Major League Eating (MLE), sanctioned by the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE), has sanctioned the event since 1997. Today, only entrants currently under contract by MLE can compete in the contest. See more

The winner of the men's competition is of the coveted international "bejeweled" mustard-yellow belt. The belt is of "unknown age and … See more

Live TV
In 2003, ESPN aired the contest for the first time on a tape-delayed basis. Starting in 2004, ESPN began airing the contest live. From 2005 to 2017, Paul Page was ESPN's play-by-play announcer for the event, accompanied by See more

• Food portal
• New York City portal
• Sports portal
• Glutton Bowl
• Krystal Square Off
• Horsemen of the Esophagus See more

The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest has been held at the original location on Coney Island most years since about 1972, usually in conjunction with Independence Day. … See more

Each contestant has his or her own eating method. Takeru Kobayashi pioneered the "Solomon Method" at his first competition in 2001. The Solomon method consists of breaking each hot dog in half, eating the two halves at once, and then eating the bun. See more

• Official website
• Two Dozen Hot Dogs Please, and No, They're Not to Go by Anthony Ramirez
• Sports Illustrated feature on the 2006 contest
• Interview of Melody Andorfer "Hot Dog Queen" and Winner … See more