The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, in which contestants engorge themselves on an absurd amount of hot dogs for 10 minutes.
The competition has become the annual Joey Chestnut Showcase. He beat last year's runner-up by 26 hot dogs, choking down a record 76 while Geoffrey Esper finished with 50.
At a certain point, people have to make the decision if it's worth it for them. Getting paid to eat doesn't sound terrible on the surface, but getting paid to eat at that rate cannot possibly feel good.
Major League Eating has typically given winners in the men's and women's competition a top prize of $10,000 each, with incrementally smaller prizes going to the remaining eaters in the top five.
Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest prize money
The total prize pool is $40,000. Here is how the purse has traditionally broken down: – First place: $10,000– Second place: $5,000– Third place: $2,500– Fourth place: $1,500– Fifth place: $1,000
For the men, Chestnut will be trying to defend his title, whereas Michelle Lesco is defending her title for the first time after Miki Sudo missed the contest last year.
Chestnut is perhaps the only person on Earth who has made competitive eating a viable lifestyle.
What is Joey Chestnut's net worth?
The 14-time winner of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest — not to mention countless other Major League Eating competitions — has a net worth of $2 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
According to the site, he can make between $250,000 and $500,000 per year from winning competitions and subsequent sponsorship deals.
In addition to his winnings and sponsor money, Chestnut has his own line of condiments for hot dogs, brats, sausages, wings and sandwiches.