Short answer: for most big marathons, a charity place is the main way in after a lottery rejection. The race gives entries to official charity partners, you apply to one and agree to raise a minimum, and the place is guaranteed once the charity accepts you. Some races also have qualifying times, club places or official tour packages. Never buy a bib from another runner.
Here is what is still open for 2027 at the races most people apply for, from each organiser's own pages.
You didn't get in. That's normal.
Big city marathons get many more applicants than places, so most people who enter the lottery miss out. It says nothing about you as a runner. The useful question is which doors are still open, and how long they stay open.
Option 1: run for a charity
Charities hold a separate block of entries. You apply to the charity, it picks its runners, and you commit to a fundraising minimum. The details differ by race:
- London (25 April 2027, plus a Saturday race on 24 April): ballot results went out on Thursday 9 July 2026, and London Marathon Events points everyone who missed out to its Run for Charity page. Charities manage their own places, and many keep waiting lists once full, so apply to two or three.
- Chicago (October 10, 2027): drawing results are emailed on December 8, 2026. The race says people who are not drawn can still register through an official charity or a tour operator. Charity places are first come, first served until September 10, 2027, or until a charity is full (Chicago charity program).
- Berlin (September 26, 2027): lottery results arrive by email on December 3, 2026. Charity places do not depend on the lottery, and the organisers say an official charity partner gives you a guaranteed starting place.
- New York (November 7, 2027): NYRR has not yet published 2027 drawing dates, and it says 2027 Official Charity Partners will be announced in the spring of 2027. Most of the charity field is not open yet; NYRR's own Team for Kids already is.
- Tokyo (March 7, 2027): this one runs early. Charity Runner applications for 2027 closed on July 9, 2026, before the general lottery even opened, and general results went out on September 18, 2026. If you missed the 2027 lottery, plan for the 2028 charity window instead, which on this year's pattern opens in late June.
Charity places come with real commitments. Read how charity entries work and how fundraising minimums compare before you apply.
Option 2: other official routes
Most races have entry routes besides the lottery and charities. Check the official site for the rules, because they change each year.
- London lists Good For Age, Championship, British Athletics club places, international entries and places for participants with disabilities among its 2027 routes (Ballot results 2027).
- Chicago has time qualifier and legacy finisher entries, though those applications for 2027 closed on October 29, 2026. Tour operators are the other route the race names (Chicago Marathon: Apply).
- Berlin accepts runners with a qualifying marathon time from 2025 or 2026, reviewed alongside the lottery (Berlin registration).
- New York lists the NYRR 9+1 program and Philanthropic Membership alongside the drawing (NYRR: Run in 2027).
- Tokyo offers ONE TOKYO member entry and official tour packages, which may only be sold by Kinki Nippon Tourist and its partner travel agencies (Tokyo Marathon entry).
What about Boston?
Boston has no general lottery. Entry is mainly by qualifying time, and for 2027 the B.A.A. reported 33,656 qualifier applications and a cut-off of 5 minutes 17 seconds under the standard (B.A.A. registration update). It added a Boston Qualifier Selection, a random draw for qualifiers who missed the cut-off. If you did not qualify, the Official Charity Program is the main way in, with minimums that often run past $10,000.
Option 3: plan for next year
- Write down the dates. Lotteries open and close on roughly the same calendar each year. Tokyo's charity window opens before its lottery; London's ballot results come out in early July.
- Build your base now. A good block of steady running makes a qualifying time, or simply a better race, more likely.
- Get alerts. OpenBibs can email you when a charity lists new spots for the races you pick.
What not to do
Don't buy a bib from a stranger. Many races ban transfers and resales, and you could be turned away on race day and lose your money. OpenBibs never sells or transfers entries; every spot on the board is an official charity place, and you apply with the charity.
Ready to look? Browse open charity spots by race.