# How hard is it to get into the big races? Ballot odds and sell-out speed

The organisers' own numbers for 9 ballots and 10 sell-outs, each with its edition and its source: the hardest ballot on record here is Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run (2026 ballot), 11,328 applicants for 369 places.

## Ballot odds

- Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run (2026): 11,328 applied, 369 places, 30.7 per place. Source: https://www.wser.org/lottery/
- Maratona dles Dolomites - Enel (2026): 32,000 applied, 8,000 places, 4.0 per place. Source: https://wisesociety.it/piaceri-e-societa/maratona-dles-dolomites-2026-sport-salute-e-sostenibilita/
- Bank of America Chicago Marathon (2026): 200,000 applied, 55,000 places, 3.6 per place. Source: https://cdn.chicagomarathon.com/app/uploads/2025/12/24120403/121125_WAGNER_2026_BACM_Press-Release_Drawing-Selection-Charity-FINAL.pdf
- Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich (2026): 57,572 applied, 20,755 places, 2.8 per place. Source: https://www.valenciaciudaddelrunning.com/mas-57500-personas-registran-sorteo-dorsal-maraton-valencia-2026/
- Irish Life Dublin Marathon (2026): 47,000 applied, 17,200 places, 2.7 per place. Source: https://irishlifedublinmarathon.ie/record-demand-for-2026-ballot-2/
- Copenhagen Marathon (2027): 80,937 applied, 35,000 places, 2.3 per place. Source: https://copenhagenmarathon.dk/en/massive-interest-in-copenhagen-marathon-more-than-80000-runners-apply-for-an-entry/
- Comrades Marathon (2027): 56,283 applied, 28,000 places, 2.0 per place. Source: https://comrades.com/blogs/entrant-statistics-for-2027-comrades-marathon
- Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival (2026): 52,000 applied, 30,000 places, 1.7 per place. Source: https://melbournemarathon.com.au/2026-ballot-results/
- Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America (2027): 33,649 applied, 30,000 places, 1.1 per place. Source: https://www.baa.org/news/record-field-of-qualifiers-accepted-into-the-131st-boston-marathon-presented-by-bank-of-america/

## Sell-outs

- Comrades Marathon (2026): sold out within 10 hours of general entries opening. Source: https://comrades.com/blogs/entrant-statistics-for-sold-out-2026-comrades-marathon
- Copenhagen Marathon (2026): sold out in 23 hours. Source: https://copenhagenmarathon.dk/en/vild-rekord-23-000-maraton-tilmeldinger-paa-blot-23-timer/
- DATEV Challenge Roth (2027): sold out within 15 seconds. Source: https://tri-today.com/2026/07/challenge-roth-remains-immensely-popular-sold-out-within-15-seconds/
- MALLORCA 312 OK MOBILITY (2027): sold out within minutes. Source: https://endurance.biz/2026/industry-news/mallorca-312-sells-out-8500-places-for-2027-event-in-minutes/
- NN Marathon Rotterdam (2025): sold out in 2.5 hours. Source: https://nnmarathonrotterdam.nl/en/nn-marathon-rotterdam-introduces-a-new-registration-method-with-equal-chances-for-everyone/
- Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival (2025): sold out within hours of entries opening. Source: https://melbournemarathon.com.au/event-history/
- Stadtzuercher Seeueberquerung (2026): sold out on the Monday sales opened ("am Montag rasch verkauft"). Source: https://www.limmattalerzeitung.ch/limmattal/zuerich/zuercher-seeueberquerung-2026-9162-menschen-schwammen-mit-ld.4201231
- TCS Amsterdam Marathon (2026): sold out within one week. Source: https://www.tcsamsterdammarathon.eu/tcs-amsterdam-marathon-2026-sells-out-within-one-week
- The North Face Transgrancanaria (2026): sold out in just 54 hours (the Marathon distance). Source: https://transgrancanaria.net/en/the-north-face-transgrancanaria-2026-marathon-sells-out-in-just-54-hours/
- Zurich Maraton de Sevilla (2026): sold out in barely a month ("en apenas un mes"). Source: https://imd.sevilla.org/programas-deportivos/maraton-de-sevilla/noticias/el-zurich-maraton-de-sevilla-amplia-a-17-000-los-dorsales-disponibles-para-la-proxima-edicion