\n Posted on: January 31, 2026, 08:53h.\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
\n Last updated on: January 31, 2026, 09:52h.\n <\/p>\n
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- Joey Chestnut narrowly defended his world title at the 4th annual Siegel\u2019s Bagelmania Bagel Eating Competition in Vegas on Saturday<\/strong><\/li>\n
- He beat his fiercest competitor by one\u2011eighth of a bagel, the closest finish in event history<\/strong>
\nBy mere bites, Joey Chestnut defended his bagel-eating championship title at the fourth annual Siegel\u2019s Bagelmania World Bagel Eating Competition in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 31.<\/p>\n
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Winner and still bagel-eating chamption Joey Chesnut demonstrates how difficult it is to celebrate a victory while needing to vomit. (Image: Siegel\u2019s Bagelmania)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Chestnut \u2014 who has held more Major League Eating world records than any living human, from hot dogs to Twinkies to hard\u2011boiled eggs \u2014 beat his fiercest competitor by only one-eighth of a bagel.<\/p>\n
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The table is set for the battle of a lunchtime. (Image: Siegel\u2019s Bagelmania)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Chestnut inhaled 16 7\/8 bagels to Patrrick Bertoletti\u2019s 16 3\/4, the closest finish in the event\u2019s history. Almost more of a rounding error than a victory, the heartbreakingly tiny gap will surely haunt Bertoletti every time he walks past a bakery.<\/p>\n
Bertoletti nearly matched Chestnut last year, too, 14.5 bagels to his winning 15.<\/p>\n
Carb Your Enthusiasm<\/h2>\n
The format remained unchanged: eight minutes, unlimited plain bagels, mandatory cream cheese, and absolutely no dignity.<\/p>\n
For his esophageal brinkmanship, Chestnut received $5,000 of the $10,000 in prize-biting money, as well as a championship title belt and at least a 250 mg\/dL triglyceride spike.<\/p>\n
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The holey war was on. (Image: Siegel\u2019s Bagelmania)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Rounding out the top five places were the event\u2019s other regulars:<\/p>\n
3. Geoffrey Esper<\/strong> \u2014 16 1\/8 bagels
4. James Webb<\/strong> \u2014 16 bagels
5. Nick Wehry<\/strong> \u2014 13 7\/8 bagels<\/p>\nAll eaters bested their bagel consumption from last year.<\/p>\n
Esper still holds the world record, 17 3\/4 bagels, which he managed in 2023\u2019s inaugural holey war.<\/p>\n
The event was livestreamed, for the first time, on TrillerTV, a platform normally devoted to combat sports.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
- He beat his fiercest competitor by one\u2011eighth of a bagel, the closest finish in event history<\/strong>