It's Lottery Time! Upcoming Lotteries for 2019 Ultramarathons and Trail Races

It's that time of year again...lottery season! With both Hardrock and Western States lotteries kicking off this week, it's time to drop your name in the hat(s) and see if the Lottery Gods will decide in your favor. Here are some of the more popular lotteries in case you would like to give them a shot! 

Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, June 29, 2019 (Apply Nov 3-10, drawing Dec 1).

Hardrock 100, July 19, 2019 (Apply Now-Nov 15, drawing Dec 1)

Way Too Cool 50k, March 2, 2019 (Apply Dec 1-10, drawing Dec 12). 

Bull Run Run 50m, April 13, 2019 (Apply Nov 15-Feb 8, drawing Feb 8).

Lake Sonoma 50m, April 13, 2019 (Apply Dec 1-15, drawing Dec 16).

Gorge Falls 50k, April 13, 2019 (TBD due to fire)

Miwok 100k, May 4, 2019 (Apply Dec 1-5, drawing Dec 7)

Massanutten 100, May 18, 2019 (Applications opens Jan 1)

San Diego 100, June 7, 2019 (Apply Jan 1-4)

Mt. Washington Road Race, June 15, 2019 (Apply Feb 11-25, drawing Feb 28)

Badwater 135, July 15, 2019 (Apply Jan 25-Feb 8, drawing Feb 15)

Tahoe Rim Trail 100m, July 20, 2019 (Apply Dec 2-15, Drawing Jan 1). Note that the Tahoe 200m on Sept. 11 has no lottery, and is open for registration on Nov 7!

Eiger Ultra Trail 100k, July 20, 2019 (Nov 5, for last 100 slots in 51k and 100k)

Angeles Crest 100, August 3, 2019 (Apply Dec 3-6, lottery Dec 7)

Leadville 100, August 17, 2019 (Apply Dec 1-31, drawing ~Jan 15)

Waldo 100k, August 17, 2019 (Apply Feb 15-24, drawing Mar 1)

Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, August 26, 2019 (Apply Dec 18-Jan 3, drawing Jan 14 if needed)

Cascade Crest 100, August 24, 2019 (Apply Jan 1-Feb 4, Drawing Feb 11)

Wasatch 100 (40th year!), September 6, 2019 (Apply Dec 1-Jan 4, Drawing Feb 2)

Superior 100, Sept 6, 2019 (Apply Jan 1-15, Drawing by Jan 25)

If I've missed any, just leave a comment below and let me know. GOOD LUCK!!!

Lotteries Opening Soon for 2017 Races

Ultra lottery season is on us again! Put your name in the hat for entry into some of our sports most popular events (or all of them like I know many of you do), and let the Lottery Gods determine your fate. Here are some of the more popular lotteries in case you would like to give them a shot! 

Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, June 27, 2016 (Lottery Nov 5-12, Drawing Dec 3).

Mount Mitchell Challenge, Feb 25, 2017 (Lottery completed Sept 1).

Way Too Cool 50k, March 4, 2017 (Lottery Dec 1-11, drawing Dec 12). 

Bull Run Run 50m, April 8, 2017 (Lottery begins Feb 1).

Lake Sonoma 50m, April 15, 2017 (Lottery Dec 1-15, drawing Dec 17).

Gorge Falls 50k, April 9, 2016 (Lottery Oct 22-Nov 12, Drawing Nov 19). Note the 100k is sold out.***

Miwok 100k, May 6, 2017 (Lottery Dec 1-10, drawing Dec 12)

Massanutten 100, May 6, 2017 (Lottery opens Jan 1)

San Diego 100, June 9th, 2017 (Lottery opens Jan 1)

Mt. Washington Road Race, June 18, 2017 (Lottery Mid-Feb with $5 lottery fee)

Hardrock 100, July 17, 2017 (Lottery Now-Nov 20 with $12 lottery fee, Drawing Dec 1)

Tahoe Rim Trail 100m, July 15, 2017 (Lottery Dec 4-18, Drawing Jan 1). Note that the Tahoe 200m no longer has a lottery, and is open for registration!

