In 2007, the Lottery Selection Process for the Mount Marathon Race abandoned the age-old process of accepting paper registrations and drawing names out of a hat and began using a computerized program for registration and to select lottery winners.
In 2014, a weighted formula was added to the lottery selection process to increase the odds of winning a spot for those who were unsuccessful in gaining entry after applying for several consecutive years.
Lottery hopefuls may only enter ONE TIME per person. Anyone who intentionally applies multiple times will have ALL their entries DISQUALIFIED.
Junior lottery entrants must be at least 9 years old on race day. Adult lottery spots are for applicants age 18 or older on race day.
By rule of the Mount Marathon Race Committee, all junior lottery applicants from Seward and Moose Pass are automatic lottery winners and will receive entry to the race for that year.
There is no lottery preference for adult lottery entrants from Seward and Moose Pass.
Lottery winners are randomly selected from the pool of valid lottery applicants in each race in early April by a specially designed computer program. Your odds of winning a lottery spot are based on a number of variables, some of which are not known until registration closes on March 31:
- Total number of Priority Registrations per race
- Total number of available lottery spots per race
- Total number of valid lottery applicants per race
- Your total number of consecutive unsuccessful annual applicants
- Total number of lottery applicants with the same, or a higher weight
Applicants with consecutive unsuccessful lottery applications have an increased chance of selection. Accumulated lottery weights reset to ZERO when an registrant gains entry to the race, or misses a registration year.
Lottery applicants will be notified via email by April 15 whether they have won or lost the lottery, and a preliminary 2024 roster will be published by April 15.
There will be NO WAIT LIST for those who lose the lottery or other who seek to gain entry after the roster is published.
The Top 50 Percent Age Group Rule implemented in 2021 was created in part to increase lottery odds and to allow more new racers to gain entry. It is also intended to allow those who have lost their spot a better chance of regaining it.
The lottery odds in 2024 were:
Women – 37.9 percent (192 selected/507 applicants)
Men – 20.9 percent (153/733)
Girls – 50.9 percent (54/106)
Boys – 41.4 percent (48/116)
The lottery odds in 2023 were:
Women – 44.8 percent (162/359)
Men – 24.4 percent (153/626)
Girls – 82.9 percent (63/76)
Boys – 41 percent (39/95)
The lottery odds in 2022 were:
Women – 43.8 percent (118/269)
Men – 22.8 percent (109/478)
Girls – 100 percent (57/57)
Boys – 78.2 percent (54/69)