Joey Chestnut wins Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest: Here's what you need to know

July 4 is about celebrating Independence Day, enjoying time with family, watching some fireworks and perhaps eating a hot dog … or 70.

Well, maybe not 70 for most people. But if you were paying any attention to the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Sunday, you got to watch a few folks at least make the attempt.

As has become tradition, Joey Chestnut once again dominated the event, stuffing 76 hot dogs into his face in 10 minutes to break the world record he set just last year.

Chestnut, 37, has won the event five straight times and 14 of the past 15.

On the women's side, Michelle Lesco won the belt by downing just shy of 31 dogs in 10 minutes. Miki Sudo, who set the women's record at 48.5 last year, would have been favored to win the event, but she opted to work out of the ESPN booth this year during her pregnancy.

Here are some other things to know about the competition, a sanctioned celebration of gluttony that has become an American tradition.

Why does this exist?

Humans are competitive creatures and love to eat, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that competitive eating is a thing around the world or that professional eaters compete in contests and are governed by such outfits as Major League Eating. Right?

Nathan’s is a hot dog eating contest, but there are also competitions centered on other foods, including hamburgers, pies, pancakes, wings, pizza and ribs.

Apparently, eating contests date back at least as far as the 13th century and the first recorded pie-eating contest took place in Toronto in 1878.

According to Nathan's, the origins of the hot dog eating contest date to July 4, 1916, when four immigrants decided that would be the best way to determine which of them was the most patriotic.

How does the Nathan’s contest work?

It’s pretty simple. Competitors have 10 minutes to eat as many hot dogs (including buns) as they can. They have to be members of MLE and must qualify for Nathan’s through various regional events.

The contestants can consume the dogs and buns separately and are allowed to dunk the buns in water, but they can be penalized for "messy eating" and disqualified if they – ahem – lose their lunch.

The winners earn $10,000 and the "Mustard Belt."

Anything else?

If you thought you had a bad post-BBQ stomachache today, imagine how Chestnut must feel.