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[ Wire ] · Dispatch · Aug 09

Chicago vs New York: The Two American Majors Compared

Chicago and New York are both American Majors with huge fields and even bigger applicant pools, and very different odds. Chicago Event Management does not publish an acceptance rate; it says the number of drawing spots depends on how many runners register through guaranteed routes. New York's general drawing accepts about 1%, the tightest published rate of any Major. Here is how the two actually compare.

How many people applied to each?

Chicago's 2026 lottery drew more than 200,000 applications, a new event record, up from 160,000 the year before, for a field Chicago Event Management frames at roughly 55,000 total places. New York's 2026 drawing drew more than 240,000 applications from over 160 countries, also a record, a near 20% jump on 2025, against a similarly sized field of about 55,000. Both races posted their biggest-ever applicant pool in the same year.

What are the actual odds?

Chicago does not publish a rate. New York does, and it is tight: about 1% through the general drawing, with a member-only second-chance drawing for eligible non-finishers accepting up to 2%. New York's figure comes straight from the organizer. Chicago's odds and New York's odds each have their own year-by-year breakdown.

What does each course look like?

Chicago is a flat loop through 29 neighborhoods, starting and finishing in Grant Park, typically 5 to 20°C on race morning with variable conditions. New York is the largest marathon on earth by field size, a rolling five-borough route from Staten Island through Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Manhattan, finishing in Central Park, usually a cooler 5 to 13°C. Chicago is generally regarded as the flatter, faster course of the two; New York's bridges and borough changes make for a tougher profile.

What does each cost?

Chicago charges $250 for US residents and $260 for international entrants once selected. New York charges $255 for NYRR members and $315 for non-members. Charity routes cost more at both: Chicago's minimum starts at $1,750 through official partners, while New York's range from $2,500 to $5,000 depending on the partner.

Which one is harder to get into?

Almost certainly New York. Its published 1% general-drawing rate is the tightest of any Major, and while Chicago gives no rate, nothing it has published suggests its odds are anywhere near that low. Chicago also offers a lottery-free path: a time-qualifier standard of 2:50 for men and 3:20 for women in the 16 to 34 age band, easing for older age groups. New York's guaranteed routes work differently, built on the 9+1 program (nine qualifying races plus one volunteer shift), 15-plus career finishes, and tour operator bookings, rather than a single fast qualifying time. Neither city offers a Boston-style path where speed alone buys a bib outright. The Marathon Ballot Simulator models both races' odds across repeated entries. Full histories: Chicago and its 2026 lottery results, New York and its 2026 drawing results.

Which one should you target first?

If speed is your strength, Chicago's time-qualifier route is the more attainable of the two fast-track options, and its lottery is very likely the better bet either way. If you already have New York's 9+1 requirement in hand or a charity fundraising minimum you can clear, that guaranteed route beats gambling on a 1% general drawing. Both cities are flat by Major standards and both draw the same October-to-November crowd, so the choice usually comes down to odds tolerance and which guaranteed route fits your running history.

Sources: Chicago Event Management: Apply, New York Road Runners: 2026 TCS New York City Marathon Drawing record

Sources Chicago Event Management, New York Road Runners Chicago 2026 lottery figures (200,000-plus applications) and drawing rules from chicagomarathon.com; Chicago Event Management publishes no acceptance rate. New York 2026 figures (240,000-plus applications, about 1% acceptance) from nyrr.org and this site's New York ballot history.