Eiger Ultra Trail 100k, July 17, 2017 (Nov 4th, for last 100 slots in 51k and 100k)

Angeles Crest 100, August 5th, 2017 (Lottery completed Aug 8th)

Leadville 100, August 19, 2017 (Lottery Dec 1-31 with $15 lottery fee, Drawing ~Jan 15)

Waldo 100k, August 19, 2017 (Lottery Mid-Februrary)

Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, August 26, 2017 (Registration Dec 15-Jan 14 with 1.5 euro lottery fee, Lottery selection Jan 14 if needed)

Cascade Crest 100, Aug 26, 2017 (Lottery Jan 1-Feb 4, Drawing Feb 11)

Wasatch 100, September 9, 2016 (Lottery Dec 1-Jan 4, Drawing Feb 4)

GOOD LUCK!!!

Race Lotteries for 2016 - Where Will You Place Your Bets?

It's that time of year again - ultra lottery season! Put your name in the hat for entry into some of our sports most popular events, and let the Lottery Gods determine your fate. I know many of you have your favorites - here are few dates to track for the ones I know of: 

Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, June 27, 2016 (Lottery Nov 7-14, Drawing Dec 5). I've got 64 tickets this year! Let's hope it's enough.

Way Too Cool 50k, March 5, 2016 (Lottery Dec 1-10). If you don't get in, get on the wait list right away...historically this race has been able to accommodate a lot of wait-listers. 

Lake Sonoma 50m, April 9, 2016 (Lottery Dec 1-13, Drawing Dec 15)

Gorge Falls 50k, April 9, 2016 (Lottery Oct 22-Nov 12, Drawing Nov 19). Note the 100k is sold out.

Bull Run Run 50m, April 11, 2016 (Lottery Feb 1-8)

Miwok 100k, May 7, 2016 (Lottery Dec 1-10, Drawing Dec 12)

Massanutten 100, May 14, 2016 (Lottery Jan 1-8, Drawing Jan 12)

Mt. Washington Road Race, June 18, 2016 (Lottery Mid-Feb with $5 lottery fee)

Mt. Hood 50m, July 9, 2016 (Lottery Jan 4-9, Drawing Jan 9)

Hardrock 100, July 15, 2016 (Lottery Now-Nov 22 with $12 lottery fee, Drawing Dec 1)

Tahoe Rim Trail 100m, July 16, 2016 (Lottery Dec 6-20, Drawing Jan 1). Note that the Tahoe 200m no longer has a lottery, and is open for registration!

Eiger Ultra Trail 100k, July 16, 2106 (Floating lottery depending on entries, typically Oct/Nov)

Badwater 135, July ~28, 2016 (Lottery/application Jan 19-Feb 2, Selection Feb 12)

Leadville 100, August 20, 2016 (Lottery Dec 1-31 with $15 lottery fee, Drawing ~Jan 15)

Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, August 20, 2016 (Registration Dec 16-Jan 5 with 1.5 euro lottery fee, Lottery selection Jan 14 if needed)

Waldo 100k, August 20, 2016 (Lottery Mid-Februrary)

Cascade Crest 100, Aug 27, 2016 (Lottery Jan 1-Feb 10, Drawing Feb 13)

Wasatch 100, September 9, 2016 (Lottery Dec 1-Jan 4, Drawing Feb 7)

Ironman Hawaii World Championship, October 8, 2016 (No more lottery - it was illegal!)

GOOD LUCK!!!

The 2015 Ultra Lottery Season - Which Race Will Choose You?

It's lottery season again in the world of ultrarunning! As our sport continues to grow (up 345% in the last 10 years), the clash of limited space/permits and high demand has put more races than ever in the lottery game. There's even the semi-disappointing trend of non-refundable "lottery fees" popping up a few races this year. Regardless, it's time to put your name in the hat for your favorite races and see how the Lottery Gods determine your fate! The Western States 100m lottery is on right now (already nearing 2,400 entries with two days left). So don't hesitate - put your name in!

(Don't miss the lottery deadlines!)

