Chestnut is such a massive favorite, bettors have to risk $4,000 on him to win $100.

“Despite the short odds, Chestnut has attracted by far the most bets to win the contest, according to Caesars Sportsbook oddsmaker Joey Feazel, who called Chestnut ‘the Tom Brady of hot dog-eating,’” writes ESPN.

Esper finished second to Chestnut in both 2021 and 2022. When dogs are swapped for donuts though, Esper has even gotten the better of Chestnut. During The World Hostess Donettes Eating Championship in 2019, Esper ate 235 Donettes to Chestnut’s 200.

Esper is also the 2017 and 2019 Hooters wing-eating Champion.

“Geoffrey Esper is a quiet, industrious man who says very little but eats very much. It is said the first word he ever spoke was ‘work,’ his bio on Major League Eating’s website reads. “He does not boast about these and many other achievements, though. He is defined by humility and a strength of character all too rare these days. MLE officials have, though, seen him smile, despite reports to the contrary.”

In Monday’s episode of the Pardon My Take podcast, Chestnut showered Esper with praise and said the school teacher is also a dangerous dog eater.

“Awesome eater out of Boston,” Chestnut told Big Cat and PFT Commenter. “He’s actually beaten me a bunch. For some reason, he hasn’t been able to put together a good performance in hot dogs. But one of these days he’s going to surprise a lot of people and I have to make sure I’m not surprised.”

Coverage of The Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest begins on ESPN at 10:45 a.m., Tuesday.

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