WILLEMSTAD, Curacao, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The ultimate contest pitting man against frankfurter, Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest has been a staple on America's birthday since 1916. With the "Super Bowl of competitive eating" only days away, PinnacleSports.com today released odds on the world's most famous eating contest and lists reigning five-time champion, Takeru Kobayashi as an overwhelming favorite to successfully defend his title.
The largest sportsbook on the Internet, PinnacleSports.com has expanded its sports betting menu into the competitive eating arena by posting several betting options on the most intense 12 minutes of eating to be witnessed this year. The greatest eater in history and world record holder at the Nathan's event, Takeru Kobayashi has been installed as an overwhelming favorite at 1/3 odds (i.e., win $1 for every $3 bet) to capture the Mustard Yellow Championship Belt for the sixth straight year.
PinnacleSports.com believes Joey Chestnut, who devoured 50 hot dogs in qualifying, will present the biggest challenge to Kobayashi, listing him with the second-best odds to win the contest at 3/1. Sonya Thomas may appear slight in stature, but proved her bite is bigger than her bark with a second place finish in 2005 by devouring 37 dogs, and at 21/1 has the third best odds to win this year's event.
"When people discuss individual dominance in sports they usually mention Lance Armstrong's seven Tour de France titles or Tiger Woods' 10 major championships, but Kobayashi's consecutive win streak at Coney Island is equally impressive," said Simon Noble of PinnacleSports.com. "Although Joey Chestnut is having an amazing year on the competitive eating circuit and set a new American record with 50 hot dogs, it's unlikely he'll be able to unseat the great Kobayashi. Champions respond under pressure, and like Jordan and Elway before him, Kobayashi is the most clutch performer in eating history."
In addition to calculating odds on who'll win the contest, PinnacleSports.com has created several other betting options on the world's most prestigious eating competition. Although the oddsmakers favor the winner consuming at least 50 hot dogs and buns at 5/8 odds, they believe Kobayashi's world record of 53 1/2 frankfurters will be safe for at least another year, listing a new standard being set as a 9/4 underdog. Bettors may also wager on unique over/under lines on the number of hot dogs the three favorites will eat in this year's contest. The over/under line for Kobayashi's total has been set at 50 hot dogs and buns, while Chestnut's total is 45 and Thomas' has been set at 37.
PinnacleSports.com has also created unique match-ups between eaters participating in this year's event. For a complete list of odds, please visit the "competitive eating" section at http://www.pinnaclesports.com/ .
Current Odds: *All Odds Subject To Change* Odds To Win Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest Takeru Kobayashi 1/3 Joey Chestnut 3/1 Sonya Thomas 21/1 Chip Simpson 100/1 Patrick Bertoletti 100/1 Bob Shoudt 100/1 Rich LeFevre 100/1 Brian Subich 150/1 Tim Janus 150/1 Eric Booker 150/1 Ed Jarvis 150/1 Any Other Eater 10/1 Will The Record Of 53.5 Hot Dogs Be Broken? No 2/5 Yes 9/4 Will The Winner Eat At Least 50 Hot Dogs? Yes 5/8 No 3/2 Total Hot Dogs Eaten By Kobayashi Over 50 hot dogs 10/13 Under 50 hot dogs 6/5 Total Hot Dogs Eaten By Chestnut Over 45 hot dogs 5/8 Under 45 hot dogs 3/2 Total Hot Dogs Eaten By Thomas Over 37 hot dogs 5/6 Under 37 hot dogs 11/10 About PinnacleSports.com
PinnacleSports.com ( http://www.pinnaclesports.com/ ) is the Internet's largest sports betting site, serving customers in more than 100 countries worldwide. Founded in 1998, PinnacleSports.com was the first sportsbook to introduce reduced margin wagering, using a -105 pricing model that gives bettors up to 50% better value on wagers than traditional bookmakers. With low minimum bet requirements and the highest maximum limits on the web, PinnacleSports.com has earned an industry-leading reputation for providing consistent value to the player, professional customer service and the quickest payouts online. Fully licensed and regulated in Curacao, the company offers a secure environment for sports betting, racing and casino gaming.
Chef2Chef News Desk