Below are a few links to popular races that have lotteries:

Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, June 27, 2015 (Lottery Nov 8-15, Drawing Dec 6)

Way Too Cool 50k, March 7, 2015 (Lottery Dec 7-17, Drawing Dec 21)

Lake Sonoma 50m, April 11, 2015 (Lottery Dec 7-17, Drawing Dec 21)

Bull Run Run 50m, April 11, 2015 (Lottery Feb 2-TBD)

Miwok 100k, May 2, 2015 (Lottery Dec 6-10, Drawing Dec 12)

Massanutten 100, May 16, 2015 (Lottery Jan 1-8, Drawing Jan 12)

Mt. Washington Road Race, June 20, 2015 (Lottery Feb 17-March 15 with $5 lottery fee, Drawing March 18)

Hardrock 100, July ~11, 2015 (Lottery Now-Nov 23 with $10 lottery fee, Drawing Dec 1)

Tahoe Rim Trail 100m, July 18, 2015 (Lottery Dec 7-21, Drawing Jan 1)

Badwater 135, July ~23, 2015 (Lottery/app Jan 2-10, Selection Feb 12)

Leadville 100, August 22, 2015 (Lottery Dec 1-31 with $15 lottery fee, Drawing ~Jan 15)

Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, August 24, 2015 (Registration Dec 17-Jan 6 with 1.5 euro lottery fee, Lottery selection Jan 14 if needed)

Tahoe 200m, September 11, 2015 (Lottery Dec 1-21, Drawing Dec 31)

Wasatch 100, September 11, 2015 (Lottery Dec 1-Jan 4, Drawing Feb 7)

Ironman Hawaii World Championship, October 10, 2015 (Lottery Now-Feb 28, Drawing April 17)

Hurt 100m and Gorge Waterfalls 50k lotteries have already occurred. 

Western States Gives Losers A Break with New Lottery Algorithm

This last weekend, the Board of Trustees for the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run changed the policy for the number of tickets in the lottery for those who lose out in consecutive years. Combined with the restriction of qualifying races, this is good news for many-time lottery losers.

As spelled out on wser.org, instead of a single additional ticket in the hat for each year a runner doesn't get in, the ticket count will increase by 2^(n-1) where n is the number of years applied.

First year applicants will have 1 ticket (2^0).
Second year applicants will have 2 tickets (2^1).
Third year applicants will have 4 tickets (2^2).
Fourth year applicants will have 8 tickets (2^3).
Fifth year applicants will have 16 tickets (2^4).
Sixth year applicants will have 32 tickets (2^5).

The new policy increases the probability of being selected for consecutive lottery losers more significantly than the previous linear model. For example, if this new lottery had been used for the 2014 race, a 5-time loser would have roughly a 20% chance of being selected in the old method, and a 34% chance of being selected in the new method (assuming my Excel skills are right). A six-time loser (assuming 26 had existed) is looking at a 37% chance. It might, however, lower the odds for a two-time loser (roughly from 12% to 10%) with the additional dilution from those with 8+ tickets.

Hooray for the biggest losers! Well, it gets better. The odds for a many-time loser when the drawing occurs on December, 2014, is likely even better than this, given the change of qualifying races to the limited set of 100k/100m races for the 2015 race that will likely reduce the overall pool of applicants. Those who stuck it out may have a bright light at the end of the tunnel (I'm looking at you, Mark Tanaka!).

This new process will be in place beginning with the upcoming 2015 race lottery (held in December 2014). As before, if an applicant gains entry into the race either by being selected in the lottery or any other means (MUC, UTWT, Sponsor, Race Admin, etc) the ticket count will start over when they apply for the lottery. Also, as before, in order to gain extra tickets, the applicant must qualify and apply for the lottery each year.

Thank you, Board of Trustees!

- SD

Lottery Season Is Upon Us! Which Ultra/Tri Will Choose You?

It's that time of year to put your fate in the hands of the lottery gods and see which adventures they may choose for you! Here are some races that I track, the dates of their lottery, and helpful links to get your name in the pool:

Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run , June 25, 2011 (Lottery Nov 13-27, Drawing Dec 5)

Miwok 100k, May 7, 2011 (Lottery Dec 1-10, Drawing Dec 17)

Way Too Cool 50k, March 12, 2011 (Lottery Dec 6-12, Drawing Dec 15)

Wasatch 100, September 9, 2011 (Lottery Dec 1-Jan 9, Drawing Feb 5)

Hardrock 100, July 8, 2011 (Lottery Now-Jan 31, Drawing Feb 5)

Badwater 135, July 11, 2011 (Lottery/app Feb 1-15, Selection Feb 18)

Ironman Hawaii World Championship, Oct 8, 2011 (Lottery Now-Feb 28, Drawing April 15)

Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, June 5, 2011 (Lottery Dec 1-Jan 26, Drawings Dec 15 and Jan 26)

Mt. Washington Road Race, June 18, 2011 (Lottery March 1-15, Drawing March 15)

Best of luck!

- SD