Unfinished Beef: Chestnut vs Kobayashi Odds, Predictions, & How to Watch

It’s Labor Day in North America and while many people are thinking about the upcoming school year or football season, others have their mind focused on one thing: unfinished beef.

On Monday, hot dog-eating legend Joey Chestnut will go one-on-one against rival Takeru Kobayashi in a glizzy-gobbling showdown. It’s the first meeting between these food legends in 15 years and the looming showdown — titled “Unfinished Beef” — will be airing exclusively on Netflix this afternoon.

If you’re looking for everything you need to know before the highly anticipated Chestnut vs. Kobayashi collision, you’ve come to the right place.

Unfinished Beef: Chestnut vs Kobayashi Background

The upcoming hot dog-eating contest came to fruition after Joey Chestnut was banned from Nathan’s Famous annual tournament earlier this year. The ban stemmed from the 40-year-old partnered with Impossible Foods, one of Nathan’s rivals, to promote plant-based hot dogs.

Considering how Chestnut previously won the tournament a record 16 times, it’s easy to see why fans were disappointed by the officials’ decision. Fortunately, the Fulton County, KY native is a man of the people and quickly signed on with Netflix to take on Takeru Kobayashi in “Unfinished Beef.”

Kobayashi rose to fame over two decades ago when he won Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest six consecutive times from 2001 to 2006. The Japanese competitive eater’s run came to an end with Chestnut’s first victory in 2007, which would lead to the former finishing second to the latter in each of the next three tournaments.

Kobayashi retired earlier this year, however, the chance to take on Chestnut one more time was too attractive to ignore. Only time will tell if the 46-year-old can avenge the last loss to his rival, which came 15 years ago.

Joey Chestnut vs Takeru Kobayashi Odds & Predictions

Unfinished Beef: Chestnut vs. Kobayashi odds are courtesy of BetOnline as of Monday, Sept. 2 at 11:30 a.m. ET. 

Head-to-Head Winner

• Joey Chestnut (-1500)
• Takeru Kobayashi (+600)

Joey Chestnut Hot Dogs Eaten

• o65.5 (-150)
• u65.5 (+110)

Takeru Kobayashi Hot Dogs Eaten

• o52.5 (-150)
• u52.5 (+110)

Unsurprisingly, Joey Chestnut is BetOnline’s lopsided favorite to emerge victorious from “Unfinished Beef.” Considering how he’s won Nathan’s Famous tournament 16 times since 2007, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see why he’s the odds-on favorite over Kobayashi, whose competitive eating career has been on the downswing lately.

As for the best bet here, I’m taking Chestnut to eat o65.5 hot dogs (-150). In his last eight Nathan’s tournaments, Chestnut has finished with the Over six times, including when he ate 75 dogs in 2020. Additionally, he just ate 57 hot dogs in five minutes earlier this Summer and will have double the time to smash that mark today.

Chestnut vs. Kobayashi Best Bet: Joey Chestnut o65.5 Hot Dogs

Get 50% up to $1,000 on your wagers today at BetOnline

Unfinished Beef: Chestnut vs Kobayashi Rules

• 10-minute time limit
• Contests can’t dunk hot dogs in water or pour it on them
• Hot dogs must remain in buns
• Contestants have 30 seconds to finish what’s in their mouths after 10 minutes
• Crumbs can deduct points from the final score
• Three-minute overtime period if tied after regulation
• Regurgitation penalties

Unfinished Beef: Chestnut vs Kobayashi FAQ

When is Chestnut vs. Kobayashi?

• Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi will go head-to-head on “Unfinished Beef” on Monday, Sept. 2.

What time is Chestnut vs. Kobayashi?

• Chestnut vs. Kobayashi will take place at 3 p.m. ET.

How can I watch Chestnut vs. Kobayashi?

• “Unfinished Beef” is airing exclusively on Netflix on Labor Day with plans starting as little as $6.99.

When did Chestnut last face Kobayashi?

• Chestnut and Kobayashi last collided at the 2009 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. Chestnut won the competition with a final score of 68 while Kobayashi placed second with 64.5 hot dogs eaten.

Where can I bet on Chestnut vs. Kobayashi?

• Hot dog-loving bettors can wager on Labor Day’s Chestnut vs. Kobayashi clash on various online sportsbooks, including the following:

• Trusted Online Sportsbooks
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