No London Marathon Ballot Luck? How to Get A Place

Didn’t get your place in the TCS London Marathon ballot? You are not alone. There are still ways of securing your spot at this iconic event.

The London Marathon is one of the biggest marathons in the UK and is part of the Abbot World Marathon Majors. Making this event popular worldwide.

For U.S. runners dreaming of crossing the iconic Tower Bridge or finishing triumphantly on The Mall, getting into the TCS London Marathon can feel next to impossible. With hundreds of thousands entering the ballot each year and only a small percentage selected, the odds are stacked against you. But here’s the good news: you don’t need to win the lottery to run London!

This post will outline the different options available to help runners enter the London Marathon and ensure their spot at the next event.

TCS London Marathon Ballot

The most common way runners try to get into the TCS London Marathon is through the public ballot, often referred to as the London lottery. But it’s one of the most competitive in the world.

The ballot opens on race day each year and typically remains open for only one week. Applicants find out if they’ve been selected by late June or early July via email. If you aren’t successful the first time, the event organizers will automatically enter you into a second-chance ballot, slightly improving your odds, but not by much.

London Marathon lottery timeline:

• The lottery opens the day the marathon takes place (typically in April).
• The lottery closes a week later.
• The results are usually emailed to runners in late June or early July.
• If you don’t get in, you are automatically entered into a second drawing.

You can enter the ballot through the TCS London Marathon website.

London Marathon Charity Program

Another way to secure a coveted spot in the TCS London Marathon is through the official charity program. Each year, hundreds of charities are granted race entries and offer runners the chance to participate while raising funds for meaningful causes.

To run on behalf of a charity, you’ll typically need to commit to a minimum fundraising amount and pay a registration fee. In exchange, you’ll receive a race entry and, often, training and fundraising support from the organization.

Some of the types of charities you can run for include:

• Animal Welfare
• Armed Forces & Veterans Programs
• Children & Youth Services
• Community Development
• Disability & Accessibility Initiatives
• Health & Cancer Research
• Hospice & End-of-Life Care
• LGBTQ+ Support
• Mental Health & Wellness
• Sports Development & Access
• Social Welfare

Check out the full list of all the charities included in the TCS London Marathon charity programs on their website.

London Marathon Tour Operator

Didn’t get in through the London Marathon ballot? You’re not out of options, as you can still make your London Marathon dream a reality through an official TCS London Marathon tour operator.

Sports Tours International is the leading tour operator in the United States, offering runners guaranteed race entry, hotel accommodation, race weekend support, and the ultimate post-race celebration.

At Sports Tours International, we handle every detail of your London Marathon journey — from coordinating your guaranteed race entry and hotel stay to helping you navigate the lead-up to race day with ease. Our experienced team provides personalized support every step of the way, including assistance with entry registration, pre-race logistics, and even private guidance to the start line.