The wait is finally coming to an end for the 1,338,544 runners who entered the ballot for the 2027 London Marathon, with reports beginning to emerge that entrants are receiving emails confirming the outcome of their applications.
While not everyone will receive their result at exactly the same time, London Marathon Events previously confirmed that all entrants would be contacted during July. As emails continue to arrive, runners across the world are checking their inboxes to see if they have secured a place in what will be the biggest London Marathon ever staged.
The 2027 edition marks a historic milestone for the event. For the first time, the London Marathon will be held across two days, with races taking place on Saturday April 24th and Sunday April 25th. The expanded format will allow up to 100,000 runners to take part across the weekend, dramatically increasing the event's overall capacity.
More Places than Ever Before
The move to a two day event has provided fresh hope for runners who have spent years entering the ballot without success.
Although London Marathon Events has not confirmed exactly how many places were allocated through the public ballot, previous editions have offered an estimated 17,000 to 20,000 ballot places.
If that allocation has broadly doubled alongside the expansion to two days, it would suggest somewhere in the region of 34,000 to 40,000 ballot places were available for 2027.
Against the record 1,338,544 ballot applications, that would equate to estimated odds of around 2.5% to 3.0%, or roughly one successful applicant for every 39 to 33 entries.
While those figures remain estimates, they still represent a significant improvement on previous years thanks to the increased capacity.
Runners who are successful in the ballot will be randomly allocated either the Saturday or Sunday race. Entrants cannot choose their preferred day, and applying earlier during the ballot entry window does not increase the chances of being assigned to one day over the other.
Check Your Inbox
Entrants are advised to keep an eye on both their inbox and spam folder as emails continue to be issued.
Successful applicants will receive confirmation of their place along with details of the next steps, while those who miss out will also be notified by email.
With such unprecedented demand, disappointment is inevitable for many runners, but the expanded two day format has still created thousands more opportunities than in previous editions.
As more ballot emails continue to arrive throughout the day, runners across the country will finally find out if they have secured a place on the start line of the 2027 London Marathon.
