The New York City Marathon is one of the most popular marathons in the world, and its lottery is one of the most competitive. The lottery opens in January and closes in February, and runners are selected randomly. The lottery is the only way to enter the marathon, and there are no guaranteed entries. In 2023, over 200,000 people applied for the lottery, and only about 30,000 were selected.
There are a number of reasons why the New York City Marathon lottery is so competitive. First, the marathon is held in one of the most iconic cities in the world, and it attracts runners from all over the globe. Second, the marathon is known for its challenging course, which includes running through all five boroughs of New York City. Finally, the marathon offers a prize purse of over $1 million, which makes it one of the most lucrative marathons in the world.