Warmer weather means it’s officially baseball season, and beyond eating peanuts and Cracker Jack and singing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” it’s tradition to get a hot dog at a baseball game. If you thought baseball was America’s favorite pastime, you clearly haven’t heard of the 999 Challenge: nine innings, nine beers, nine hot dogs, and depending on who you’re asking, a whole lot of regret. Because in true American fashion, spectators couldn’t just enjoy a nice game of baseball – they had to challenge their digestive systems, too.
What is the 999 Challenge?
Although there’s no definitive real origin to the 999 Challenge, the first online reference dates back to a 2013 Reddit thread by @GrapeGrabber, who shared a YouTube video of himself almost completing the challenge at a Mets game. After the thread went viral, Bleacher Report tested out the challenge, documenting their entire experience during the first round of the 2018 World Series. Of course, you can do it for any old baseball game but the challenge is extra popular on opening day or during a big rivalry game.
What are the rules for the 999 challenge?
The 999 challenge is pretty self-explanatory; the goal is to finish nine hot dogs and nine beers before the end of the game — and ideally one of each during each of the nine innings. Beyond the rules of nine dogs including buns and nine whole beers, the rest of the challenge is purely strategy. Do you chug first and suffer later? Or adhere to the classic adage of “slow and steady wins the race?” On social media, the most common approach is having one glizzy and beer per inning.
The 999 challenge isn’t just confined to a baseball stadium, though — you can do it from just about anywhere, so long as you’re watching a game. If you are at the ballpark, be ready to drop a pretty penny— the average stadium hot dog retails for $5.47, while a beer can cost anywhere from $5 to $15. And with nine dogs and nine beers to account for, the costs of the 999 challenge can range from $80 to almost $200.
Is the 999 challenge easy?
The 999 challenge has mixed reviews, with many saying it requires a stomach of steel. For example, TikTok user @Sarahktoth tried the 999 Challenge and failed. Tapping out during the seventh inning, Sarah’s journey ended with a stomachache while laying face down on the hood of her car. Other users, like YouTuber Sir Yacht, lived to tell the tale following participation.
If nine beers and nine hot dogs simply sounds like too much, there are multiple variations. For example, you can try nine beers in nine innings (aka the “99 challenge” without hot dogs), swapping our beers for non-alcoholic beverages, or only going for six glizzies and six beers in six innings.
If baseball isn’t your thing, other sports have their own challenges as well. For football, some fans challenge themselves by eating a Chick-Fil-A sandwich for every scoring play, While basketball fans have consumed a single chicken nugget for every point scored by a player of their choice during the NBA Finals.
Or, if sports aren’t your thing, TikTok user @throatgoatnancyreagan completed this challenge at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Rather than one dog each inning, they ate one glizzy during each era — eating nine hot dogs in total.
All I know is, regardless of when and where you try the 999 challenge, it’s best to come prepared with lots of Tums, peppermint tea, and a ride home.