two men hug, relieved at finishing the marathon

Ballot entry

The 2023 TCS London Marathon Ballot

Please note that the ballot for the 2023 TCS London Marathon closed at 21:00 on Friday 7 October and all entrants have now received their results.

If you were unsuccessful in the ballot, fear not – you can still take part in the 2023 event on Sunday 23 April by applying for a charity place or entering the virtual TCS London Marathon!

The TCS London Marathon is the most popular marathon on the planet and more than one million people have completed the event since its first edition in 1981. Will you complete the iconic course with us in 2023?

Entering the ballot for the TCS London Marathon can be the first step towards a healthier, happier lifestyle and taking part is an extraordinary and life-changing experience.
Hugh Brasher
Event Director of the TCS London Marathon

About the ballot
Not sure what we mean by the TCS London Marathon Ballot? No problem – click here to find out all you need to know about the ballot, including how to apply and the benefits of donating your entry fee

UK participants

The cost of a place in the TCS London Marathon for successful UK participants is £49.99.

While ballot entrants don’t have to pay anything when they enter, UK residents can opt to donate their entry fee to the London Marathon Foundation, no matter what the outcome of the ballot.

International participants

The cost of a place in the TCS London Marathon for international participants is £120, plus a £26 carbon offset levy – to find out more, click here.

Your questions answered

We draw the TCS London Marathon Ballot completely at random, just like the National Lottery, so everyone has the same chance – it really is down to the luck of the draw!

If you’d like to increase your chances of gaining a TCS London Marathon place, you could opt to donate your entry fee when you enter the UK ballot, as ballot applicants who do this are entered into a second draw for another chance to secure a place.

You could also apply for a charity place while you wait for the results of the ballot – if you end up gaining a ballot place and a charity place you can return your place to the charity and still raise funds for them as an own-place runner.
You will receive a confirmation email when you enter the TCS London Marathon Ballot. If you opt to donate your entry fee, you will also receive a receipt. Please check your junk folder if these don’t arrive in your inbox.
Across all our events and operations, we’re acting to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas-emitting activities and paying close attention to monitoring our carbon footprint.

On average, international participant travel is the largest contributor to the carbon footprint of the TCS London Marathon, accounting for more than 90 per cent of our carbon footprint.

We want to protect our natural environment, which is why we're partnering with the organisation ClimateCare to invest the full £26 of your levy in certified projects to balance CO2 emissions from participant travel.