6 key tricks to buying Costco gas (7 4 24)

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Anthony Hazzard
July 04, 2024

The Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest has been an annual tradition. Some contestants will not be in it this year. Find out more later in this email.

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🏆️ Nathan’s Annual July 4 Hot Dog Eating Contest Reaches Inflection Point

The Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest has become a staple tradition on July 4.

According to the hot dog brand, nearly two million people watch on TV and more than 40,000 people attend in person. The male and female winners get $10,000 each.

What started as a public relations stunt for the hot dog brand in 1972, the first officially recorded contest, morphed in 1991 when George and Richard Shea took over the marketing.

George Shea, the co-founder of Major League Eating, still serves as the bombastic, excitable MC for the event.

In 2000, a 100-pound Japanese mattress salesman named Kazutoyo Arai set the record by consuming more than 25 hot dogs in 12 minutes. But in 2001, fellow countryman Takeru Kobayashi shocked the world by eating 50 hot dogs in that same 12-minute period.

ESPN started televising the event in 2003. And Kobayashi, as he came to be known, got 53¾ hot dogs down the hatch in 2006 – his sixth straight win.

The next year, Joey Chestnut reset what was possible, getting 66 dogs in 12 minutes and defeating Kobayashi. Chestnut has won 16 of the last 17 contests, while Kobayashi got banned after 2009 for refusing to sign an exclusive contract with MLE.

Now, in a controversial move, Chestnut has gotten excluded from this year’s contest after signing a sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods.

Without the two biggest superstars in the history of the sport, it will be interesting to see if interest in the event wanes.

In a plot twist, Netflix will stream a special pitting the two in a Labor Day hot dog contest titled “CHESTNUT VS. KOBAYASHI: UNFINISHED BEEF.” Netflix has started streaming more sports-related specials recently.

📊 Stat of the Day

🌭 150 million: Number of hot dogs Americans will eat today (Independence Day). According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, that’s enough hot dogs, if lined up end to end, to stretch from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles more than five times.

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Looking to save on your next rental car? Costco Travel might be your hidden gem! In this video, I'll break down everything you need to know about renting a car through Costco. I’ll share my step-by-step process for reserving a rental car, including my favorite perks and tips for finding the best deal. Plus, I’ll share my secret to how I saved $800 on a recent reservation.

☎️ Need Money Help?

The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.

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